174 RETURN OF COMMANDER RTC'HARDS. 



exposed to temperatures below 20 in the air, do not 

 act satisfactorily ; indeed I can only repeat here my en- 

 tire want of confidence in any Six's thermometer which 

 has passed through my hands on this service. 



As the term approaches for the return of our relief 

 sledges, our trusty Sergeant of Marines and a selected 

 companion were despatched, with orders to encamp on 

 the brow of a commanding hill about three miles to the 

 southward, to watch for and signalize any approach of 

 sledges, as well as to scour the heights southerly for 

 game. Today they were visited by some of our excur- 

 sionists, who brought back one hare, which was allotted 

 to the sick. It is strange how some men will recoil at 

 being termed invalids, or even subjects for attention ; 

 instead of any gratitude fox the addition, they preferred 

 the preserved meats. Such is human nature ! 



On the morning of the 3rd the signal from the Ser- 

 geant's station announced the sight of sledges advancing, 

 and about eleven A.M. the 'Sir Edward' and 'Success' 

 sledges, with Commander Richards and Mr. Herbert, 

 returned, bringing intelligence of the arrival of Com- 

 mander M'Clure and his crew (excepting one invalid, to 

 follow with the ' Resolute Y) at Beechey Island. 



May 4. This, being our ten-day interval, exhibits 

 but little advance in the mean temperature ; maximum 

 + 23, minimum 16'5, mean -4'798. 



The water beneath the ice, although it still maintains 

 the standard of 29 '5, nevertheless exhibits decided 

 thawing influence wherever it can find its way up, per- 

 colating the solid floe and thawing the partial joints 

 formed by the overlapping of " the run" of October last. 



