﻿8 franklin's expedition. 1845. 



she might be more readily cleared; and we have been 

 constantly employed at that operation till last evening, the 

 delay having been caused not so much in getting the 

 stores transferred to cither of the ships, as in making the 

 best stowage of them below, as well as on the upper deck. 

 The ships are now complete with supplies of every kind 

 for three years: they are, therefore, very deep; but 

 happily we have no reason to expect much sea as we 

 proceed further. 



" The magnetic Instruments were landed the same 

 morning; so also were the other instruments requisits 

 for ascertaining the position of the observatory ; and it is 

 satisfactory to find that the results of the observations for 

 latitude and longitude accord very nearly with those 

 assigned to the same place by Sir Edward Parry. Those 

 for dip and variation are equally satisfactory, which were 

 made by Captain Crozier with the Instruments belonging 

 to the ' Terror,' and by Commander James with those of 

 the ' Erebus.' 



" Tlie ships are now being swung, for the purpose of 

 ascertaining the dip and deviation of the needle on board, 

 as was done at Greenhithe ; which I trust will be com- 

 pleted this afternoon, and I hope to be able to sail in the 

 night. 



" The governor and principal persons are at this time 

 absent from Disco; so that I have not been able to re- 

 ceive any communication from head quarters as to the 

 state of the ice to the north. I have, however, learned 

 from a Danish carpenter In charge of the Esquimaux at 

 these islands, that, though the winter was severe, the 

 spring was not later than usual, nor was the ice later In 

 breaking away hereabout. He supposes, also, that it is 

 now loose as far as 74°, and as far as Lancaster Sound, 

 without much obstruction. 



