338 On the Structure of Ice. 



spring, long before the action of the sun has produced the 

 slightest thaw or appearance of moisture, is made evident to 

 residents in the high latitudes by many facts of daily occur- 

 rence ; and I may mention that the drying of linen furnishes 

 a faftiiliar one. When a shirt, after being washed, is ex- 

 posed in the open air to a temperature of 40^ or 50° below 

 z^dyit'isintetantly rigidly frozen, and may be broken if vio- 

 lently bent. If agitated when in this condition by a strong 

 wind, it makes a rustling noise like theatrical thunder. In 

 an hour or two, however, or nearly as quickly as it would do 

 if exposed to the sun in the moist climate of England, it dries 

 and becomes limber. 



Mr Kae mentioned to me another example of the same 

 fact, which bears on the transportation of boulders, and may 

 interest geologists. During his memorable residence on the 

 shores of Repulse Bay, he noticed several large boulders 

 which were partially exposed at low water. When the sea 

 froze they became engorged in the ice, and were lifted with 

 it from the bottom by the flood-tides. The ice gaining at 

 each tide in thickness beneath and losing above by superficial 

 evaporation, the boulders in process of time came tb¥^6t'^ih 

 pits on its surface. - ...sn fi>08 ons 



toe e9oi> er tnuooOiB giiiv/oUo't adi etivi^ ila^J nM 



3. Dryness Gf ArcisiG Air. if '^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^9 

 In consequence of the extreme dryness of %i^kte'6^]PKS'^' 

 in winter, most articles of English manufacture made of 

 wood, horn, or ivory, brought to Rupert's Land, are shrivel- 

 led, bent, and broken. The handles of razors and knives, 

 combs, ivory scales, and various other things kept in the 

 warm rooms, are damaged in this way. Th6 humaii b^d^^ 

 also becomes visibly electric from the dryness of the skin.' 

 One cold night I rose from my bed, and, having lighted a. 

 lantern, I was going out to obserVe'lhfe thermometer, \^tii:' 

 no other clothing than my flannel night-dress, when, on ap- 

 proaching my hand to the iron latch of the door, a distinct 

 spark was elicited. Friction of the skin at almost all times in 

 winter produced the electric odour. — {Journal of a Boat 

 Voyage through BuperVs Land-^^^tl^ 4YC§^^§§g^ ,^^^^^ 

 John Richardson.) \,uM,\,^ ,. -en '.ifn .-ton") on? .^^um =!'j?Jhorft»fn i'»ifi.i 



