to reach the North Pole in 1827. 371 



cers were occupied in making ail the observations which might be interesting 

 in this latitude ; and then to set out on our return on the following day. 

 Having communicated my intentions to the people, who were all much di«. 

 ap])ointed in finding how little their labours had effected, we set about our 

 respective occupations, and were much favoured by a renuu'kably fine day. 



" The dip of the magnetic needle was here 82" 21' 6", and the variation 

 18" 10' westerly, our latitude being 82" W %V\ and our longitude 19" 25' 

 east of Greenwich. The highest latxtnde we reached was probably at seven 

 A. M. on the 23d, wheit,.^ after the midnight observation^ we travelled^ by our 

 account^ something more tfuin a mile and a half, which would carry ua a little 

 beyond 82" 45'. Some observations for the magnetic intensity were obtained 

 at this station. We here found no bottom with 500 fathoms of line; the 

 specific gravity of some water brought up from that depth was 1.0340, being 

 at the temperature of 37% when weighed. A Six's thermometer attached to 

 the lead failed to indicate the temperature below, owing to the mercury rising 

 past the index. The sea-water from the surface was, as usual, near the ice, 

 in the summer time, so nearly fresh as to require only three grains to be 

 added to the hydrometer; and at six fathoms below the surface, it was 

 1 0225, at temperature 37". At the extreme point of our journey, our dis- 

 tance from the Hecla was on'y 172 miles in a S. 8" \V. direction. To accom- 

 plish this distance we had traversed, by our reckoning, 292 miles, of which 

 about 100 were performed by water, previously to our entering the ice. As 

 we travelled by far the greater part of our distance on the ice three, and not 

 unfrequently five times over, we may safely multiply the length of the road 

 by 24 ; so that our whole distance, on a very moderate calculation, amounted 

 to 580 geographical, or 668 statute, miles, being nearly sufficient to have 

 reached the Pole in a direct line. Up to this period we had been particularly 

 fortunate in the preservation of our health ; neither sickness nor casualties 

 having occurred among us, with the exception of the trifling accidents already 

 mentioned, a few bowel complaints, which were soon removed by care, and 

 some rather troublesome cases of chilblains^ arising from our constant exjK)- 

 sure to wet and cold. 



" Our day of rest proved one of the warmest, and most pleasant to the 

 feelings, we had yet had upon the ice, though the thermometer was only from 

 31" to 36° in the shade, and 37* in the sun, with occasional fog; but to per- 

 sons living constantly in the open air, calm and tolerably dry weather affords 

 absolute enjoyment, especially by contrast vith what we had lately experi- 

 enced. Our ensigns and pendants were displayed during the day ; and sin- 

 cerely as we regretted not having been able to hoist the British flag in the 

 highest latitude to which we had aspired, we shall perhaps be excused in ha- 

 ving felt some little pride in being the bearers of it to a parallel considerably 

 beyond that mentioned in any other well authenticated record •." 



The journey back to Spitzbergen, although more expeditious 

 than that towards the Pole, was attended with great fatigue and 

 much danger. On the 2d of August the travellers met with 

 red s^iowy of which the following account is given : 



• Nwtatlve, p. 108-10?. 



