Nov. 1857. ICE DISTURBANCE. 47 



meter, and electrometer, which they see us take much in- 

 terest in. It is delightful to find a spirit of inquiry amongst 

 them. Apart from scholastic occupation, I give them 

 healthful exercise in spreading a thick layer of snow over 

 the deck, and encasing the ship all round with a bank of the 

 same non-conducting material. 



28///. — Midnight. This evening, to our great astonish- 

 ment, there occurred a disruption and movement of the ice 

 within 200 yards of the ship. The night was calm ; the 

 reflection of a bright moon, aided by the more than ordinary 

 brilliancy of the stars upon the snowy expanse, made it 

 appear to us almost daylight. As I sit now in my cabin I 

 can distinctly hear the ice crushing ; it resembles the con- 

 tinued roar of distant surf, and there are many other occa- 

 sional sounds ; some of them remind one of the low moaning 

 of the wind, others are loud and harsh, as if trains of heavy 

 waggons with ungreased axles were slowly labouring along. 

 Upon a less-favoured night these sounds might be appalling ; 

 even as it is they are sufficiently ominous to invite reflection. 

 Cape York has been in sight for some days past. 



2gf/i. — Another heavenly night, and still greater ice dis- 

 turbance ; some of the crushed-up pieces are nearly four feet 

 thick. The currents, icebergs, and changes of temperature, 

 may contribute to this ice action ; but I think the tides are 

 the chief cause, and for these reasons ; that it wants but two 

 days to the full moon, and that the ice-movements are almost 

 confined to the night, and change their direction morning 

 and evening. Now we know that the night-tides in Green- 

 land greatly exceed the day-tides. One thing is evident — 

 the weather continues calm, therefore the winds are not 

 concerned in the matter. 



2nd Nov. — Position, 75° 13' N., 68° 50' W. Having ob- 

 served some days ago that a few of the dogs were falling 

 away — from some cause or other not having acquired their 



