i 9 4 FLUCTUATION OF TEMPERATURE. Chap. XII. 



arctic animals as far towards the south as lat. 70 ; but from 

 hence to the northern extreme reached by Graah there is a 

 distance of 550 miles, of which we are totally ignorant. 



From Cape Farewell, Graah proceeded as far north as 

 Aluik, in 64^° N., where his farther progress was barred by 

 ice ; a few natives were there, but none of them lived farther 

 north, and their traditional knowledge of the coast only 

 extended six or eight journeys farther — probably 100 miles 

 — to an impassable glacier of unknown extent; they knew 

 nothing of the more northern Esquimaux, resembling in this 

 respect the West Greenlanders, who did not know of the 

 arctic Highlanders to the north of Melville Bay previous to 

 the late Sir John Ross's discovery of them in 1818 ; neither 

 did they know of any land animal except the fox. It there- 

 fore does seem that some extraordinary barrier such as a 

 100 miles or more of glacier exists between the discoveries 

 of Scoresby and of Graah, such as on the west coast so 

 effectually isolates the Cape York Esquimaux from their 

 countrymen 250 miles to the southward of them. 



21.57'. — More pleasant weather since my last entry; and 

 although last night the temperature fell to — 47 yet it has 

 generally been mild ; once it rose to — 14 , but amply made 

 amends by falling to —3 8° within twelve hours. We have 

 enjoyed much of the moon's presence for the last ten days, 

 but now she is waning and hastening away to the south. 

 Daylight increases in strength and duration, consequently 

 we walk more, and see more, and the winter's gloom gives 

 place to activity and cheerfulness. Several ptarmigan, three 

 or four hares, a snowy owl, and a bear-track, have at various 

 times been seen. Young has shot four ptarmigan, and I 

 have shot a couple more and a hare, and the men have 

 trapped two foxes. 



On board the ship the preparations for travelling take 

 precedence of all other occupations. These preparations 



