274 SIGNS OF RELEASE. Chap. XVII. 



Yesterday one of the men brought on board a trout weigh- 

 ing 2 lbs. ; he saw a glaucous gull and a fox disputing for it 

 on the margin of a small lake ; the former seems to have 

 killed and brought it to land. 



We have seen that Bellot Strait continued unfrozen 

 throughout the entire winter. In this respect it bears an 

 exact resemblance to the various water-spaces which have, 

 from time to time, been reported, and were regarded as 

 proofs of an open polar sea — the polynia of some writers. 

 In every instance where more extended observation has 

 been made, not only have the hypotheses which attributed 

 this open water to modifications of temperature, or sub- 

 currents of warm water, &c.,been proved to have no founda- 

 tion in fact, but it has been ascertained that the existence 

 of these water-spaces is solely due to the strength of the 

 currents or tides. 



The Bellot Strait water now washes the south side of 

 the Fox Islands, and extends to the south point of Long 

 Island. The month of June has been somewhat warmer 

 than usual, its mean temperature being -}- 355° 



gt/i. — The ship has been thoroughly cleaned and restowed, 

 remaining provisions examined, tanks filled with fresh water, 

 1 2 tons of stone ballast taken in, and everything brought on 

 board that was landed last autumn. Hobson is the only 

 one upon the sick list ; but he is able to walk about and 

 does duty. Very few birds, and only one small seal, have 

 been obtained during the week ; an occasional great northern 

 diver is seen, and a rare land bird has been shot. We 

 cannot discover the nests of eider ducks or geese, and the 

 breeding cliffs of the gulls being inaccessible, we have not 

 got any eggs. I am a close prisoner at -the corner of my 

 table, poring over my observation and angle book, and have 

 at length laid down upon paper the west coast of King 

 William's Land to my satisfaction. Tidal observations are 



