PACIFIC AND BEERIXG'S STRAIT. 289 



remarkably low tides, and of checking the rise which 

 on several occasions was scarcely perceptible. 



On the 18th a party of the officers landed in Es- 

 choltz Bay to search for fossils, but they were unsuc- 

 cessful, in consequence of an irregularity in the tide, 

 which was on that occasion unaccountably high, and 

 scarcely fell during the day. The cliffs had broken 

 away considerably since the preceding year ; and the 

 frozen surface of the cliiF appeared in smaller quanti- 

 ties than before, but the earth was found congealed at 

 a less depth from the top. This examination tended 

 to confirm more steadfastly the opinion that the ice 

 forms only a coating to the cliff, and is occasioned by 

 small streams of water oozing out, which either be- 

 come congealed themselves in their descent, or con- 

 vert into ice the snow which rests in the hollows. 



On the 24th and 28th the niizhts were clear and 

 frosty, and the aurora borealis was seen forming seve- 

 ral arches. On the 28tli the display was very l)rilliant 

 and interesting, as it had every appearance of being 

 between the clouds and the earth ; and after one of 

 these displays, several meteors were observed issuing 

 from parts of the arch, and falling obliquely toward 

 the earth. This was also one of the rare instances of 

 the aurora being seen to the southward of our zenith. 



In the beginning of October we had sharp frosts Oct. 

 and heavy falls of snow. On the 4th the earth v/as 

 deeply covered, and the lakes were frozen ; the ther- 

 mometer during the night fell to 25°, and at noon on 

 the 5tli to 24^', ard there was every appearance of the 

 winter having commenced. It therefore became my 

 duty seriously to consider on the propriety of con- 

 tinuing longer in these seas. We had received no 

 intelligence of Captain Franklin's party, nor was it 



VOL. II. u 



