119 



CHAP. III. 



Lane of Water discovered, — Prospect of wintering on the Ice. 

 — Violent Concussions experienced. — Employment of the 

 Crew. — Erection of an Observatory. — FavourablePosition 

 of the Ship. — Disruption by a Gale. — Expansion of open 

 Water. — Officers build Snow Houses. — Excursions to Land. 

 — An exploring Party. — Experiment of wearing a Mash. — 

 Survey of a Harbour. — Pass Cape Comfort. — Risk of 

 being crushed. — Robbed by Foxes and Shrimps. — Ther- 

 mometer rises. — Huge Mass of Ice. — Amusements. — 

 Thermometers tested. — Accident to the Carpenter. — School 

 for the Crew. — Curious Phenomenon. — Register 

 TJiermometer. — Rein-deer killed. — Fearful Storm. — 

 Floe cracks. 



On the 1st of Oct. the vessel gradually righted, 

 and from that day to the 6th not a single incident 

 occurred worthy of being recorded, except that 

 the ship got an awkward list to starboard. 



The weather was singularly calm, the tempera- 

 ture did not fall lower than 14° + , and the ice 

 remained almost motionless, or moved, if at all, 

 bodily towards the land without creating the 

 smallest noise. One faint and flitting aurora was 

 seen. 



On the 6th, a party of four, consisting of 

 two officers and two men, left the ship early in 

 the morning, with the intention of making an 

 excursion on shore, whence they returned about 



i 4 



