144 EXPERIMENT OF WEARING A MASK. 



excursion a few tracks of bears, wolves, and 

 foxes, and our old acquaintance the raven were 

 seen ; and though the weather was fine, yet a 

 moderate breeze from the westward was quite 

 cold enough to freeze slightly the faces of two of 

 the gentlemen, which, however, the application 

 of a little snow soon restored to their former 

 florid hue. By way of experiment Lieutenant 

 Smyth put on a common mask, and at first con- 

 sidered it rather comfortable, until . getting 

 heated with exertion, a cake of ice was formed 

 inside, which, not being the kind of lining he 

 preferred, was immediately rejected, aid from 

 the face the mask was transferred to the end of 

 a boarding pike, the point being thrust, through 

 one of the eyes, and carried in that way over his 

 shoulder. With such a Gorgon's head, it was 

 laughingly remarked, we need not fear to face a 

 troop of bears. In the afternoon w r e returned on 

 board. There was a broad sheet of bay ice 

 from the shore to the pack, but although now 

 firm enough, w r e could form no opinion of what 



might be when acted on by the ensu^g spring- 

 l !e. There was not the least sign of any tide- 

 mrrk along the rocks, though a cracking of the 

 iv as if it were sinking, was heard. 



On inspection of the pipes it turned out, as I 

 anticipated, that a considerable quantity of rust 

 and dirt had accumulated in the starboard return 

 pipe, and this having been cleared out, tiie 



