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CHAPTER IV. 



Extraordinary Disruption. — Anxieties. — Rapid Change. — 

 Commotion. — Masquerade. — Results of Commotion. ~ 

 Temperatures. — Invalids. — Anxiety for the Floe. — 

 Advantages of Situation. — Death of a Sailor. — Reflec- 

 tions. — Desolation of the Land. — Curious Meteor. — Land 

 Excursions. — Tracks of Animals. — Increase of Sick. — 

 Precautions. — Phenomena. — Invalids, — Spirits of Crew 

 improve. — Weather. — Grinding of Ice. — Health. — Under- 

 currents. — Floe diminishes. — Phenomena of Ice. — Callosity 

 of Limbs, — Intensely cold. — Influence of Sun. — More 

 Limpers. — Death of Mr. Donaldson. — Fine Weather. — 

 The Coast. — Soundings as before. — Set of Current.. — 

 Heavy Gale. — Gale abates. — Holes of Water. 



Ihe 1st January, 1837, which, at the request 

 of Mr. M'Clure, was duly ushered in by sound 

 of bell, brought with it more auspicious omens. 

 After a week of storm and drift, in which 

 all around had been enveloped in impene- 

 trable obscurity, the barometer had now risen to 

 the unusual height of 30. 70, betokening a change 

 which the day fully realized. There was a per- 

 fectly unclouded sky, a bright sun just seen 

 above the mountains, and a heavenly calm. 

 For the first time too, the coast, from which we 

 might be ten miles distant, was now visible ; and 

 we had the agreeable satisfaction to know that we 

 had been carried to the eastward with the entire 



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