256 THERMOMETERS. [CHAP.V. 



in the artificial horizon, the observations could 

 not always be relied upon as exact. The sun 

 was acquiring power daily ; for, at 10 h 30 m a. m. 

 we saw the vapour rising from the southern 

 aspect of a snow wall, and at ll h 30 m a.m. a 

 mercurial thermometer with a blackened bulb, 

 placed against an empty coal bag, rose to 28° + , 

 while that on board (spirit and clear bulb) was 

 19°__, and the one in the shade 27° — . The 

 sky was free from clouds, a light air prevailed 

 from the S.W. ; and, whether from the wind 

 being off shore, or some other local cause, we 

 were free throughout the day from annoyance of 

 any kind, except a distant sound, as of a rushing 

 towards the south. 



March 3d. The same sounds continued, and 

 at 2 h 30 m a. m. reached the ship, but without 

 producing any thing more serious than rubbing 

 and sliding loose pieces of ice against the sides. 

 This soon subsided, and again we remained per- 

 fectly quiet up to noon, when the mist which 

 had hitherto concealed the land cleared away, 

 and the bearings placed us a little to the east- 

 ward of our position of yesterday. At l h p. m. 

 the wind still slanting off the land, a lane of 

 water was observed to open about half a mile 

 distant from the ship. It was fully a quarter of 

 a mile broad, and extended a long way towards 

 the point. From this fact, there was reason to 



