200 GRINDING OF ICE. [CHAP.IV. 



" wind is usually from the north-west and 

 " very tempestuous." At noon a faint grind- 

 ing of the ice was heard to the north. Tem- 

 perature 24°— ; wind W.N.W*, light. Within 

 the last week three common flies had in- 

 troduced themselves into the midshipmen's 

 berth. 



January 25th. There is something to me 

 inexplicable in the eccentric action of the tides 

 on the north side of Southampton Island. For 

 three days after the full moon the utmost dis- 

 turbance which reached us amounted to a dull 

 and distant grinding, easily accounted for by 

 the prevalent westerly winds. But the last 

 forty-eight hours had been nearly calm, though 

 intensely cold, the thermometer having indi- 

 cated 43°—, and the mercury having frozen 

 in an artificial horizon. Yet now a loud rushing 

 noise was heard beneath the ice three or four 

 times a-day, agreeing, as it seemed, with the ebb 

 and flow of a regular tide. The lane off Cape 

 Fisher, which had been closed, was re-opened, 

 and the ice outside our floe was lifted up with a 

 singing or rather squeaking sound. This, again, 

 at a later hour was followed by a distinct crack- 

 ing, and then a hollow grinding : still we re- 

 mained almost if not entirely stationary. Our 

 number of sick did not materially increase, and 



