380 REPORT OF HEALTH. [CHAP.VI. 



tently watched their gambols to the moment of 

 disappearance, he descended from the crow's- 

 nest, and with evident signs of pleasure pro- 

 ceeded to give me a minute account of their 

 size, colour, and length of horn. By observation 

 at noon, it was found we were eight miles north 

 of the last latitude, and by the view of the land 

 which was quite clear, it was equally evident the 

 ship had been set rather east than west, though 

 the wind blew, and had been blowing fresh from 

 the former quarter of the compass. It follows, 

 therefore, that the northern ice must have so 

 completely blocked up the channels we had passed, 

 as to prevent any thing like a retrograde action. 

 The temperature varied from 34°+ to 39° + , and 

 the barometer was 30*01. Wind east. 



The men were examined to-day by the medical 

 officers, and reported to be free from actual com- 

 plaint, with the exception of the few individuals 

 mentioned before, some of whom were rather worse. 

 At this time, in an official letter addressed to 

 Doctor Donovan, 1 demanded his opinion of the 

 probable consequences if the ship were detained 

 another winter in these regions. His answer was, 

 that it would be fatal to many of the officers and 

 men, some of whom were even now in a pre- 

 carious state; and he also reported that the most 

 useful medicines for the prevalent disease were 

 expended. The good effect of the labour of 



