Chap. IV. PARRY'S FIRST VOYAGE. 101 



returning circulation ; and it was not till then that a looker- 

 on could easily persuade himself that they had not been 

 drinking too freely." — p. 108. 



This was fully sufficient for the attentive and 

 kind-hearted Commander to adopt effective mea- 

 sures against a recurrence of so painful a result. 

 So early as the 29th October the thermometer was 

 down to 24° below zero. It was now distressing 

 to touch any metallic substance with the naked 

 hand in the open air ; it produced a feeling of in- 

 tense heat, and took off the skin. If the eye-piece 

 of a telescope touched the face, it occasioned an 

 intense burning pain ; the remedy was to cover 

 them and other instruments with soft leather. 

 The officers, notwithstanding, indulged themselves 

 in walking for an hour or two in the middle of 

 the day, in the depth of winter, even when the 

 thermometer was down to 40° or even 50° below 

 zero, without experiencing much inconvenience 

 from this intense degree of cold; provided al- 

 ways that there was no wind ; but the least breeze 

 made the exposure to it intolerable, when the 

 mercury was even several degrees above zero. 

 The following passage is so naturally and so well 

 expressed, that the desire to extract it is irresist- 

 ible. Speaking of their short walks on shore Parry 

 says : — 



" It may well be imagined that at this period there was 

 but little to be met with in our walks on shore which could 

 either amuse or interest us. The necessity of not exceeding 



