EXPERIMENTS. !221 



had accounts of several deaths from famine, with 

 a repetition of the former tales of suffering, 

 which there were but faint expectations of bet- 

 tering until the weather should be milder. 



A few days exhausted our small stock of 

 meat, and I reluctantly opened another bag of 

 pemmican, our store of which was now reduced 

 to less than one half of the quantity originally 

 put aside for the sea service. Mr. King and I 

 contented ourselves with half a pound each a 

 day ; but the labouring men whom we retained 

 with us could not do with less than a pound 

 and three quarters. Even this was but scanty 

 rations ; nevertheless, the fine fellows (principally 

 artillery men), far from being moody or sullen, 

 were always cheerful and in good spirits. It 

 had been my endeavour to foster this feeling 

 of contentment by general kindness, by a regular 

 observance of the Sabbath (the service being 

 read in English and French), and by the insti- 

 tution of evening schools for their improve- 

 ment. 



We had seen the thermometer at 70° below 

 zero, at which time the Aurora was bright. We now 

 made a few experiments on the effect and intensity 

 of the cold, the results of which were as follow : 

 With the thermometer at 62 minus, a square six- 

 ounce bottle of sulphuric ether with a ground 

 stopper, was taken out of the medicine chest, 



