1870 RECORD DEPOSITED. 77 



' 27th. — To-day Parr exploded a forty-three pound 

 jar of powder under a heavy piece of ice closing our 

 door of exit through the barrier. The effect was very 

 great, and proves that we can make our escape at 

 pleasure when the outer ice eases off; always provided 

 that no new floebergs become stranded.' 



As gunpowder only explodes upwards, gun-cotton 

 is a far more effective auxiliary in ice navigation. It 

 is now stated that there is no danger in carrying it to 

 cold climates or in permitting it to become frozen. 



' The generality of the crew are far more knowing 

 concerning the removal of ice than they were last year, 

 and when clearing away a quantity of rubble do not 

 expend their strength by pushing at the crown of an 

 arch, as they used to do ; but many of them still 

 imagine that force alone is required. 



' Through careless work in digging it out, the earth 

 thermometer was broken. The earth was frozen at a 

 depth of one foot : the temperature registering 30° 

 previous to the accident. The depth of one foot may 

 therefore be accepted as the greatest thickness of the 

 unfrozen soil during the summer. 



' 29th. — A beautifully calm day without a cloud 

 in the light blue sky. 



4 From the summit of Cape Eawson I observed 

 that the large " crossing floe " which was abreast of 

 Black Cape during the winter has drifted three or 

 four miles towards the north, proving that the pre- 

 vailing westerly winds are sufficiently powerful to act 

 in a contrary direction to the southerly running current, 

 and so prevent the heavy, ice from drifting through 

 Robeson Channel as readily as it otherwise would do. 



