THE DEAD OF WINTER. 191 



keep up a cracking at night up to midnight, caused by 

 the contraction of the metal fastenings and consequent 

 snapping of the wood. We have noticed heretofore 

 considerable hair sticking to the ice, where the dogs in 

 lying down had frozen fast, and had to tear themselves 

 away ; but this afternoon a dog stuck so fast that he 

 had actually to be dug out with a shovel. Pretty cold 

 weather ! 



December 7th, Sunday. — The cold spell continues, 

 the highest temperature being minus 21° ; the lowest 

 minus 25°. Inspected the ship at eleven A. m. To my 

 unpleasant surprise I found considerable dampness on 

 the berth deck at the forward and after ends over the 

 berths. The stove, being about amidship, was sufficient 

 to keep the central portion of the deck dry. The for- 

 ward end communicated with the outer air by means of 

 the skylight leading to the spar deck ; which, though 

 covered by the tent awning, received air through a 

 hole in the said awning. The after end communicating 

 by doors, having holes in the lower panels, with the 

 galley room, receives its air from the deck-house, which 

 is kept at an average temperature of 45°, and hence 

 ought not to be as damp as the forward end. In reality, 

 however, it is about the same. Hence I conclude that 

 the condensed moisture is due to the skylight being 

 opened for the forward end, and the same for the after 

 end, with the addition of the spar deck (forward of the 

 deck-house), from its coldness caused by contact with 

 the outer air, serving to condense the warm air below. 

 We have a skylight cover made of galvanized iron, with 

 a funnel, and we will now keep that in place steadily, 

 to see if the moisture will collect in that and freeze, as 

 was the experience of Sir John Ross. In addition we 

 shall also cover the under side of the spar deck with 



