THE RETURN TO COLD AND DARKNESS. 489 



freshen, going from S. S. W. to E., freshening gradu- 

 ally, and the barometer dropped to 30.89 (one tenth 

 of an inch in the last three hours); the temperature 

 went up in the most charming manner to minus 10.5°. 



Sounds of grinding ice were heard from ahead and 

 astern at three p. m., but nothing remarkable occurred, 

 and we must wait to see what to-morrow will bring 

 forth. 



November 17th, Wednesday. — The result of the 

 wonderful barometric action has shown itself to-day in 

 a lively gale of wind which blew the light snow surface 

 around in clouds of blinding dust, and banked them up 

 here and there in hard masses strong enough to bear a 

 man's weight. The wind varied between E. and E. S. E. 

 all day. The barometer dropped rapidly from 30.77 

 to 30.10, and the temperature rose steadily to plus 

 8.5°, giving us by comparison a temperate zone exist- 

 ence. 



November 18th, Thursday. — The gale came quickly, 

 lasted but a short time, and is gone. Dull and gloomy 

 weather ; heavy water-sky to northw r ard. 



November 21st, Sunday. — Usual Sunday routine of 

 inspection and church. 



November 22d, Monday. — I said nothing yesterday 

 about the dryness of the berth deck and ward-room, for 

 those places are now steadily dry. The galley-house, 

 from its exposed situation, has given some discomfort, 

 but I hope that is now overcome. Deprived of its shel- 

 ter of last winter, the deck-house, its forward end is not 

 sufficiently protected by the felt which we have padded 

 it with. As a consequence, condensation takes place on 

 this forward end during the night (the galley fires are 

 out at four o'clock), freezing and giving no trouble. 

 But when the galley fire is lighted in the morning, this 



