THE RETURN TO COLD AND DARKNESS. 493 



tirely overcast by three p. m., and so continuing with 

 occasional clear spots. 



December 11th, Saturday. — Our position is deter- 

 mined to be in latitude N. 73° 44', longitude W. 178° 56', 

 showing a drift since the 6th of thirty-three miles to 

 S. 74° E. This is remarkable for its amount, and would 

 be satisfactory in its direction if it would only continue 

 to the Atlantic Ocean. The day is otherwise worthy 

 of note for its clearness and brightness, and its intense 

 cold, minus 39°, which, later, led me to cut the usual 

 tw r o hours' exercise down to one hour. 



Frequently during the day we were startled by loud 

 reports like the discharges of heavy guns, and the ship 

 was considerably jarred by them. I can only account 

 for these noises by supposing that the heavy ice splits 

 under contraction caused by the intense cold. 



December 12th, Sunday. — The arrival of another 

 Sunday brings the usual inspection, which is satisfac- 

 tory, as showing dry quarters and other internal com- 

 forts. Divine service followed at 1.30. 



December 15th, Wednesday. — A very severe day, 

 N. N. W. winds, backing after three p. m., and reaching 

 W. N. W. by midnight. The temperature begins at 

 minus 40°, and steadily falls until it reaches minus 43° ; 

 the low T est point of our mercurial thermometer 4,313, 

 spirit thermometer 4,397, then reading minus 40°. The 

 purple bulb spirit thermometer, which agreed very well 

 with our mercurial last winter, was now exposed, and 

 it went down until at midnight it read minus 48°. The 

 sky has been absolutely cloudless all day. 



December lQth, Thursday. — I have been waiting for 

 a long time in anticipation of making general observa- 

 tions on our surroundings, weather, etc., at the time 

 of the total eclipse of the moon, which occurred this 



