THE MARCH OVER TIIE FROZEN OCEAN. 633 



all hands at six p. m. Breakfasted at seven p. m. The 

 wind went down during our sleep, and we found, on 

 awakening, a light west air, temperature 32.5°, barom- 

 eter 29.90 at 42°, and, wonderful to relate, some sun- 

 shine, with a promise of more by and by if our accus- 

 tomed fog does not intervene. The ends and undersides 

 of our sleeping-bags are now like pulp from wet, and 

 though enough hair remains dry inside to swear by, 

 there is not much comfort in them. Got under way at 

 eight p. m. One and one half miles by 12.15 a. m., 



July 10th, Sunday, at which time we halted for 

 dinner. We had had considerable sunshine thus far, 

 but now the fog began to shut down on us. Unfor- 

 tunately the lower meridian altitude is too low for me 

 to get it in an artificial horizon, and there has been 

 too much wind ruffling the ponds for me to use them 

 instead of mercury. So whenever the sun has shone 

 at midnight, which has not exceeded three times since 

 our start, I have only once got his altitude. To-day 

 we encountered considerable " needle ice," so called by 

 Parry, and by him attributed to the action of rain 

 drops. In our opinion this is caused by the more 

 rapid drawing away of the salt in some places than in 

 others, leaving bunches or tufts of long spikes. A 

 piece of honey-comb cut down through shows the same 

 general formation. In one or two places there were 

 large mats of it, trying alike to dogs' feet and mocca- 

 sins. Light airs and calms, with occasional snow-squalls. 

 At 1.15 A. m. turned to, and went ahead and had a fine 

 road. By five a. m. we had reached the end of the 

 smooth floe commenced on yesterday, and had come to 

 a lead separating almost entirely this floe from another, 

 and somewhat rougher, but still not difficult. Over a 

 small neck of connecting ice I pushed everything, lest 



