40G ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



From the clear atmosphere to the northward and 

 westward, and the dense sky to the southward and 

 eastward, with the heavy swell from the S. S. E., 

 it was evident that we were between two winds ; — 

 a southerly storm to the southward of us, and a 

 northerly breeze to the northward. At seven p. m. 

 of the same day, a north-east wind commenced, and 

 soon blev/ a tremendous storm. All the previous 

 winds had been partial ; this was general, and 

 extended several degrees of latitude to the south- 

 ward. This storm was particularly predicted by 

 the barometer and thermometer ; the mercury in 

 the former, having fallen from 2Q.74> to 28.98 ; and 

 in the latter from 30^ to 12°, in about twelve hours. 



Instances of local storms are not uncommon in 

 temperate climates ; but, in the arctic regions, they 

 are frequent and striking. Their locality is such, 

 that a calm may occur when a storm is expected, 

 and actually does prevail at a short distance ; so 

 that the indications of tlie barometer may appear 

 to be erroneous. In such cases, however, the reality 

 of the storm is often proved by the agitation of the 

 sea. Swells from various quarters make their appear- 

 ance, and frequently prevail at the same time. 



My Father, whose opportunities of observation 

 have been very numerous, relates the following in- 

 stance of the locality of a storm. When command- 

 ing the ship Henrietta, he was on one occasion na- 

 vigating the Greenland Sea, during a tedious gale 



