DAMAGE TO THE OBSERVATOKY. 375 



from our half -slumber ; until at length, as the storm 

 lulls by degrees, fatigue conquers, and helps the weary 

 one to rest. We commend ourselves to heaven, and 

 sleep. 



The following morning (8th November) we convince 

 ourselves, to our great joy, that the tent is not split. The 

 heavy squalls had ceased at midnight, but a violent storm 

 was still raging; and, though lasting more than two 

 whole days, seemed not yet likely to drop, although the 

 barometer was rising energetically. Directly after coffee, 

 every man goes to work with broom and shovel to get 

 rid of the masses of snow that had gathered on deck. 

 The cold is zero (F.), but after the inactivity of yester- 

 day we find the air most agreeable. 



Not until four p.m. did the snow cease and the storm 

 give over ; and by six o'clock a most unearthly stillness 

 reigned, and the foul weather was over. We felt exactly 

 as one does after standing for a long time by a waterfall 

 or a glacier torrent, and then suddenly turning a rocky 

 projection, when the roaring is no longer heard — so 

 wonderfully still and quiet lay all around us. 



The barometer had now reached the unusual height of 

 30.8 inches. During the night the equilibrium of the 

 atmosphere was quite restored, and nature lay still and 

 quiet as before ; the veil of clouds parted, and with the 

 same feehngs as at home we greet the rainbow after a 

 heavy storm, we watched the red rays of the Northern 

 Lights shoot up in the southern sky. 



The next day there was plenty of work ; our greatest 

 trouble was the observatory. Here melancholy disco- 

 veries awaited the astronomers. 



The whole interior of the building was filled with 



