112 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VoL. V. 



there was little or none after August 25th. By October 2nd it had 

 clobcd in upon Nottingham Island and soon after an eastward movement 

 set in. Early in November it was visible at Cape Prince of Wales and 

 continued to drift backwards and forwards, packing mostly on the north 

 slio.e. At Cape ChudUigh some Davis Strait ice was doubtless driven 

 in by the prevailing easterly wind, as it was generally compact by 

 November 8th. 



In 1885, when, according to the Eskimo, the season was normal, the ice 

 was compact at Nottingham Island on Oct. 3rd, at Cape Prince of Wales 

 on November 14th, and Cape Chudleigh on November 23rd. From these 

 dates onward until about the end of December, 1885, the ice would often 

 be quite open for a short period, the changes being apparentl}^ dependent 

 altogether upon the wind and tides. After January ist, until spring, it 

 increased in compactness, and only occasionally when strong winds 

 ■occurred would any open water be seen. In all cases the open water 

 would very soon be frozen over, the ice thus formed being in turn broken 

 up by the encroachment of the heavier ice upon it. 



With the approach of winter the long nights appear, and daylight 

 becomes very precious ; on October 17th lamps were lit at 4.40 P.M., on 

 November 20th at 3 P.M., and on December 21st at 1.30 P.M. Fortu- 

 nately the moon does not treat these regions in the same way as the sun, 

 and with the help of the aurora, which may be said to occur on at least 

 four days in ten during this season, the long absence of daylight does not 

 appear such a hardship as might be supposed. 



Owing to the presence of the water of the Strait, the temperature does 

 not fall so low as it would many miles inland to the southward, the low- 

 est recorded during the winter of 1885-6 being -45° below zero, while 

 -65' was registered at Fort Chimo, Ungava Bay; nevertheless, the average 

 winter temperatures are unpleasantly low, more especially at the western 

 entrance, where, in 1885-6, the means for the months December to March, 

 inclusive, were respectively, -6\6, -24.4, -26.2, -i i.o. At Cape Prince of 

 Wales they were four or five degrees higher, and at Cape Chudleigh, the 

 figures given for the same months are respectivel}', 4.8, -11.5, -iO-4. 

 -0.1, showing a marked difference, this being doubtless owing to the 

 contiguity of the Atlantic Ocean. 



Blizzards occur rather frequently, and then it is impossible to face the 

 wind without fur clothing ; on the other hand there are many calms 

 when the cold is felt but little, and as a rule ordinary woollen clothing 

 was found sufficiently warm. During these blizzards the snow packs 

 very hard and is easily cut into large bricks with which to build the 

 Eskimo's house, and large areas of exposed ground are often left com- 



