riulosopltical Transactions. 3(^5 



iiilei sccteJ by ravines, being the courses in which the winter's fall of snow 

 ilraiued on dissolution to the sea. The soil, which appeared by the banks 

 of these channels to be many feet in depth, consisted of sand intermixed 

 with small stones, being the debris of the sandstone rock of which the 

 island is composed ; it was at this time consolidated by the frost, and was 

 harder than the original rock, but much the greater part bore evident marks 

 of being swampy at times; and even the more elevated spots afforded little 

 prospect of a sohd foundation forthe dock-stands on the return of summer. 

 However, as no preferable situation conld be found within such distance 

 from the ships, as it would have been convenient, or indeed prudent, to 

 venture, one of these was fixed on ; and it was hoped that by sinking the 

 legs of the stands a few inches into the frozen soil, and by commencing the 

 experiments as early in the ensuing year ns the season should admit, they 

 might be completcil before the ground should be affected by a thaw. 



It was desirable therefore to be thoroughly prepared before the severity 

 of the winter should set in ; accordingly when the ships had been secured, 

 and a party of men could be spared for the occasion, an observatory house 

 was commenced. The house was built of the store plank and boards 

 carried by the ships, care being taken to cut or injure them as little as 

 possible: the walls were weather-boarded, lined, and filled in between with 

 moss ; the roof was protected by a tarpaulin covering ; it was divided into 

 two rooms, whereof the inner, being designed for the reception of the 

 clocks, was warmed by pipes proceeding from a stove placed in the outer 

 room ; the floors were boarded, and the walls furnished on the inside with 

 Russia matting. The house was finished and the clocks m.^ved into it 

 before the end of October. 



If any hope had been entertained of being able to do more during the 

 winter than merely to prepare for the return of more favourable weather, 

 it was ended by the severity of cold, far exceeding expectation, with which 

 November set in. From this date until the close of March, the highest 

 degree registered by a thermometer, suspended in the air, was +6° Fahren- 

 heit, and in no one of these five months did the mean temperature rise 

 above —18°; under such circumstances, an attempt to raise the tempera- 

 ture of the house, sufficiently to carry on the experiments, and to keep it 

 up during their course, with the requisite steadiness and uniformity, must 

 have altogether failed. It may not be amiss to remark, that notwithstand- 

 ing the house was as effectual for the purpose as the utmost liberality in the 

 supply of materials, with no labour spared in their application, could pro- 

 duce, a very little wind with so low a temperature abstracted the heat with 

 such rapidity, that the influence of the stove was scarcely felt beyond its 

 imnicdiKte vicinity ; and a thermometer placed in those parts of the inner 

 room where llie clocks would have stood, could not be kept above zero, 

 with su< h fire in the stove as it would have been prudent to maintain. 



The clocks were therefore suffered to remain unpacked during the winter 

 in the inner room, whilst the outer served a variety of useful purposes, 

 uhich Could not have been conveniently effected on board ship. 



On the 24tli of Tebruary, the malting with which the walls of the outer 

 room were covered accidentally caught fire, and notwithstanding the en- 

 deavours of the persons who were present, the fire was comumnicated 

 rapidly to the roof; it was at length fortunately extinguished by the exer- 

 tions of the officers and men from the ships, before the clocks or any part 

 of their apparatus had received injury; the ])acking clu-st alone of one 

 was slightly scorched : the only personal suHerer on the occasion was an 

 artilleryman, who had accompanied me on the voyage, and who, in his 

 anxiety to place the instruments out of danger, exposed his hands incauti- 

 ously, and was in consequence so severely irost-bilten, as to render neces- 

 •ary the amputation of three fingers of the left hand, and two of the rialit, 



'l"he house was speedily repaired, the outer room being reduced in <i/.a 

 to u pc.rrh suflicienl to contain the stove ; and the inner room, which had 

 scarcely been touched by the Ore, remaining as bifurc. 



