148 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
ter is over. I observed this afternoon two vertical 
columns of prismatic colours, about 15° on each 
side of the sun; they were about five degrees in 
length, their lower end touching the horizon. 
They preserved the same intensity of colour, for 
about an hour, that is from noon until one o’clock ; 
they then began to vanish, and in less than an hour 
disappeared altogether. ‘The only remaining oc- 
currence of this day that I have now to mention, 
is, that a channel about three feet wide was cut 
all round the ships, in order to take the pres- 
sure of the ice off them*, if such a pressure 
exists, of which I am myself very doubtful, for I 
ain not aware that ice continues to expand after its 
formation, and if it does not, the ships cannot 
be crushed by it; but even allowing that such a 
pressure existed, I am inclined to think it will 
be found a difficult matter to keep an open chan- 
nel round them all the winter. 
Friday, 29th. — A fox was caught last night ina 
trap set by the Griper ; he is perfectly white, and 
is about the same size as the hares that were killed 
last month ; his long bushy tail, indeed, gives him 
the appearance of being somewhat larger than 
they are: but as his dimensions will most likely be 
taken, I shall forbear saying. any thing more 
about his size. On being caught he displayed 
several of the cunning tricks peculiar to his tribe, 
for when he was taken out of the trap, he shut his 
eyes, and lay motionless, no doubt with a view of 
* [ understand that some cracking that was heard amongst 
the ice alongside the Griper lately, has given origin to the 
idea of pressure existing. 
