182 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
served that cataplasms were the most efficacious 
remedies. 
Thursday, 16th. —'The weather, for these ten 
days past, has been, generally speaking, very 
windy, which we attribute, as is customary, to 
the approach of the equinox. The temperature 
of the air still keeps very low, for the thermometer, 
to-day, at noon, in the shade, was 21° below zero ; 
whilst, in the sun, at the same time, it rose to 
29°, making the extraordinary difference of 50° 
between the sun and the shade. The officers per- 
formed this evening the last play that is intended 
to be acted this season ; and after it, was spoken a 
very appropriate epilogue, written for the occasion 
by Mr. Wakeham. 
Monday, 20th. — A large white bird was seen to- 
day by two of our men, who were on shore; it is 
generally supposed that it was an owl; but the 
men themselves think that it was a glaucous gull, 
or burgomaster as they call it; and as one of those 
who saw it has been often in Greenland, and con- 
sequently must have frequently seen these birds, 
some deference is certainly due to his opinion, 
however much we may be surprised at finding a 
bird of this kind in these regions so early. 
Thursday, 23d.— A hole was made _ to-day 
through the ice, about a cable’s length from the 
ship, for the purpose of ascertaining its thickness, 
which was found to be six feet six inches, exclu- 
sive of six or seven inches of snow that lay on its 
surface. Although the temperature of the air is 
still much below the freezing point, it may be pre- 
sumed, I think, that the ice will not increase 
