TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 189 
and on the 30th of last month it rose to 32°, 
which is the greatest heat that we have experi- 
enced since we came to Winter Harbour. 
The people have been employed, during these 
two days past, in clearing away the snow that was 
banked up against the ship’s sides at the begin- 
ning of the winter; and, after it is cleared off, 
it is intended to cut the ice round the ship, as it 
is not considered safe to put ballast into her whilst 
fast in the ice. 
In that part where they have cleared away the 
snow, we had an opportunity of observing that the 
ice has not increased in thickness from its upper 
surface during the winter ; since the surface of the 
ice on the channel that they used to cut round 
the ship was exactly in the same position, with 
respect to her sides, as when they left off cutting 
it; and the ice on the edge or bank of this 
channel was a few inches higher, exactly as 
it was before it was covered with snow. My 
reason for mentioning this circumstance, is, be- 
cause an opinion was some time ago entertained 
that a considerable part of the floe-ice was formed 
by the snow which fell upon it, consolidating on 
its surface; and, certainly, there was very good 
foundation for supposing this to be the case, as 
the water obtained from the floe-ice, when dis- 
solved, we never found to be any more than 
slightly brackish, and that which we found in the 
pools on its surface was so fresh, that we used to 
water the ship from them. It is evident, how- 
ever, from the foregoing circumstance, and many 
others that might be adduced, if necessary, that 
