194 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
from the ice, she rose about a foot and a half 
forward, and a foot aft; which was contrary to 
what was generally believed would take place, 
as it was supposed that she was buoyed up by 
the ice. A little reflection, however, would show 
that the reverse must have happened, for alk 
the fuel and provisions that have been consumed 
for these eight months past must have necessarily 
lightened her very considerably ; consequently, 
the ice, by maintaining her in the same position 
that she occupied at the commencement of the 
winter, would tend to keep her down, or, in other 
words, force her to draw more water than was ne- 
cessary to float her. 
Thursday, 18th.— The weather continues to 
improve daily. I need only mention as a proof of 
this that the Griper’s housing was taken off her 
to-day, and I believe ours is kept on merely be- 
cause the survey on some of the stores, &c. is not 
yet completed. 
Wednesday, 24th.— Nothing has occurred for 
this week past deserving of notice, except I were 
to give a diary of the gradual change in the state 
of the weather, which, as I have frequently men- 
tioned of jate, continues to improve. The ther- 
mometer to-day, inthe shade, has been from eight 
o’clock in the morning until midnight above the 
freezing point, so that in the sun the snow and 
ice must be dissolving very rapidly. Within these 
two or three days past, little pools of water have 
been formed on the snow, in different places where 
earth had drifted over it. This is particularly exem- 
plified on the snow between the two ships ; for the 
