CEUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 49 



Their movements appear to be entirely independent of the lower clouds and the direction of 

 the wind. Humboldt, in referring to similar clouds, says : 



The probable connection which, according to ray views, exists between the polar light and the formation of very 

 small and delicate, fleecy clouds (whose parallel and equivalent rows follow the direction of the magnetic meridian) 

 has met with many advocates in recent times. It still remains a doubtful question, however, whether, as the north- 

 ern travelers, Thieneman and Admiral Wrangel, believe these parallel fleecy clouds are the substratum of the polar 

 light, or whether they are not rather the effect of a meteorological process, generated by aud accompanying the 

 magnetic storm. 



This has also been conjectured by Franklin, Richardson, and others. 



According to Humboldt these clouds begin in the direction of the magnetic meridian, and on 

 this account he calls them " polar bands"; others place them at right angles to the magnetic 

 meridian. On account of their faintness when first formed, as evidenced by the fact of the halo 

 being produced before the bands are visible, the question of their original direction is a difficult 

 one to decide. 



There is also another form of clond peculiar to the Arctic regions which appears over the 

 barren granite islands, taking nearly the form and shape of the islands themselves. I have 

 noticed it more particularly over the Diomedes, King's Island, aud Herald Island. I have also 

 seen it, but to a less marked degree, over Saint Lawrence Island ; also over the peninsulas of 

 East Cape and Cape Prince of Wales. The cloud forms at any height, according to the con- 

 ditions by which it is governed, from a few yards to half a mile. These barren granite rocks, 

 presenting as they do almost perpendicular sides to the sun's rays, become heated. The current 

 of air passing over them is heated by contact with the warm rock, aud, expanding, of course rises 

 just in proportion to the amount of heat received and the temperature of the stratum of air imme- 

 diately above, by which it is eventually cooled. Its moisture is condensed and a cloud formed 

 which, owing to the fact that it is constafltly forming and imperceptibly wearing away, remains 

 for hours apparently without the slightest change, either in position or form, although the wind 

 may be blowing fresh at the time. In calm weather the cloud hangs directly over the rock which 

 forms it, but when the wind is blowing fresh it hangs a little to leeward. As the temperature of 

 the rock decreases the amount of heat transmitted to the atmosphere becomes less, and in conse- 

 quence the condensation takes place sooner and the cloud lowers, and it continues to spread out 

 until the island or headland is entirely concealed. The Arctic is the home of the fog banks; 

 here the slightest change in temperature creates them, and they cau as suddenly pass away. 

 Here, too, constant changes are taking place, owing to the surrounding conditions. A few de- 

 grees' change in the direction of the wiud may make many degrees' change in its temperature, for, 

 blowing from the heated lands, it may have a temperature of fifty or sixty degrees or even more, 

 or if it comes directly from the ice pack its temperature is thirty-two degrees. The result of these 

 sudden changes is dense fogs, which appear and disappear so suddenly and quietly that it is a 

 common saying among the sailors that Arctic fogs "go to windward." They seldom blow away 

 as in other latitudes, but at all times when seen are either forming or condeusing. The first sign 

 of a disappearance of a fog is the collection of drops of water on the rigging and spars, which is 

 soon followed by siuull patches of blue sky directly overhead. These increase in size until the fog 

 is all gone. These fog banks are not confined to any special locality, but are most numerous aud 

 of longest duration in the immediate vicinity of the ice, where it is no unusual thing for them to 

 last several days, and so dense as to make it impossible to see more than a few yards. 



On the 27th of July, at 3 a. m., we arrived off the coal mine, and, anchoring close inshore, 

 we went to work at once coaling ship. The steam whaler, coming to anchor near us, also took in 

 a few tons of coal and a quantity of fresh water from a fine stream which here empties into the 

 sea. We succeeded in getting about 13 tons during the day, but found it very hard work. Enor- 

 mous snow-banks lay against the cliffs, completely covering some of the best veins for a height of 

 200 feet, compelling us to mine the coal at that height aud lower it to the beach in sacks. The 

 ordinary coal-sacks were not able to stand the friction of being slid dowu 200 feet over a frozen 

 snow-bank, so a couple of large canvas bags were made, capable of carrying three coal-sacks, and 

 these were carried up and down by means of an endless rope passed around a spar at the top, 

 the empty bags being drawn up as the full ones went down. The shore at this place is covered 

 S. Ex. 204 7 



