CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 85 



bottom on tbe rocks. This party, nine in number, was taken on board the Corwin for passage to 

 San Francisco. During tbe 16th and 17th we coaled, and landed the extra stores taken on board 

 at Ounalaska. 



The following is compiled from the general notes taken by Mr. Nelson on the climate and 

 meteorology of Saint Michael's, by permission of the United States Signal Service. Mr. Nelson's 

 observations cover a period of four years, and are the result of careful and intelligent labor, and 

 will be found both useful and interesting. 



ICE. 



Ice generally begins forming in the bay about the 12th to the 18th of October, and between 

 the 25th and 2Sth the ice on the bay is usually strong enough to bear a man. Up to the 15th of 

 October vessels could safely enter here (Norton Sound), risking, of course, the gales liable to occur 

 at this season. In spring there is far more uncertainty, since the date of opeu water depends 

 wholly upon the direction and force of the wind. Northerly and westerly winds pack the ice into 

 the sound and may effectually debar any vessel up to the last of June, while high southerly and 

 easterly gales may free the sound of ice, so that a vessel may enter the first of June. In 1S75 a 

 vessel came in, following tide-cracks in the ice, on May 25th, but it was in the hands of an expe- 

 rienced ice navigator. Ordinary seasons vessels may safely enter between the 10th and 15th of 

 June. They will be almost certain to strike ice oft' shore, but may usually pass through or arouud 

 it and find open water. The severe winter of 1879-80 made very heavy ice, which kept the coast 

 blockaded until the 20th of June, but this was exceptional. 



CLOUDS. 



The most common and widely-spread cloud formation is a dull-gray stratus, presenting fre- 

 quently for days together a dead unbroken front, and while seldom at an elevation exceeding 

 2,000 or 3,000 feet, it is very frequently so low that the coast hilltops are hidden down within 300 

 to 500 feet of the sea level. The cumulo stratus of this vicinity is usually formed by the breaking 

 up of this uniform stratus. Large rounded mountainous masses of cumulus clouds with white 

 edges are not uncommon in spring and summer in fine weather, and when appearing to the south 

 or east during the spring generally presage warm weather. Cirrus clouds of almost every unagi- 

 nable form occur, and as a rule precede a change of weather. The most interesting as well as one of 

 the commonest cloud formations of this region is the peculiar arrangement of any of the varieties 

 of clouds in long lines or bands extending across the sky in long parallel series and appearing 

 by perspective to converge near the horizon in two opposite points of the compass. Mr. Nelson 

 always distinguishes this formation by the word "linear" or " liu." prefixed to the name of the kind 

 of clouds forming the bands, as in this way are given both the distinctive formation and the 

 clouds of which it is formed, and the latter includes every variety, and in some cases two or three 

 forms intermingled. Two motions have been observed in this formation : In one the whole series 

 shifts its axis slowly round, often from a few degrees to one huudred and eighty degrees of azimuth, 

 the bauds meanwhile retaining their relative positions unbroken. The secoud motion consists in 

 the apparently stationary position of the axial points near the horizon, while the bauds, retaining 

 their relative position, move slowly over the zenith and down to disappear behind the horizon in 

 a direction at right angles to the course of the lines. The line of demarkation between the clear 

 sky directly bordering on the last band and the clouds is sharply defined. This form was rarely 

 observed except previous to or in conjunction with atmospheric disturbances, and a gale and rise 

 or fall in the temperature may be the accompaniment. 



