THE TREAT. 17 



assisted in piloting us into the harbour before 

 indicated, in the entrance to which we anchored 

 under the lee of a spit projecting in a curve nearly 

 half a mile from the shore. The temperature became 

 very much reduced during the night, and ice formed 

 around the ship sufficient to cut through a lead line 

 which hung from the " chains." 



On the ISth the harbour was covered Avith a crust 

 of ice which only melted away in the noon-day sun. 

 We were again visited by the natives, among whom 

 were now some women ; and on their making signs 

 for something to eat, one of the ladies was presented, 

 as a jest, with a small tallow candle, called a purser's 

 dip. It was, notwithstanding, a very pleasant joke to 

 the damsel ; who deliberately munched it up with 

 evident relish, and finally drew the wick between her 

 set teeth to clear off any remaining morsels of fat. 

 This was rather too much for some of us, unaccustomed 

 to such sights ; but it was a mere trifle to scenes 

 often afterwards witnessed. 



At night the first appearance of Aurora Borealis 

 was presented at N.W. by W., with rays con- 

 verging to the zenith. We were engaged on the 

 19th in a search for water, but the rivulets were 

 already frozen up ; we were consequently obliged to 

 fill our tanks with ice. The natives being, as usual, on 



