184 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. Octobi 



found to catch the snow badly. Except during very 

 cold weather the snow turned into ice from the heat of 

 the leg, and by clinging to the hairy cloth gave much 

 trouble in removing it. 



Very early in the autumn it was found that when 

 the hammocks were carried from the lower to the upper 

 deck daily they became so thoroughly cold that on 

 being taken down to the warm deck the bedding be- 

 came quite damp from the difference in temperature. 

 In order to guard against this the hammocks were 

 necessarily always kept below during the winter. 



In fixing up the transit instrument, Lieutenant 

 Parr observed that owing to the excessive cold, the 

 spirit in the levelling tube had contracted to such a 

 degree that the air-bubble extended the whole length 

 of the tube and was therefore useless for levelling the 

 instrument. 



Throughout the cold weather we were much 

 troubled by the moisture which collected on the as- 

 tronomical instruments from the condensation of our 

 breath and from the warmth of the eye dulling the 

 telescope glasses. To remove the moisture we found 

 it best to apply the warm finger, which melted the film 

 of ice and also dried the glasses ; but as the tempera- 

 ture of the glass fell again a new film of ice would 

 collect. Anything is better than trying to remove it by 

 rubbing, as that puts the instrument out of adjustment. 

 In fact it was found necessary to obtain the error of 

 the sextants with each observation. 



The fire-hole cut through the ice near the bows of 

 the ship was domed over with a large snow-covering, 

 both to keep the drift-snow away and to protect the; 



