1870 EXTREME DEGREE OF COLD. 263 



Thursday evening gatherings for lectures and other 

 entertainments. These have been kept up throughout 

 the winter with unflagging interest, everyone attending 

 without exception. 



4 ith. — The sun was seen clearly above the southern 

 hills at 11.30 a.m. To-day had been fixed for the 

 departure of the dog- sledge for Discovery Bay, but the 

 cold weather prevented the start. The mean tempera- 

 ture for the last two days has been minus 69°* 6 ; 

 yesterday two reliable thermometers registered below 

 minus 73°, the mean being minus 73° # 75, or more than l 

 one hundred and five degrees below the freezing point 

 of fresh water. At noon on the summit of the look-out 

 hill 480 feet high, the temperature was minus 62 0, 5, 

 six degrees warmer than the temperature at the ship. 

 A breeze from the south-west was blowing at the 

 time on the hill, and a light northerly air near the ship. 



' The appearance of the southern slopes of the 

 Greenland hills which were to-day tinted a warm 

 crimson afforded a rich treat to all of us, and the feel- 

 ing of intense cold was greatly modified by feasting 

 our eyes on the glorious shades of colour. 



' Parr and May when observing occultations of stars 

 found it extremely cold work, and the spirit in the 

 levelling tubes was so thickened by the cold that it 

 became useless. In order to compare all the spirit 

 thermometers together, Eawson, Egerton, and I were 

 obliged to remain exposed on the ice for about an 

 hour. Unfortunately, while so employed a light breeze 

 sprang up, and as the thermometers could not be safely 

 handled except with hands covered only with the 

 finest mits, we were obliged to relieve each other con- 



