1876 PREPARATION OF SLEDGES. 279 



At Discovery Bay a seal was seen in the fire-hole 

 several times, during January and February, proving 

 that a few remained in the neighbourhood throughout 

 the winter. 



1 The quicksilver on the reflecting glasses of the 

 sextants is much affected by the extreme cold Even 

 at a temperature of minus 30° the film on the back of 

 one glass has split and requires to be re-silvered. 



' 30th. — A very strong mirage over the Greenland 

 coast enabled me to obtain the bearing of a mountain 

 apparently to the northward of the iand seen before, 

 but whether it is so or not will depend on its distance. 

 In these high latitudes distant land may actually be to 

 the southward of our position, although bearing to the 

 northward of east. Land bearing due east must neces- 

 sarily be farther from the Pole than our position. 



8 31st. — To-day, with a temperature of minus 30° 

 in the shade, but the black bulb thermometer register- 

 ing plus 40°, we observed that the sun, for the first 

 time this year, had a visible effect on the surface of the 

 snow, rendering it glazed and slippery. The mocassins, 

 soled with the thin npper-leather cut from our long 

 fisherman's boots are serviceable, so long as we walk 

 only on snow, but the sharp slaty shingle on the bare 

 patches of land cuts them sadly. 



' The sledges are now drawn up alongside of the 

 ship, all ready packed for a start on Monday, the 3rd 

 of April, should the weather be favourable. 



* April 1st. — On being called this morning I was 

 informed that a wolf had been seen near the ship. Dr. 

 Moss at once started in pursuit, but returning without 

 having seen the animal, he was naturally greeted with 



