1876 SUN AT MIDNIGHT. 297 



when amongst heavy ice, but where manual force is 

 not the chief requisite, the patience and judgment of 

 the Eskimo, with their dexterity in handling the long- 

 lashed whip, places them far beyond the European in 

 the art of dog -driving. 



I again quote from my journal. 



' 6th. — Passing the Cape Eawson snow-slope we 

 came upon the marks of Egerton's sledge and saw 

 traces of the last of its numerous capsizes. At this 

 spot the dogs, knowing that they were near home, could 

 not be restrained and ran away with the nearly empty 

 sledge although the four men got on it to increase its 

 weight. After crossing the brow, sledge, dogs, and tra- 

 vellers rolled down the steep descent, a depth of at 

 least twentv feet ; wonderful to relate, not the slightest 

 damage was incurred by the; sledge, men, or animals. 

 Certainly dog-sledge travelling is not for those who 

 wear fur coats and mufflers. 



6 7 th. — At midnight the upper limb of the sun was 

 above the north horizon, giving a refraction of more 

 than thirty minutes. Thus we are experiencing the 

 anomaly of a sun remaining continually above the 

 horizon day and night yet with a temperature ranging 

 from 20° to minus 40°. We must hope for the sake of 

 the travellers that this severe weather will not continue. 

 I am also anxious about the silvered glasses in their 

 sextants.' 



Although the mercury back-ground split across 

 during the cold weather the glasses remained fairly 

 serviceable. 



' Sth. — George Bryant with the sledge "Blood- 

 hound " returned to-day from the main party of tra- 



