ATMOSPHERIC DUST IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 157 



abandoned on August 23, and when the barometer fell one inch 

 and a half, the rain, although very wetting, was a fine mist. 

 This was in latitude 61° 15', and perhaps two hundred miles 

 from land. Such was the character of all the rains we had 

 while in the North, and on our return until just below lati- 

 tude 52°, when during the night we had a shower of large 

 drops. It was of short duration, but the patter of the big 

 drops on the deck told us that we were back again to familiar 

 atmospheric conditions. 



The slight range of temperature was also probably a fac- 

 tor in the difference in size of the rain-drops as well as in 

 the opacity of the fog. In warmer regions^ we have not only 

 a greater abundance of dust-particles upon which condensa- 

 tion may take place, but a greater range of temperature to 

 promote rapid condensation. North of latitude 58° the sur- 

 face waters were below 42° Fahr., and out over the open 

 water the air was rarely above 4G°. Often the difference be- 

 tween the air-temperature and that of the water was not over 

 two or three degrees, and during the fogs in Baffin Bay the 

 difference was usually less than six degrees, and local patches 

 of fog would sometimes form with changes in the air- temper- 

 ature of a single degree, or even less. In the fogs met with 

 while in and near the ice off Cape Desolation there were sud- 

 den and temporary changes of one or two degrees of tempera- 

 ture in the air, during which there would be changes in the 

 transparency of the misty fog. 



The aspects of the sky and landscape were striking, and I 

 think it probable that this produces — unconsciously, of course 

 — one of the fascinations of Arctic scenery. The sky was a 

 light blue, in the clearest day, and whitish in ordinary clear 

 weather ; yet the light was strong, and our professional pho- 

 tographer, Mr. Kersting, often remarked on its qualities for 

 photography. Some of his views rivalled the best views 

 taken in California, where the atmosphere is supposed to be 



