GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



127 



water being 4 miles from Point Barrow, extending in an e.n.e. 

 and w.s.w. direction, with a depth of 10 fathoms water. 



Between the 4th and 7th of Jul}' about thirty oomiaks, carrying 

 about 150 people, went to the eastward. The ship swung to her 

 anchor on July 25th, and the ice was in motion in the offing on 

 July 30th. 



An abstract from the Plovers log, which I have to thank Staff- 

 Comm r Hull for, shows the number of days in each month that open 

 water, as well as a water sky, was seen from that vessel during the 

 two winters spent at Point Barrow. In 1852-53, open water was seen 

 on twenty -seven days between October and April, and in 1853-54 

 on seven days only, wbilst the indication of open water occurred 

 during the same period in 1852-53 on fifty-seven days, and in 1853-54 

 on sixty-two days. December, January, and February appear to 

 be the months during ;which. the ice is more frequently in motion. 



It will be, perhaps, advisable here to introduce the tables of 

 monthly temperatures taken from Dr. Simpson's paper. 



It is remarkable that, though tho winter of 1852-53 was warmer 

 than the ensuing one, the Plover was detained by the ice in her 

 winter-quarters until August 7th ; whereas in 1854 she made her 

 escape to the southward on July 23rd, and tho ico during tho 

 summer was so far off the Point, that the whalo-ships fished oil it. 

 The temperatures observed on board the Enlcrjmse, which vessel 

 wintered in tho pack 245 miles to tho eastward, in 1853-54, aro 

 given for the sake of comparison. 



