A Beautiful Bay. 207 



in the sun. At 2 p.m. it was as high as 118*2°. Dr. 

 Bsssels had served during the war as surgeon in a 

 Prussian regiment, and interested me very much 

 to-day by relating some of his experiences during 

 that campaign. 



Friday, July 18th. — A fine day — a real Arctic 

 diy — which, when it comes in these regions, is 

 truly enjoyable, especially when it comes after thick 

 foggy weather ; it carries with it an exhilarating 

 influence rarely met with elsewhere. Though our 

 thermometer on deck only registered six degrees 

 above freezing-point, the warmth of the sun is so 

 great that one feels inclined, to use a vulgar expres- 

 sion, to peel. It is a day on which gloves, mittens, 

 and mufflers are discarded, and comforters laid aside. 

 Even at midnight yesterday the thermometer showed 

 sixty- four degrees in the sun. It was long past 

 one before I retired to rest this morning, so pleasant 

 was my solitary walk while enjoying the beauties of 

 an Arctic night, forgetting for a while, until brought 

 to my senses by slipping on the greasy deck, that I 

 was really and truly on board a Dundee whaler. 

 Not a ripple ruffled the smooth water, which had the 

 appearance of a polished mirror, reflecting every- 

 thing that rested on its surface, and magnifying the 

 sea-birds that lay or paddled about on its bosom to 

 such a size, that they more resembled seals' heads or 

 whales' crowns, than our constant attendants and 

 scavengers, the greedy fulmar petrels. Loose ice 



