NOTES FROM AN ARCTIC JOURNAL. 51 
flesh was nearly cleaned off the bones by the shrimps. Some 
hundreds of these crustaceans, chiefly Anonyx nugax and 
Gammarus locusta, came to the surface with the skeleton: exposed 
to a temperature of —15° F., they all died in two minutes, the 
temperature of the sea-water being +28° F. 
November 1st.—Dr. Colan has been good enough to show me 
his monthly medical inspection report. Out of seventy souls on 
board, fifteen are under treatment for frost-bites and colds, the 
rest in excellent health. 
2nd.—Considerable movement in the pack outside; the 
grinding together of the ice sounded like the roar of a great 
waterfall. In water taken from the fire-hole I detected a few 
minute copepoda. Noticed the fresh track of a Hare leading 
across the ice-foot and out on the pack. What can induce these 
animals and the Lemmings to leave the land, go to the edge of 
the tidal-cracks, and return to the shore, unless it be to obtain 
water ? 
4th.—A fresh breeze from S.S.E., the temperature has risen 
to zero; this sudden rise is most oppressive: I can honestly affirm 
that after a short walk, Egerton, Rawson and I were glad to 
throw ourselves down on the floe to rest and cool. Whilst 
working at the fire-hole this morning I noticed Bruin, a big 
Eskimo-dog, stagger whilst digging with his companions in the 
dirt-heap; he uttered a piercing yell, and started off in my 
direction with a half-paralyzed gait; his companions then set 
upon him, and worried and bit at him; I drove the savage brutes 
off with an ice-chisel; Bruin then fell into convulsions which 
lasted over five minutes; his four legs were contracted inwards, 
and jerked together outwards with great rapidity; foam exuded 
from his mouth, and a loud gurgling came from the throat; his 
eyes were open and fixed; gradually his legs stopped jerking: 
the beast remained quiet for about a minute, then rose to his feet, 
and ran round in circles head down; back somewhat arched; tail, 
which was only a stump, tucked between the legs; gait very 
unsteady. I had a lantern in my hand with which I had been 
examining the contents of the net from the fire-hole. The dog 
now ran round me in a circle; I changed my position five times 
and the dog always followed and circled round the light; in a few 
minutes the poor brute seemed to recover his faculties, gave a 
yell, and made off to a hummock, where he coiled himself up.” 
