THE VOYAGE OF THE PROTEUS TO LADY FRANKLIN BAY. 421 



weight of nitro-glycerine, with the advantage over other absorbents of retaining 

 the nitro-glycerine under greater pressure. Dynamite contains 27 per cent, and 

 lithofracteur 23 per cent, of diatomaceous earth. 



Before the kieselghur can be used it is subjected to treatment to remove 

 water, all organic matter, and coarse particles. It is first calcined in a succes- 

 sion of furnaces, crushed between rollers and sifted. 



It is claimed that the diatomaceous earths of California are unfit for this 

 purpose, but it is the opinion of the writer that they have not had a fair trial. 



Diatomaceous earth is largely used in the manufacture of soap to mechanically 

 increase its detersive power. The Standard Company receive large quantities of 

 it from the southern counties of the State. — Mining and Scientific Press. 



GEOGRAPHY. 



THE VOYAGE OF THE PROTEUS TO LADY FRANKLIN BAY. 



Lady Franklin Bay, 1 



On Board the Proteus, Aug. 17TH. j 



After vexatious delays the Proteus, with its load of hopeful explorers, has 

 reached this point, where it was the purpose of the party, on setting out, to build 

 a house for the winter. The last two weeks have been very eventful, and fortune 

 has wonderfully favored us. 



Our progress seemed tO be hopelessly cut off on the 6th by the great North- 

 ern ice pack, against whose southern face we lay, wholly unable to advance. 

 Up to that point we had been remarkably favored. Only three other ships had 

 ever reached the place where we then were, off Cape Baird, at the southwestern 

 end of the bay. They were the Polaris, Capt, Hall commanding, and the Alert 

 and the Discovery of the English expedition, under Capt. Nares. Unlike us, all 

 three encountered troubles from Melville Bay all the way up. They had to fight 

 ice continually. The Polaris fared better than either of the others, but she had 

 to fall back finally. Until we reached Cape Baird, 81° 35' north latitude, we 

 met with no obstacles in the way of ice. We met and passed monstrous icebergs, 

 and passed around and through fields of ice floes, pan ice, etc., but of such a 

 nature that it offered little resistance. The icebergs of course, when scattered 

 are of no particular danger, because we can usually keep out of their way. The 

 only time to fear them is in a fog or storm. But in these respects we were favor_ 

 ed when icebergs were numerous. To make a long story short, we came through 

 from Disco to that point in the very quickest time that has ever been made, or 

 that we expected to make. We met so little ice — the waters in Smith's Sound 

 and Kennedy's Channel were, in fact, so free of ice — that we were lost in wonder. 



