50 PKOSPECT FOE WINTEK. Chap. III. 



thougli upon SO small a scale, is perfect in its 

 way. We all enjoy perfect health, and the men 

 are most cheerful, willing, and quiet. 



Our " native auxiliaries," consisting of Chris- 

 tian and his twenty-nine dogs, are capable of 

 performing immense service; whilst Mr. Petersen 

 from his great Arctic experience is of much use 

 to me, besides being all that I could wish as an 

 interpreter. Humanly speaking, we were not 

 unreasonable in confidently looking forward to 

 a successful issue of this season's operations, 

 and I greatly fear that poor Lady Franklin's 

 disappointment will consequently be the more 

 severely felt. 



We are doomed to pass a long winter of abso- 

 lute inutility, if not of idleness, in comparative 

 peril and privation : nevertheless the men seem 

 very happy, — thoughtless of course, as true 

 sailors always are. 



We have drifted off the bank into much 

 deeper water, and suppose this is the reason 

 that seals have become more scarce. 



12nd. — Constant N.W. winds continue to drift 

 us slowly southward. Strong indications of 

 water in the N.W., W., and S.E. ; its vicinity 

 may account for a rise in the temperature, with- 

 out apparent cause, to 27° at noon to-day. 



The newly formed ice affords us delightful 



