74 BURIAL IN THE PACK. ' Chap. V. 



CHAPTEE V. 



Burial in the pack — Musk oxen in lat. 80° north — Thrift of the 

 Arctic fox — The aurora affects the electrometer — An Arctic 

 Christmas — Sufferings of Dr. Kane's deserters — Ice acted on by 

 wind only — How the sun ought to he welcomed — Constant 

 action of the ice — Eeturn of the seals — Revolving storm. 



Ath Dec. — I HAVE just returned on board from 

 the performance of the most solemn duty a 

 commander can be called upon to fulfil. A 

 funeral at sea is always peculiarly impressive ; 

 but this evening at seven o'clock, as we gathered 

 around the sad remains of poor Scott, reposing 

 under an Union Jack, and read the Burial Ser- 

 vice by the light of lanterns, the effect could 

 not fail to awaken very serious emotions. 



The greater part of the Church Service was 

 read on board, under shelter of the housing; 

 the body was then placed uj)on a sledge, and 

 drawn by the messmates of the deceased to 

 a short distance from the ship, where a hole 

 through the ice had been cut : it was then 

 " committed to the deep," and the Service com- 

 pleted. What a scene it was ! I shall never 

 forget it. The lonely 'Fox,' almost buried 

 in snow, completely isolated from the habitable 



