Jan. 1858. EETURN OF THE SUN. 85 



we are frozen to. Every crack or lane whicli 

 opens is quickly covered with young ice, so 

 that it cannot close again ; and in this manner 

 the old ice has been spread out. I rejoice in its 

 dispersion ! 



To-day I put a tumblerful of our strong ale 

 (Allsopp's) on deck to freeze : this was soon 

 effected, the temperature being —35°. After 

 bringing it below, and when its temperature 

 had risen to 17°, it was almost all thawed — at 

 22° it was completely so : it looked muddy, but 

 settled after standing for a couple of hours, 

 when I drank it off, in every way satisfied 

 with my experiment and my beer : it seemed 

 none the worse for its freezing, but rather flat 

 from its long exposure in a tumbler. 



VI th. — Northerly winds blow almost con- 

 stantly. We have drifted 60 miles since the 

 1st, and are only 115 miles from Upernivik, 

 — ^once more upon confines of the habitable 

 world ! good light for three hours daily ; all 

 this is cheering. "We continue our snow-hut 

 practice, and can build one in three-quarters 

 of an hour. 



28^A. — The upper edge of the sun appeared 

 above the horizon to-day, after an absence of 

 eighty-nine days ; it was a gladdening sight. 

 I sent for the ship's steward and asked what 



