Mar. 1858. REVOLVING STORM. 91 



strongly that even Esquimaux are nearly over- 

 powered by it : this is almost the only descrip- 

 tion of seal we have obtained, but the females 

 are at all seasons free from fetor. Several long 

 lanes of water extend at right angles to the 

 straits. 



The Doctor has taken a photograph of the 

 ship by the albumen process on glass ; the tem- 

 perature at the time was below zero. Upon 

 the 3rd and 4th a well-marked revolving storm 

 passed nearly over us to the W.N.W. ; its ex- 

 treme diameter was 30 hours, that of the 

 strength of the gale 18 hours ; its centre pro- 

 bably passed about one-tenth of its diameter to 

 the S.W. The barometer was rather high, 

 having risen just before the wind commenced 

 at N.E. ; but it now fell half an inch in ten 

 hours, and continued to fall until the wind 

 shifted — almost suddenly — through S.E. to 

 S.S.W. ; immediately the barometer got up 

 rapidly. As the barometer fell, the tempera- 

 ture rose from zero to +18°, and fell again 

 after the change of wind. This violent storm 

 brought with it a smart hail-shower. 



The depression of the ice about the bows, in 

 consequence of a vast accumulation of snow- 

 drift upon it, brought the ship down by the 

 head considerably ; to-day this ice suddenly de- 



