Dec. 1858. SEVEEE WEATHER. 215 



Regent's Inlet is still visible on a clear day. 

 We brew sugar-beer, and we set nets for 

 seals, but catch none. The nets have been 

 made and set in favourable positions under the 

 ice by the Greenlanders, so we suppose the 

 seals also have migrated elsewhere ; if so, the 

 Esquimaux could not winter here. We have 

 no regular school this winter, but five of the 

 men study navigation every evening under the 

 guidance of Young, Hobson and I are doing 

 all we can to make the ship dry, warm, and 

 comfortable : our large snow porches over the 

 hatchways are a great improvement. 



bth Dec. — Cold, windy weather, with chilling 

 mists from the open water in Bellot Strait. 

 We can seldom leave the shelter of the ship for 

 a walk on shore, and, when we do, rarely see 

 even a ptarmigan. 



\2th, — Yery cold weather ; thermometer down 

 to —41°, and the breeze comes to us loaded 

 with mist from the open water, causing the air 

 to feel colder than it otherwise would. Bellot 

 Strait has become a nuisance, not only from 

 this cause, but from the strong winds — purely 

 local — which seldom cease to blow through it. 



The seal nets have produced nothing ; and 

 as there are no seals, we no longer wonder 

 at not seeing bears. Three foxes have been 



