238 Swedish North-Polar Expedition. 
tide in toward land, totally barricaded the barbor in which 
the Sofia had taken refuge ; and, notwithstanding that the 
temperature here was considerably higher than in the neigh- 
borhood of 81° N. lat., these blocks froze during the calm 
weather so fast together, that when we on the 12th of October, 
were again in a condition to sail, it was only with the utmost 
difficulty that our vessel could get out. 
Our stay in King’s Bay, like all the preceding occasions on 
which the ship remained any length of time still, was taken 
advantage of by our natural philosopher Dr. Lemstrom, for 
se of making observation for the determination of 
the magnetic constants and variations. The ground was, how- 
ever, too deeply covered with snow to allow of any geological or 
botanical operations. Even the brooks, so copiously supplied 
with water in the summer time, which intersect the lowlands 
adjoining the coal harbor, were now so entirely dried up by 
the effect of the cold that we endeavored in vain to reinforce 
our now considerably reduced supply of water. 
Our ship, which had had two ribs broken by the blow rs 
to Norway. But yet we wished to make an attempt to reach 
Giles’ Land round the southern point of Spitzbergen, which was 
— also, and to direct our course toward Norw 
avin m once more, on the shallow banks off Beeren Island, 
during a severe storm and in a high sea rendered to the la 
degree boisterou the shallowness of the water, in great 
danger of being ice-beset, the Sofia anchored again on the 
20th of October in Tronsé Harbor, where we had the pleasuré 
of learning that our comrades had happily arrived and reac 
home in safety, : 
_ From the above it appears that the expedition, as regards 
its second object—namely, hydrographical investigations in the 
Polar Basin—did not succeed in reaching any remarkably high 
