Winterings in the Arctic Regions daring the last fifty years. 345 



between decks. The fixed berths, which had been introduced 

 into the ships quite against the ordinary practice of a man-of- 

 war, had to be exchanged for hammocks, entirely on board the 

 1 Griper/ and partially on board the ( Hecla ;' and this (from the 

 great amount of moisture) contributed greatly to the mainte- 

 nance of good health ; nay, one officer, whose life was consi- 

 dered in some danger, was thereby completely restored in a few 

 weeks. 



That the cabins could not be cleaned with water under such 

 circumstances was a matter of course. Instead of this the floors 

 were scrubbed with stones and hot sand which had stood all 

 night upon the stove. 



All these precautions would not, however, have sufficed for the 

 preservation of health if the people had not played and been ex- 

 ercised in the open air for several hours daily. Hunting parties 

 obtained a provision of 3766 pounds of fresh meat, which formed 

 a welcome addition to the stock of provisions, leaving out of con- 

 sideration the good effect of movement upon the health. To 

 keep up their spirits, which might well evaporate even from the 

 boldest heart during the long polar night, a weekly journal was 

 edited by Captain Sabine (now General Sabine, and President of 

 the Royal Society), which contained articles of a mixed, serious 

 and lively character ; and a theatre was set up on which some 

 small piece was acted every fortnight ; and this was carried on 

 with so much zeal that even a temperature of —2° F. (—15° R.) 

 upon the stage did not deter the improvised actors from contri- 

 buting to their own and their companions' amusement. 



That the scientific objects of the expedition were not at the 

 same time neglected is proved by the long series of observations 

 and investigations which are appended to Parry's report, and of 

 which we shall shortly have to speak more in detail. 



As a precaution in case of fire, a hole was kept open in the 

 ice near the ships; but this fortunately was never required; 

 for the observatory, in which a fire broke out, was at a distance 

 of 2100 feet from the ships, and must therefore have been ex- 

 tinguished in some other manner, during which operation, as 

 already mentioned, sixteen of the people suffered a good deal 

 from frost. 



As regards scientific results, we must mention in the first 

 place the discovery of Barrow's Strait, and the opening up of an 

 extent of coast of 35° of longitude, which subsequently proved 

 to be the south coast of a series of islands ; and towards the 

 south the existence of a broad strait (Prince-Regent Inlet) was 

 ascertained, which was further investigated by Parry on a sub- 

 sequent voyage. On the return voyage the whole east coast of 

 Cockburn's Land, extending for 8° of latitude, was surveyed. 



Phil. Mag. S. 4. Vol. 38. No. 256. Nov. 1869. 2 A 



