OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



133 



Sat. 17. 



On the 17th several broad lanes of water were open in the offing, and the N J^ b 

 ice as usual in rapid motion on the eastern and south-eastern sides of the 

 island. A number of dovekies were swimming about off the point, and three 

 of them were killed by the Hecla's people, but the tide floated them away. 

 On the 23d there were again several miles of clear water in the offing. This Frid. 23. 

 always occurred to the greatest extent with a westerly breeze ; while the 

 wind from the opposite quarter, or with any southing, invariably forced the 

 ice close in with the shore. The frost smoke was to-day extremely dense, 

 rising about a degree above the horizon, so as completely to obscure objects 

 at that, height, and at the distance of three or four miles. As the winter 

 advanced this occurred to a greater extent, the cloud being more dense, and 

 also rising higher whenever there was any open water in the offing. It 

 proved a considerable inconvenience to Mr. Fisher in the course of his ob- 

 servations in the winter, utterly precluding on most clear nights, which seldom 

 happened but with a westerly wind, his obtaining a sight of low stars for the 

 purpose of ascertaining the refraction at small altitudes. This evening the 

 officers performed the two farces of " Raising the Wind," and the " Mock 

 Doctor," for the amusement of the ships' companies. 



The following meteorological phenomena are all that occurred worthy of 

 notice during the month of November, in addition to those already men- 

 tioned: At nine A.M. on the 5th a parhelion appeared on each side of the 

 sun, but very faint, and tinged only in a slight degree with the prismatic 

 colours. At thirty minutes past nine A.M. on the 15th, the weather being 

 rather cloudy, and a light breeze blowing from the southward, the electro- 

 meter was tried, and again at nine P.M. on the 16th, at which time the 

 Aurora Borealis, consisting of a stationary white light near the horizon, was 

 visible in the S.b.E. quarter of the heavens, but in neither case was the gold- 

 leaf in the slightest degree affected. 



From ten A.M. till two P.M. on the 17th a halo appeared round the sun, 

 its radius being 22° 40'. At eight in the evening the Aurora Borealis was 

 seen, consisting of a stationary light occupying a very small portion of the 

 heavens in the S.E.b.E. quarter, and close to the horizon, from which at 

 times vivid flashes shot across the zenith nearly to the opposite horizon. 



were mercurial, and seven of alcohol) a difference of no less than 7^° between them, their 

 indications ranging between —22.5° and —30°. Two which indicated the mean of the whole 

 were taken for use. At higher temperatures the difference was found to be very inconsiderable. 



