OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



209 



before noon. I found from Captain Lyon that nothing worthy of notice had 

 occurred during my absence. The temperature of the atmosphere seemed 

 now to have taken a favourable turn, the thermometer keeping up to zero, or 

 above it, even with a northerly or north-west wind : we were therefore 

 enabled for the first time permanently to reduce the consumption of coals in 

 each ship, the lower-decks being now much too hot when the winter's propor- 

 tion was expended. 



On the 7th, which was Easter-Sunday, a dinner of English beef was directed Sun. 7. 

 to be served, being part of that which was killed when the Nautilus left us. 

 As we were apprehensive that this meat might be injured as the warmer 

 weather advanced, we issued what remained in the course of the spring, 

 except enough for one more Christmas dinner. 



On the morning of the 8th, the thermometer was observed to fall from 6° Mon. 8. 

 to 2° immediately on a partial clearing of the atmosphere, and again to rise, 

 on its becoming overcast, to 10°, the wind continuing the same both indirec- 

 tion and strength. It shifted in the evening to the eastward, accompanied 

 by a fall of small snow, which continued the whole of the two following days. 

 On the 11th a difference was observed in the indications of the two thermo- That. 11. 

 meters on the ice, the reverse of that which generally took place. 



North Thermometer. South Thermometer. 



At noon . 20 . 11 



„ 1 P.M. 23 . 13 



„ 2 P.M. . 13.5 . . 13 



The wind was light from the W.S.W. during this time, and though it blew 

 rather on the south than on the north side of the post, this seemed by no 

 means sufficient to account for the difference, as even a strong breeze does 

 not usually produce such an effect on a thermometer in the shade, though 

 very sensible to the feelings. There was no snow on either of the bulbs, 

 except a little which continued to fall, and the sun was peeping out at 

 times during the interval. A similar difference was again noticed a day or 

 two after. 



h. m. North Thermometer. South Thermometer. 



At 15 P.M. 30 . 18 



21 

 14 

 4 



30 „ . 24 



2 „ 28 



„ 6 „ . 10 



The wind was very light from the east and south 



east, with small snow, and 



2 E 



