OF THE POLAR SEA. 247 



parted from him and did not make their 

 appearance. Divine service was read. On 

 the 20th we were presented with the most 

 chilling prospect, the small pools of water 

 being frozen over, the ground covered with 

 snow, and the thermometer at the freezing 

 point at mid-day. Flights of geese were 

 passing to the southward. The wind, how- 

 ever, was more moderate, having changed 

 to the eastward. Considerable anxiety 

 prevailing respecting Belanger and Michel, 

 the two men who strayed from Junius yes- 

 terday, the rest were sent out to look for 

 them. The search was successful, and 

 they all returned in the evening. The 

 stragglers were much fatigued, and had suf- 

 fered severely from the cold, one of them 

 having his thighs frozen, and what under our 

 present circumstances was most grievous, 

 they had thrown away all the meat. The 

 wind during the night returned to the 

 north-west quarter, blew more violently 

 than ever, and raised a very turbulent sea. 

 The next day did not improve our condi- 

 tion, the snow remained on the ground, and 



