OF THE POLAR SEA. 



5 



impervious fog obscured the sky until noon. On the evening of this 

 day, we had the gratification of welcoming our absent companion, 

 Mr. Back. His return to our society was hailed wdth sincere pleasure 

 by every one, and removed a weight of anxiety from my mind. It 

 appears that he had come down to the beach at Caistor, just as the 

 ships were passing by, and had applied to some boatmen to convey 

 him on board, which might have been soon accomplished, but they, 

 discovering the emergency of his case, demanded an exorbitant re- 

 ward which he was not at the instant prepared to satisfy; and in con- 

 sequence they positively refused to assist him. Though he had 

 travelled nine successive days, almost without rest, he could not be 

 prevailed upon to withdraw from the agreeable scene of a ball-room, 

 in which he joined us, until a late hour. 



On the 10th, the rain having ceased, the observations for ascer- 

 taining the dip of the needle were repeated ; and the results, com- 

 pared with the former ones, gave a mean of 74° 33' 20". Nearly 

 the same differences were remarked in reversing the face of the in- 

 strument as before. An attempt was also made to ascertain the 

 magnetic force, but the wind blew too strong for procuring the 

 observation to any degree of accuracy. 



The fineness of the following day induced us to set up the different 

 instruments for examination, and to try how nearly the observations 

 made by each of them would agree ; but a squall passed over just 

 before noon, accompanied by heavy rain, and the hoped-for favour- 

 able opportunity was entirely lost. In the intervals between the 

 observations, and at every opportunity, my companions were occupied 

 in those pursuits to which their attention had been more particularly 

 directed in my instructions. Whilst Dr. Eichardson was collecting 

 and examining the various specimens of marine plants, of which 

 these islands furnish an abundant and diversified supply, Mr. Back 

 and Mr. Hood took views and sketches of the surrounding scenery, 

 which is extremely picturesque in many parts, and wants only the 



