'606 
SNOW-HUBBING. 
moment : it fastened on the upper side of my tongue, 
and flattened it out like a batter-cake between the 
two disks of a hot griddle. It required all my care, 
with the bare hands, to release it, and that not without 
laceration. 
February 25. A murky day. Two hundred and 
forty.four fathoms of line gave no bottom at the air- 
hole. Scuryy getting ahead. Began using the rem- 
nant of our fetid bear's meat : nasty physic, but we 
will try it. It is colder to-day, with the wind and fog 
at —15°, than a few days ago at —46°. Wind south 
by east : sun not seen. 
''^February 26, Wednesday. The sun came back 
again with such vigor, that my spirit standard rose 
over black to +14° ; my glass — cased, to +35°. The 
difference between shade and sunshine is 30° : a ther- 
mometer freely suspended in shade and in sun gave 
— 32° and —2°. Black surfaces begin to scale off 
their snowy covering, not by thawing attended by 
moisture, but with a manifest diminution in the te- 
nacity and adhesiveness of the snow. We observe 
these indications of returning heat closely. 
" The scurvy has at last fairly extended to our own 
little body, the officers. Pains in the limbs, and deep- 
seated soreness of the bones, seem to be its most com- 
mon demonstration. The complaint is of ' a sort of 
tired feeling,' or as if ' they had had a beating.' Our 
usual supper, the saur-krout, has become excessively 
popular. Even the abused bear is not quite as bad as 
it was. 
" The crew have been snow-rubbing their blankets. 
The snow is so fine and sand-like, that under these 
low Arctic temperatures it acts mechanically, and is 
an effectual cleanser. Withal, if you beat it well out 
