OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 
157 
near the ships was so serene and undisturbed that the smoke rose quite per- 1820, 
pendicularly, we saw the snow-drift on the hills at one or two miles’ distance 
whirled up into the air, in columns several hundred feet high, and carried 
along by the wind, sometimes to the north, and at others in the opposite di- 
rection. The snow, thus raised, at times resembled water-spouts, but more 
frequently appeared like smoke issuing from the tops of the hills, and, as 
such, was at first represented to me. 
On the 12th, Lieutenant Liddon reported another of his seamen to be Sun. 12. 
affected with scurvy, making two in each ship labouring, more or less, under 
this disease ; Mr. Scallon also complained again a little, of feeling, according 
to his own account, “ as if tired with walking by attention, however, to the 
wannth and dryness of his clothing, he gradually recovered his former 
strength as the season advanced. 
It blew a strong breeze from the N.b.W., with a heavy snow-drift, on theTues. 14. 
12th, which continued, with little intermission, till near noon on the 14th ; af- 
fording us a convincing proof that the hopes with which we had flattered our- 
selves of the speedy return of spring were not yet to be accomplished. During 
this time the thermometer had once more fallen as low as — 28°, a change 
which, after the late mild weather, we felt much in the same manner as we 
should have done any of those alterations which occur in a more temperate 
climate, at a higher part of the scale. I have before had occasion to observe 
that this remark* is equally applicable to all the changes we experienced in the 
course of the winter, either from cold to warm, or the contrary. 
At one P.M., on the 14th, the weather being nearly calm, and the ther- 
mometer at -f 33° in the sun, there was a second partial melting of the snow 
upon the ships’ stern. Immediately on the springing up of a light breeze, 
however, the thermometer in the sun fell to -t- 11°, and at half-past two was 
at + 6°, the temperature of the air in the shade remaining steadily from — 16° 
to — 17°. At five P.M., a parhelion was observed on each side of the sun, 
at its own altitude, and distant from it 22° 10', with a part of the usual ho- 
rizontal circle, extending 2° or 3° from the outer edge of each parhelion. 
On the 16th, there being little wind, the weather was again pleasant andThur. 16. 
comfortable, though the thermometer remained very low. While it continued 
nearly calm, we observed the following differences in the temperature of the 
air in the shade and in the sun ; the latter, were, however, noted by a ther- 
mometer placed under the ship’s stern, which situation was a warm one, for 
the reasons before assigned. 
