VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 
171 
Being desirous of making some observations on the height and time of the 1820. 
tides, I directed a hole to be cut through the ice under the ship’s stern, and 
a pole, graduated in the upper part to feet and inches, dropped through it, Thurs. 4. 
and securely moored by a heavy weight to the bottom. Our observations 
commenced this afternoon, and the height indicated by the pole was regis- 
tered every hour in the Hecla’s log-book. An abstract of the Tide-table, 
together with such remarks as I have been enabled to make on this subject, 
will be given hereafter. The snow which we had in the autumn banked up 
against the ships’ sides was now cleared away, in readiness for cutting the ice 
round them, an operation which I was anxious to perform previously to our 
making any alterations in the quantity or distribution of the weight in our 
holds, lest the ships should receive any injury from doing so, in their present 
confined situation. It is of course not easy to judge in what degree the 
banking up of the snow had been serviceable in retaining the warmth within 
the ships, but there can be little doubt that it produced a considerable effect 
in this way, as well perhaps as in lessening, in some measure, the thickness 
of the ice which formed around them. 
On the 5th Mr. Edwards reported that Mr. Crawford, the Greenland mate, Frid. 5. 
who had, for several days past, been complaining of pains which appeared to 
be rheumatic, shewed some symptoms of the scurvy, which made it necessary 
to resort to the antiscorbutic diet. It is worthy of notice, that Mr. Crawford 
was one of the most clean, temperate, and cheerful men in the expe- 
dition, and, as such, was one of the least likely to be thus affected. The 
washed clothes of the ships’ company were this day dried entirely in the 
open air. 
On the. 6th, the thermometer rose no higher than -l- 8|° during the day ; Sat. 6. 
but, as the wind was moderate, and it was high time to endeavour to get 
the ships once more fairly afloat, we commenced the operation of cutting 
the ice about them. In order to prevent the men suffering from wet and 
cold feet, a pair of strong boots and boot-stockings were on this occasion 
served to each, being part of a complete suit of warm clothing, with which I 
had been supplied for the purpose of issuing them to the ship’s companies 
gratis, whenever I should see occasion. As the sun became low towards 
midnight, the usual parhelia appeared about this luminary. 
At half-past nine A. M,, on the 10th, Lieutenant Beechey observed a halo Wed. 10. 
round the sun, consisting of a complete circle, and an arch of another, 
touching the first in the part immediately above the sun, and having its 
