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VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 
1820. of white light, extending from S. to S.S.W., and about 5° above the horizon. 
From nine to eleven, it was again seen quite stationary, and very faint, from 
S.S.W. to W.N.W., at three or four degrees of altitude. 
Captain Sabine had, for some time past, kept one of the needles used for 
determining the intensity of the magnetic force, suspended by a silk thread 
in the observatory, for the purpose of remarking more satisfactorily than it 
could be done on board the ships, whether any effect was produced upon it 
by the Aurora Borealis. It might be supposed that, in these regions, where 
the directive power of the needle had almost entirely ceased, it would be 
more easily disturbed by any adventitious cause, than in those parts of the 
globe where the directive energy was greater ; but we never could perceive 
the slightest derangement to be produced in it by the Aurora. 
Frid. 4. On the 4th we had another sight of the sun, which was so distorted by 
refraction, that nothing like a circular disk could at any time be distinguished. 
At noon a thermometer, plunged into a bank of snow to the depth of two 
feet, indicated the temperature of — 12°, that of the atmosphere being 
— 38°. The temperature of the sea-water was 29° in the fire-hole alongside 
the Hecla, and that of her holds varied from 25° to 22°, the aftermost being 
progressively the warmest. There was to-day an unusual kind of mist in the 
lower part of the atmosphere, which was at times so thick, that the ships 
could scarcely be seen at the distance of two miles. It was a matter of 
frequent remark with us, that, even on the clearest winter days of this 
climate, there was usually a considerable deposit of very light snow, which 
was scarcely perceptible, except when interposed between the eye and any 
dark object, or by the quantity of it which settled on any instrument left to 
stand in the open air : nor do I think that the heavenly bodies were ever so 
clearly visible as they are on a winter’s night in England. 
Mon. 7. At noon on the 7th, we had the first clear view of the sun which we had 
yet enjoyed since its re-appearance above our horizon, and an indistinct 
parhelion, or mock sun, slightly prismatic, was seen on the eastern side of 
it, at the distance of 22°. 
There was now sufficient day-light, from eight o’clock till four to enable 
us to perform, with great facility, any work outside the ships. I was not 
sorry, therefore, to commence upon some of the occupations more immediately 
connected with the equipment of the ships for sea, than those to which we 
had hitherto been obliged to have recourse as mere employment. We, 
therefore, began this day to collect stones for ballast, of which it was calcu- 
