LUNAR OBSERVATIONS. 
XXXV 
* 
LUNAR OBSERVATIONS AT WINTER HARBOUR. 
The employment of the Expedition during so many months, in seas in which 
no geographical position had been previously known, rendered the correct 
determination of some one meridian an object of considerable importance. 
To effect this purpose, the lunar observations contained in the following 
abstract, were undertaken during the detention of the ships at Melville Island; 
determining by their result, with as much precision as may be considered due 
to so great a number of distances, the meridian, passing through Winter 
Harbour, of the spot in which the Hecla was stationary for several months. 
On the accuracy of this determination, the correctness of the longitudes 
in the Polar Sea, laid down by the Expedition, is in the first instance 
dependant. 
The peculiar circumstances under which a great part of these observations 
were made, gave an interest to the occupation which it might not otherwise 
have possessed ; requiring some portion of ingenuity, and much care and 
attention, to overcome the -inconvenience and embarrassment which the 
extreme cold occasioned in the use of the instruments. 
Every observation, made by each of the observers, has been inserted in the 
abstract, that an inference may be drawn of the extent of error to be appre- 
hended, should observations be ever made under similar circumstances. 
It seems worthy of remark that if the distances between the moon and 
stars in the winter, and between the sun and moon in spring and autumn, 
be separately considered, the longitude by the moon and stars will be con- 
siderably to the westward of that of the sun and moon. The reason of the 
difference is not obvious ; it can scarcely have been accidental with five 
observers, using different instruments, and repeated on so many occasions, 
including every different circumstance of observation. 
The error of the chronometer No. 259 on apparent time, was ascer- 
tained by observations, of which the detail will be given in Appendix, No. III. 
