PROGRESS OF SPRING. 
239 
“I made up the orders of the party on the 19tli, the 
first day that I was able to mature a plan; and with 
commendable zeal they left the brig on the 20th. 
“ May 23, Tuesday.—They have had superb weather, 
thank heaven!—a profusion of the most genial sun¬ 
shine, bringing out the seals in ci’owds to bask around 
their breathing-holes. A ptarmigan was killed to-day, 
a male, with but two brown feathers on the back of 
his little neck to indicate the return of his summer- 
plumage. 
“The winter is gone! The Andromeda has been 
found on shore under the snoWj with tops vegetating 
and green! I have a shoot of it in my hand. 
“May 25, Thursday.—Bands of soft mist hide the 
tops of the hills: the unbroken transparency of last 
month’s atmosphere has disappeared, and the sky has 
all the ashen or pearly obscurity of the Arctic summer. 
“May 26, Friday.—I get little done; but I have too 
much to attend fo in my weak state to journalize. 
Thermometer above freezing-point, without the sun to¬ 
day. 
“ May 27, Saturday.—Every thing showing that the 
summer changes have commenced. The ice is rapidly 
losing its integrity, and a melting snow has fallen for 
the last two days,—one of those comforting home- 
snows that we have not seen for so long. 
“ May 28, Sunday.—Our day of rest and devotion. 
It was a fortnight ago last Friday since our poor 
friend Pierre died. For nearly two months he had 
been struggling against the enemy with a resolute will 
