240 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
of trying the velocity of sound. Commander Ross repaired to 
the huts of the Esquimaux, which were at the distance of about 
three miles and a half from the ship, and a gun was fired; the 
time intervening between the flash, and the report reaching the 
place where Commander James had stationed himself was just 
16 seconds, making thereby the sound to travel at the rate of 
about a mile in five seconds. On the same day, the temperature 
of different parts of the ship was tried, The lower deck in the 
night time when all the fires were out, was from 32° to 35°, in 
the day time from 36° to 40°, but when the process of baking was 
going on, the temperature of the mess berth was seldom under 
50°, but never higher than 60°. In the cabin during the day 
time, the thermometer ranged from 60° to 70°, and it has been 
known to be as high as85°; during the night from 12 o'clock to 7, 
a.m. from 50° to 60°. In the steward’s room, not two yards from 
the cabin, during the day 18° to 20°, with very little variation 
during the night. This scale is however very low when com¬ 
pared with the register of the Hecla, the lower deck of which 
was ordered to be kept at 75°, and never was under 60°, although 
there was no cabin either fore or aft. 
On the 10th, the cold was too severe for any of the crew to 
venture outside, but still the Esquimaux came to the ship; 
meeting however with no kinder reception than on the preceding 
day, their stay was not of long duration. On the following day, 
some of the men ventured to the Esquimaux huts, but how 
different was the treatment, which they experienced from that 
which was shown to them by the English Christians. The yaks, 
as the sailors called the Esquimaux, no sooner saw them approach¬ 
ing, than they hastened to meet them, showing them every mark 
of kindness and attention which the innate goodness and simpli¬ 
city of their nature prompted them to perform. They brushed 
the snow off* their jackets, and in the most pressing manner invited 
them into the huts; certainly they had no table to set before their 
high and haughty guests, laden with choice provisions, nor 
could they pledge them in their goblets of wine, or their bowls 
of punch, but their manners bespoke the hearty welcome—some 
logs of wood were placed on the fire, and for the first time were 
