WE “ LIE ON BRAN” 
135 
in its effects, and need not be dreaded. It strikes us 
tliat tliis question of local storms and their formation 
is a question of supreme value in these seas, and the 
study of the barometer is of paramount importance. 
At present the instrument is almost ignored by the 
sailors in these Arctic seas, simply because its use is not 
clearly understood. Sufficient attention is not paid to 
the changes of the currents and the position of the 
ship with respect to the ice, and the direction of 
the wind in connection with the fall of the barometer. 
In a fine season like this we were enjoying, it was 
simply impossible to make observations of this nature, 
but in heavy weather no opportunity should, in our 
opinion, be lost of collecting such data as we have 
indicated here. In the morning the ice had closed in 
around us, leaving about 200 yards of clear water, and 
close by a larger lake was seen in which the narwhals 
could be heard blowing. We lower a boat and let 
her “ lie on bran/' as they call a boat ready for action 
at a moment's notice. In this service the men are 
relieved every two hours. We sat in the boat at our 
oar with the rest, ready to take our share in whatever 
work is cut out for us. We are in momentary expec¬ 
tation of seeing the narwhal in the open space 
around us as we sit silently watching; we hear them 
blow, and can see in the distance the little jets of 
