CHAPTER VII.

More temperate Weather.—­House rebuilt.—­Quantity of Ice collected on the Hecla’s lower Deck.—­Meteorological Phenomena.—­Conclusion of Theatrical Entertainments.—­Increased Sickness on board the Griper.—­Clothes first dried in the open Air.—­Remarkable Halos and Parhelia.—­Snow Blindness.—­Cutting the Ice round the Ships, and other Occurrences to the Close of May.

Before sunrise on the morning of the 1st of March, Lieutenant Beechey remarked so much bright red light near the southeastern horizon, that he constantly thought the sun was rising nearly half an hour before it actually appeared; there was a column of light above the sun similar to those which we had before seen.  The day being clear and moderate, a party of men were employed in digging out the things which were buried in the ruins; the clocks were removed on board for examination, and preparations were made to rebuild the house for their reception.

The 5th of March was the most mild and pleasant day we had experienced for several weeks, and after divine service had been performed, almost all the officers and men in both ships were glad to take advantage of it, by enjoying a long walk upon the neighbouring hills.  The weather had been hazy, with light snow and some clouds in the morning; but the latter gradually dispersed after noon, affording us the first day to which we could attach the idea of spring.

We continued to enjoy the same temperature and enlivening weather on the 7th, and now began to flatter ourselves in earnest that the season had taken that favourable change for which we had so long been looking with extreme anxiety and impatience.  This hope was much strengthened by a circumstance which occurred to-day, and which, trifling as it would have appeared in any other situation than ours, was to us a matter of no small interest and satisfaction.  This was no other than the thawing of a small quantity of snow in a favourable situation upon the black paintwork of the ship’s stern, which exactly faced the south; being the first time that such an event had occurred for more than five months.

The severe weather which, until the last two or three days, we had experienced, had been the means of keeping in a solid state all the vapour which had accumulated and frozen upon the ship’s sides on the lower deck.  As long as it continued in this state, it did not prove a source of annoyance, especially as it had no communication with the bed-places.  The late mildness of the weather, however, having caused a thaw to take place below, it now became necessary immediately to scrape off the coating of ice, and it will, perhaps, be scarcely credited, that we this day removed about one hundred buckets full, each containing from five to six gallons, being the accumulation which had taken place in an interval of less than four weeks.  It may be observed, that this vapour must principally have been produced from the men’s breath, and from the steam of their victuals during meals, that from the coppers being effectually carried on deck by the screen which I have before mentioned.