As the cold
augments, the air bears its moisture in the form of a frozen fog, the
icicles of which are so sharp as to be painful to the skin. The surface
of the sea steams like a lime-kiln, caused by the water being still
warmer than the superincumbent atmosphere. The mist at last clears, the
water having become frozen, and darkness settles on the land. All is
silence, broken only by the bark of the Arctic fox, or by the loud
explosion of bursting rocks, as the frost penetrates their bosoms.
The crews of exploring vessels, which are frozen firmly in the ice in
winter, spend almost the whole of their time in their ships, which in
Sir James Ross's expedition (in 1848-49) were well warmed and
ventilated. Where there has not been sufficient warmth, their
provisions--even brandy--became so frozen as to require to be cut by a
hatchet. The mercury in a barometer has frozen so that it might be
beaten on an anvil.
As Sir James Ross went in search of Sir John Franklin, he adopted
various methods of letting him know (if alive) of assistance being at
hand. Provisions were deposited in several marked places; and on the
excursions to make these deposits, they underwent terrible fatigue, as
well as suffered severely from what is termed "snow blindness.
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