ich nightly surrounded the ships, although they cleverly
avoided being captured. A beautiful white fox, however, was caught and
made a pet of, and became very much attached to the commander, in whose
cabin it took up its quarters. Every day, indeed every hour, had its
allotted duties. On Sundays divine service was invariably performed,
and a sermon read on board both ships, the men attending with evident
satisfaction. The officers, unless when there was wind, took walks on
shore, but were not permitted to go beyond two miles from the ship.
After the ordinary duties of examining the berths and bed-places, the
crews had their suppers, and the officers went to their tea, and after
this the men were allowed to amuse themselves with games of various
kinds, as well as dancing and singing, until nine o'clock, when they had
to turn in, and all lights were extinguished. The officers employed
their evenings in reading and writing, with an occasional game of chess,
or a tune on the flute or violin, until half-past ten.

For forty-eight days they were entirely deprived of a sight of the sun,
the long-continued night being lighted up only partially by the moon and
occasionally by the aurora borealis. Thus the months went by until the
middle of May arrived, and the ptarmigan began to appear. A
considerable number were shot, their flesh having a beneficial effect on
the crew. Under the snow was found an abundance of sorrel, a most
potent antidote against scurvy. Footsteps of deer were seen, the
animals evidently moving northwards. As soon as the cold decreased, the
commander made an excursion across Melville Island, on which the
vegetable productions were dwarf willow, sorrel, moss, grass, and
saxifrage.

Captain Sabine fell in with a ranunculus in full flower on the western
side of the island, evidently the most genial. The crew had in the
meantime been employed in cutting away the ice from round the ships.

Soon after the commander's return, on the 15th of June, from his
excursion, the ice in the offing began to move with a loud grinding
noise, and by the middle of July the thermometer rose to 60 degrees, the
highest point it reached in Melville Island. By the 24th everything was
ready for sea, but still it seemed very probable that the two ships
would be much longer detained, while it was known that in eight or nine
weeks from that period the navigable season must come to a conclusion.
Before the expiration of July th