Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-02-13
MISCE LA N Y.
WINTER IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.

So much has been published, during the last
year, about the expedition of Sir JOHN FRANKLIN,
lost in the Polar regions, ,latthe following account Of
winter there, by writer in the London Times,
will be read with peculiar interest:
Snow begins 10 fall as early as August and the
whole ground is covered 10 the depthof two or three
feet before The month of October. Along the shores
aud bays, the fresh water, drained from the thaw-
ing of former collections of snow, becomes quickly
converted into solid ice. As the cold augments, the
air deposits its moisture in the form Of fog, which
hOvDUs intU fuo gvesaIucI netting, oT splcular
cicles, dispersed through the atmosphere, and ex-
tremely minute, that might seem TO pierce and ex
coriae the skin. The hoar frost settles profusely,
in fantastic clusters, on every prominence. The
whole surface of the sea seams like lime kiln, an
appearance called frost smoke-caused, as in other
instances of the production Of vapor, by the water
being still relatively warmer than the incumbent
air. A; LENGTH the dispersion Of the mist, and con-
sequent clearness Of the atmosphere announce that
the upper stratum of the itself has cooled to the
same standard sheet of ice spreads quickly over
the smooth expanse, and often gains the thickness
Of an inch, in single night. The darkness Of
prolonged winter now broods impenetrably over the
frozen continent, unless the moon chances at times
to obrude her faint rays, which only discover the
horrors and wide desolation of the scene. The
wretched settlers, covered with load of bear skins,
remain crowded and immured in their huts, every
chnk of which they carefully stop against the pierc
inc cold and covering about the stove or the lamp,
they seek to doze away the tedious night. Their
slender stock of provisions, though kept in the same
apartment, is often frozen 50 hard to require 10
be cut by hatchet. The whole Of the inside Of
their hut becomes lined with thick crust Of ice
and if they happen for an instant to open window,
the moisture Of the confined air is Immediately pre-
cipi,ated in the form of shower Of snow. As the
frost continues to penetrate deeper, the rocks are
heard at distance to split with loud explosion
The sleep Of death seems to wrap the scene in ut
ter ruin.
Sir Edward Parry has thus beautifully described
this effect:
"The sound of voices, which, during the cold
weather, could be heard at much greater distance
than usual, served now and then to break the 81
lence which reigned around us silence far differ
ent from that peaceabe composure which charac-
terizes the landscape of aoullivated counry-t was
the deah-like stiffness of the most dreary desola
lion. and the total absence of animated existence"
During the winter at Melville Island, people were
heard conyersinr at the distance of mile. This
was no doubt, owing 10 the density of the frgd at
mosphere, but chiefly to the absence Of all obstruc
ton in scene of universal calm or darkness.
Melville Island was discovered on Sept. 4th,
1919. Here Parry and his companions pushed for
ward, but soon found their course arrested by an
impene!rable barrier of ice. After waiting fur
fortnight, in hopes of overcoming the ice, they went
to work, cutting and saving it-and at length, at
ter several days. hard toll, they brought their ships
within about cables length of the beach, in five
fathoms water.
The usual winter protection for the vessels is COW
ering in the deck. Sometimes house is erected
on the shore, with blocks of ice, which soon become
a solid concrete mass, which being slow conduc-
tor, checks the access of cold. 1t was necessary to
be very economical of fuel, the small moss and turf
which could be collected being too wet to be of any
use. BY placing the apparatus for baking In Gen.
tral position, and by several other arrangements,
the cabin was maintained In very comfortable lem
perature but STILL around its extremltles and the
bed places steam vapor, and even the breath, SET
tied first as moisture and then as Ice. Io remove
these annoyances became, accordingly, part oi
their daily employment. TO keep the mems minds
in lively and cheerful state, plays were performed,
Lieut. Beechy being nominated stage-manager' aho
the other gentlemen coming forward as amateur
performers the Arctic management and the North
Georgian Theatre were very popular. The offi
GERS had another source of amusement IN the North
Georgian Gazette, of which Captain Sabine became
editor and all were invited 10 contribute to this
chronicle Of the frozen regions.
Thus pass'd the time
Till through the lucid chambers Oh 'nc Sou'n
Look'd out the joyous sun.
Il was ON the 4th of November that this great
orb ought to have taken his leave-but deep haze
them from bidding formal farewell, and
from ascertaining the period to which Telrac'ion