The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-10
ARCTIC o8sxRvAr1oHs.i

Driving 91aRzaxds-xhe 11erou1y Irosen
eolad for 1oatA-A lGsaetoaous liSs.
tits stated in the diary left by sergt Rice,
of the Greedy Expedition. that the mean tenn
perature attheir camp during the month Of
December, 1881, was-s2O OF degrees. Early in
January, 1885,, the pendulum piers wer
erected-so We learn from tho same source
and the work Of making observations fur:
nished ardaous and exactins duty to the as
tronomer, who. in addition to the tedious
counting Of the wings Of the pendulum hour,
was compelled to make astronomical observs.
tons for the determination of time These
pendulum observations were continued If
teen days, and up to January 18th,
when the station was swept BY 90.
BILE fall Of the thermometer that Lieut.
Greedy had the range of the instrument
closely observed and recorded, every fifteen
minutes: The reading showed temperature
OF only ls111, which WAS rise Of about IL de.
the rate Of sixty miles an hour, carrying With
II clouds Of snow and spiculsr ice, which cut
the faces Of the men like powdered glass or
sparks Of fire, and prevented them from reach
ing either the Thermometer shelter or tho
tide Eauge." Everyone who was out, we are
told. camo back more or less bruised, and
snow The frosty particles we're also driven
through the thickest costs, forming white
lining on the inside. The velocity Of the wind
hnally increased to seventy Ave miles an hour,
and the Thermometer ranged from as to-
. mean of -ss37, minimum q $50, and
maximum of-9111S degrees. February came in
cold, the average temperature for the month
"being moro than 50 degrees below xero,'
with the mercury frozen solid all the time.
On February 1lth the standard thermometer
Hnrp t>rIa
ference Of temperature between the inside and
outside Of quarters being over ITO degrees
1T u surprising, remarks the sergeant, .'the
amount Of cold that can be supported without
injury while the atmosphere is st rest Com.
fortably clothed and no air stirring, We could
ience, taxing care only Of the face, which some
times became touched and required the appli-
cation OF warm hand, which could safely be
withdraMn from warm covering for ashort
time Give me 65 degrees and calm weather
rather than 20 degrees and the wind moving
ten miles an hour. It Is mistake (as stated
by an eminent Arctic explorer, Payer) that
Precipitation ceases ct so degrees. This was
dlsprOved by the experience of MANY of us
'Swathed in cumbrous clothing, such exercise
- pushing behind loaded sledge would fire.
quensy produce perspir.tion in no meager
that mentioned. 49, : q : -
Dnring February experiments were made
With shotguns and chronogrsph TO ascertain
the rapidfty with which sound travels through
Arctic air. Il WAS ascertained that lubricatine
oil had to be removed from the guns, as Il
wonld freeze solid and not allow the machinery
Of the weapon to work When on February
80 the sun bad begun to again show its light
members Of the party suffered with weak eyes
and presented as'bleached-out appearance Of
countenance, like the potato-yines that grow
n cellars" An important record is made Of
tho fact that February 1889 WAS the coolest
month ever noted in the Arctic region, and far
n excess Of The themometric range given by
perature waa-4647 and the minimum 62.1
degreeA Although the sun WAS to be seen for
. few hours every day the colony life had be-
come 20 monotonous that "the return Of every
hunter wss the signal for questions, and the
smallest circumstance furnished topic for