Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/268

238 I had often admired in lower latitudes. The solar radiation during this month was very powerful, the universal covering of snow strongly reflecting the sunshine. Two of Dollond's thermometers, having respectively a northern and southern aspect, both freely exposed to the wind, and neither blackened, differed at mid-day from 20° to 40°. In the month of March, on three occasions, the difference exceeded 40°; whereas in January, before the re-appearance of the sun, the southern thermometer sometimes stood lowest, and never shewed an excess of more than four degrees. Not until April did we enjoy a view of the genuine blue sky, for throughout the colder months the lower region of the atmosphere is suffused with icy spiculæ—the offspring of intense congelation—which dim the splendour of the firmament. To the same cause may be referred the frequency of mock suns and halos, which were often seen hanging over the opposite island, apparently not a mile distant.

The month of May commenced with the temperature at zero. It did not again fall below that point, but froze sharply almost every night, and during many of the days. The weather generally was cold and boisterous, and the mean temperature of the month was 30. The easterly winds were again predominant. I was absent