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81 in the Western Arctic Sea, the stern of the Hecla, which was immediately exposed to the sun, was observed to be melted ; while snow on the yellow parts remained unaffected by the warmth. This incident you will think a matter of no great moment; but to us it appeared in a very different light. It proved that the influence of the sun was in creasing; and it confirmed what was already noticed respect ing the Franklinian experiments on the power of coloured sub stances in repelling or retaining heat. The black paint retained, and the light yellow repelled it. The thermometer exposed to the sun, under the stern of the Hecla, gave a temperature as high as 35° above zero, or 3° above the freezing point of water. About a mile in a direction N.E. from the bottom of the harbour is an eminence, thence called North-east Hill, about two hun dred and fifty feet above the level of the sea, the highest land in our neighbourhood. From this point the view extends to a con siderable distance to S. and S.E., and from it, six or seven miles from the land, were perceived a range of hummocks (a sea term for low detached hillocks on land, and thence applied to ice,) thrown up to a considerable height, by the pressure of the outer ice upon that which was joined to the shore. While the weather continued in its mild and moderate state, the opportunity was taken to re-build the house for the instruments that had been burnt down. This was the work of a few days only, when the astronomical clocks were re-placed. Before the conflagration, the observations made principally related to the distance of the moon from certain stars, and the elevation of these last above the horizon, in order to ascertain the apparent time. Now it was intended to institute a series of observations on the distance of certain stars from the zenith, for the purpose of discovering the refraction of the atmosphere, by comparing their apparent with their real distances. This last operation, however, it was found could not be performed ; for the repeating circle, the only in strument sent out, adapted to the purpose, ceased to he of use in temperatures below zero. By the intensity of the cold, the joints and other moveable parts of the instrument were fixed, and the spirit in the level was contracted, so as to be of no use. The two metals, also, of which the instrument was composed, brass and steel, being unequally affected by the cold, it became quite unmanageable. Respecting the important experiments on the pendulum, for ascertaining the proportion between its length and the number of vibrations in a given time, in the view of de termining the deviation of the form of the earth from a perfect sphere, it was deemed proper to defer them until the season should be farther advanced, and the weather become so mild as to allow the instruments to be handled without injury to the ob servers. Voyages, Fol. V, M