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Monday Nov. 13

Continued the preparation of fire wood
during the two hours allowed us to work
without a light. The darkness approaches
rapidly.

The hours between 4 am. and 1.20 a.m.
were foggy leaving the zenith alone sufficiently
clear for stars on 3d magnitude. A careful
watch in which I took part gave throughout
the day no greater number of falling stars
than I have before noticed in Arctic sky in the
Dec. ~ Feb. of 54. The greatest number
seen in one hour viz from 9 to 10 P.M. of mean
time, was fine.

Tuesday Nov. 14

Continued above observations with a nearly
similar result -: between 9 P.M. & 5 A.M. of [15th?]
51 shooting starswere counted. (for detail
see notes) the hours 2 to 4 1/2 gave the
greatest number 28, leaving an average of
about four per hour for the remaining
hours. During the same period 1851
while in Barren Straits a fine display
was seen from the Rescue.

Commenced looking over Natural History
next as to progress & [?] of vegetation.
We have passed through a year of Singular
Severeity. The season of growth was but
six weeks and the mean temperature of
the entire year from Oct: 1853. to Oct. 1854
was —2°.

Not well scurvy creeps into us. Prepared
for another "Willow brew" our third.

Wednes. Nov. 15

Hard to work under the open hatches
even at noonday without a light. The weather
is intensely cold —40°. I certainly never
felt it so keenly. My last year I travelled
80 hours without hot food at —42° & 47°!!
How the devil did I do it? These