al entertainments, from which so much benefit in this way
had, on a former occasion, been derived. This proposal was
immediately and unanimously acquiesced in; Captain Lyon obligingly
undertook to be our, manager, and, some preparation having been
made for this purpose previous to leaving England, everything was
soon arranged for performing a play on board the Fury once a
fortnight.

To furnish rational and useful occupation to the men on the other
evenings, a school was also established for the instruction of
such of the men as were willing to take advantage of this
opportunity of learning to read and write, or of improving in
those acquirements.

While these internal arrangements were making, the interests of
science were not neglected. A day or two after our arrival, Mr.
Fisher and myself selected a spot for the portable observatory,
which was immediately erected for the purpose of making magnetic
observations; and, as soon as the carpenters could be spared from
the necessary duties of the ships, a house was built for the
reception of the instruments requisite in conducting the other
observations and experiments.

Soon after our arrival here, Captain Lyon expressed a wish that
his officers and men, with himself, should attend divine service
on board the Fury during the continuance of the ships in
winter-quarters. This arrangement was accordingly made, and we
formed one congregation for the rest of the winter. Our lower deck
afforded abundance of accommodation in this respect; some psalm
tunes, which had been purposely set upon an organ, were played at
the proper intervals of the service, and our little church formed
a pleasing and interesting scene to such as are disposed to be
interested by scenes of this nature.

I have before mentioned the myriads of small shrimps (_cancer
nugax_) which for some weeks past had been observed near the
surface of the sea. These insects were found to be still as
numerous as ever in any hole we made in the ice; and such was the
extreme avidity with which they immediately seized upon any meat
put overboard, to thaw or soak for the sake of freshness, that
Captain Lyon to-day sent me a goose to look at, belonging to the
officers of the Hecla, that had been thus deposited within their
reach only eight and forty hours, and from which they had eaten
every ounce of meat, leaving only a skeleton most delicately
cleaned. Our men had before remarked that their meat suffered
unusual loss