. Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Institution. Archives; Discoveries in science. ANTARCTIC VOYAGE OF THE BELGICA. 387 (6^ feet), or, in the case of ice several years old, not more than 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 feet) in thickness. The freezing action clearly tends to a limit which can not be surpassed, however low the temperature. This is the invariable result of measurements in the arctic regions, and it is entirely supported by our measurements during our wintering in the antarctic. The greatest cold we experienced occu
. Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Institution. Archives; Discoveries in science. ANTARCTIC VOYAGE OF THE BELGICA. 387 (6^ feet), or, in the case of ice several years old, not more than 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 feet) in thickness. The freezing action clearly tends to a limit which can not be surpassed, however low the temperature. This is the invariable result of measurements in the arctic regions, and it is entirely supported by our measurements during our wintering in the antarctic. The greatest cold we experienced occurred in September; on the 8th the thermometer sank to —13° C. (—° F.), an extreme temperature when one considers that we were very far from land, and only in 71° south latitude. We took advantage of the sunshine when it came, following the example of the seals,who lay motionless on the ice for hours together enjoying sun baths. When there was no wind we felt warm at a tem- perature of -15° C. (5° F.), and even 25° C. (-13° F.), which is easy to understand, as evidently the temperature of the air did not indicate all the heat we felt, and we had only to go into the shadow to feel the difference. In the antarctic there are strong equinoctial storms, which follow close upon one another. The storms which preceded the establishment of the summer regime were accompanied by tremendous snowdrifts, and as the Bel- gica presented an obstacle to these, large quantities of snow accumulated, and at length almost buried her. It became necessary to extricate her, and the work had to be done quickly, as she threatened to sink gradually, dragged down by the inclosing ice. Until December we had every confidence that the sun would melt the ice and break up the floes to such an extent that we could make our escape easily. But when December had passed, and the sun made his daily tour of the horizon without melting anything, we felt our- selves deceived; there we remained, at the merc
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