The ponies are looking very well on the whole, especially those in the outside stalls.
Rennick got a sounding to-day 1844 fathoms; reversible thermometers were placed close to bottom and 500 fathoms up.

We shall get a very good series of temperatures from the bottom up during the wait.

Nelson will try to get some more current observations to-night or to-morrow.
It is very trying to find oneself continually drifting north, but one is thankful not to be going east.
To-night it has fallen calm and the floes have decidedly opened; there is a lot of water about the ship, but it does not look to extend far.

Meanwhile the brash and thinner floes are melting; everything of that sort must help--but it's trying to the patience to be delayed like this.
We have seen enough to know that with a north-westerly or westerly wind the floes tend to pack and that they open when it is calm.

The question is, will they open more with an easterly or south-easterly wind--that is the hope.
Signs of open water round and about are certainly increasing rather than diminishing.
_Friday, December_ 16 .-- The wind sprang up from the N.E.this morning, bringing snow, thin light hail, and finally rain; it grew very thick and has remained so all day.
Early the floe on which we had done so much ski-ing broke up, and we gathered in our ice anchors, then put on head sail, to which she gradually paid off.