364 SQUEEZE THROUGH THE PACK. {September, 



deemed myself sealed. His escape again ou the 1st of 

 September into warm water precludes further compari- 

 son with the probable temperature iu the mouth of Wel- 

 lington Channel. 



September 1. Our first effort carried us abreast of 

 Cape Simpkinson, where, finding the pack drifting west- 

 erly, we made fast to the grounded ice, in eight fathoms, 

 to await the return of tide. But I find that the tides in 

 this northern bight are not to be reckoned on, and in 

 the present case, fortunately perhaps, they overran their 

 mark to fifteen hours. Foreseeing the reaction, I gave 

 orders, before I retired to rest, " to select a convenient 

 tug floe, and make fast to the moving pack when the tide 

 changed easterly," which would infallibly advance us. 

 This occurred at 3.30 A.M., when the pressure gradu- 

 ally eased ; and shortly before eight A.M. we were again 

 taken in tow by the ' Pioneer,' keeping close along the 

 line of grounded hummocks, and on arriving abreast of 

 the immense mass before alluded to off Cape Preserva- 

 tion, had fifteen fathoms close alongside, the sea wash- 

 ing its base. These huge masses of ice furnish most 

 valuable guards for pilotage, seldom grounding in less 

 than three and a half fathoms, with deep water outside. 

 I had suspected, from noticing the vast collection of 

 pressed-up ice at this point, that they were obstructed 

 and retained by an outlying ledge of rocks ; but the 

 heavy masses then noticed merely adhered until the pres- 

 sure was relieved, and then by their weight had been 

 swept away. The customary law of the immersion of 

 six-sevenths we frmnd not to hold here, nor are the 

 under surfaces level : masses more than six feet out of 



