374 DESPATCH LIEUTENANT osBORN. [September, 



temperatures ranging between 7 '5 and 15, and the ice 

 nipping. Made an attempt to cut towards the nearest 

 pool of water, but failed ; the ice was found to be fifteen 

 to twenty feet in thickness, bay ice six inches, the water 

 clearly making round Cape Osborn and to the north- 

 ward. Tantalizing indeed to be mewed up ; but patience ! 

 we were nearly as bad in Port Refuge, and yet escaped. 

 In this position we are sheltered ; but overhead the gale 

 is evidently blowing hard from north-east, scud flying 

 rapidly, and the outer ice, in active motion, pressing to 

 the other shore. Every effort was now made to com- 

 plete my documents, tracings of charts, etc., in order to 

 forward them to Beechey Island ; and very harassing it 

 proved, independent of constant calls for other duties. 

 At noon, barometer 29'34, temperature 12, falling to 2; 

 at midnight the wind abated, terminating in calm. 



September 11. At four this morning I was informed 

 that the open water extended from Cape Osborn to the 

 opposite coast. At five, Lieutenant Osborn, assisted by 

 a party from the ' Pioneer,' started, having received de- 

 spatches, etc., the preceding evening. Commander Ri- 

 chards took the hands to the outer floe-edge, in the hope 

 of blasting off the outer ice, which might also shake the 

 entire floe, and cause it to drift off with the tide. The 

 day was beautifully fine, but this was found, under the 

 present temperature, 18'5, with bay ice forming and 

 negativing every movement, quite beyond our powers : 

 the mean depth of this immense floe-piece being about 

 seventeen feet, proved rather too much for our ice-saws, 

 over so great an extent. Mr. Allarcl, Master of the ' Pio- 

 neer,' accompanied Lieutenant Osborn to the floe-edge. 



