1853.] CUT OUT OF PORT REFUGE. 361 



what indeed I had before suspected from other glimpses 

 nearer to it, that a lake and stream connection existed 

 between this and the eastern sac of Sir Robert Inglis 

 Bay, and that not more than one mile divided the two 

 waters. Westerly, I noticed the ice to be easing off at 

 Cape Majendie, and lanes forming along the coast to- 

 wards it. A vacancy is always of importance, and to us 

 of infinite value, as it would facilitate the opening of 

 similar lanes to the eastward. I felt suddenly confident 

 of release, but all the reports from the hill were unfa- 

 vourable : indeed the Ice Quarter-master, who had most 

 to say, pronounced the floe sealed for the winter. Fur- 

 ther, the bay ice had formed so thick, that it was not pos- 

 sible for a boat to pass to the shore without consider- 

 able labour in breaking a channel. However, a night 

 would intervene, but the cold was more intense, and the 

 ice firmer. I asked the Ice Quarter-master, at four A.M., 

 what he thought of it? "No opening, Sir," was the reply. 

 I may be obstinate, but I told the "old man" (Unthank) 

 I intended to cut out ; he quietly and very drily whis- 

 pered to me, " Well, Sir, if you are determined, lose no 

 time." Those words were electric, took a load off my 

 mind ; I was up, out, and moving. Leaving orders " to 

 prepare for sea, and clear the lead to the outside barrier," 

 I mounted the hill, and there noticed that outside of our 

 opposing barrier rather an unwieldy and awkward floe 

 was freely washed externally, and that if this could only 

 be mastered, by cutting and blasting, my intention to 

 take the pack, following up the outsides of the grounded 

 ice, might enable me to squeeze by Point Preservation. 

 The distance from honcc to Beechcv Island, one hundred 



