1854.] SHOCK CONVEYED BY THE ICE. 163 



minutes that it did not proceed from a blast under the 

 counter. Similar in their effects are the sudden fissures, 

 in the early season, of young ice, which, conveyed by the 

 ice to the ship, produce those sounds so frequently mis- 

 taken for breaking of bolts, timbers, etc., none of which 

 have been noticed since January, 



April 14. This morning we experienced the very un- 

 common visitation of a westerly wind, succeeded how- 

 ever by one strong from the southward, which will, I 

 trust, on this spring tide, afford us some indication of the 

 break of winter, which has indeed been one of unusual 

 gloominess as well as severity. Last season all were in- 

 spirited by the extraordinary excitement caused by the 

 preparation for search but now all before us is charged 

 with the labour and anxiety of extricating our vessels, 

 terminable perhaps by cramming all the survivors into 

 one ship. At noon the temperature attained +3 ; so far 

 satisfactory, as complying with expected change. 



Two sods of peat were brought in today as belonging 

 to some newly discovered cairn ; but such matters were 

 now too well known to me to cause a moment's doubt. 

 I knew them to belong to the spot from whence our tree 

 had been dug, and further examination proved I was 

 correct. My reason for noticing this at present is, that 

 had I not despatched a party to report further on this 

 matter, doubtless it might have been magnified into suffi- 

 cient importance " to regret that more intimate search 

 had not been made," or possibly to be the foundation of 

 a mad-brained volunteer after the spot had been quitted. 

 The operators in the former instance reported the work 

 as their own. I seldom baulk a man in his hobby, and 



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