1854.] STATE OP THE ICE AT SHIP. 221 



feet on the fissure into which they had been warped ; 

 but the direction of this fissure was rather inclined to 

 the chord of the bay off which they were fixed, and it 

 terminated as it approached the southern point. This 

 motion subjected the vessels to nips, which had already 

 fractured the docks cut for them, and caused them to 

 heel occasionally, at one time not without danger; but 

 the most troublesome piece eventually slipped under, and 

 the abutting floes left them, until some new disturbance, 

 temporarily secure ; such however was the thickness of 

 the surrounding ice (seven feet), that any decided nip left 

 no hope of saving the vessels : it was too stubborn to 

 bend or break. 



I had fully discussed all these subjects with those 

 qualified to aid me, and no adverse opinion to my own 

 was in the remotest degree offered; there were none 

 present who sought to become martyrs, nor were any 

 inclined to make show of feelings by which they were 

 not actuated. Indeed I feel it almost needless to remark, 

 that whatever opinions might have been tendered, they 

 would never have been advanced by me to shield me 

 from that responsibility which belonged alone to the 

 Commander of this Expedition. 



Weighing fully the chances, and the apparent impossi- 

 bility of any disruption of the ice, without a similar gale 

 to that of the 1 8th of August last year that period also 

 having passed ; the danger if it did recur ; the lateness 

 of the season, with unmistakable symptoms of early 

 winter ; and the difficulties which further hesitation 

 might entail, I decided that I should best fulfil my 

 pledge to their Lordships, and my duty to my country, 



