30 OPEN WATER AVAILABLE. \_0ctober, 



shore, I considered that the only chance of saving vessel 

 or crew would be taking the ground as early as possible 

 after any adverse movement drove us from our anchors. 

 We therefore considered our outer anchor as in reality 

 lost if the ship should be beached, and, under such cir- 

 cumstances, no longer required ; but, if the events of the 

 spring should offer floatation and release, that it was well 

 laid out, and beyond the chances of damage from floating 

 ice. Here then we secured ; anxiously praying for that 

 intensity of cold which alone can render us securely 

 frozen in or comfortable for the winter. What variable 

 mortals we are, at one moment yearning for warmth, at 

 another for intense cold ! 



During our temporary detention alongside the great 

 berg-piece, I had an opportunity, favoured by the beau- 

 tifully transparent state of the water, of examining its 

 base, and even to detect every article at the bottom 

 which had fallen overboard. I now ascertained that it 

 was a much more important mass than I had antici- 

 pated; it formed an irregular pyramid, having a very 

 broad base or flat pedestal, apparently well imbedded in 

 the tough clay bottom, the depth on its seaward side af- 

 fording six fathoms and its inner three. I therefore felt 

 that I could now trust more confidently to its friendly 

 offices in warding off any infringing floe or loose pack, 

 at all events taking the worst before it molested us. 



At this period I contemplated, now the sea was open, 

 making an attempt to reach Union Bay, and, had the 

 services of the ' Pioneer 3 been available, most certainly 

 would have made the experiment, even against the 

 chances of being caught midway ; but, unfortunately, I 



