168 FROM MADEIRA TO THE BARRIER 



wall opened. This agreed with our expectations; we 

 were now in long. 164, the selfsame point where our 

 predecessors had previously found access. 



We had before us a great bay, so deep that it was 

 impossible to see the end of it from the crow's-nest; 

 but for the moment there was no chance of getting 

 in. The bay was full of great floes sea-ice recently 

 broken up. We therefore went on a little farther to 

 the eastward to await developments. Next morning we 

 returned, and after the lapse of a few hours the floes 

 within the bay began to move. One after another they 

 came sailing out : the passage was soon free. 



As we steered up the bay, we soon saw clearly that 

 here we had every chance of effecting a landing. All 

 we had to do was to choose the best place. 



