Aug. 1857. HEAVY GALE. 23 



outer island, breakers were suddenly discovered ahead, only 

 just in time to avoid the ledge of sunken rocks upon which 

 the sea was beating most violently. Many such rocks lie 

 at considerable distances beyond the islands which border 

 this coast, and greatly add to the dangers of its navigation. 

 Being now fairly at sea, and the ship under easy sail for the 

 night, I went early to bed in the hope of sleeping. I had 

 been up all the previous night, naturally anxious about the 

 ship threading her way through so many dangers, uncertain 

 about being able to complete the number of our sledge-dogs, 

 and much occupied in closing my correspondence, to which 

 there would be an end for at least a year. All this over, the 

 uncertain future loomed ominously before me. The great 

 responsibilities I had undertaken seemed now and at once 

 to fall with all their weight upon me. A mental whirlpool 

 was the consequence, which, backed by the material storm, 

 and the howling of the wretched dogs in concert on deck, 

 together with the tumbling about of eveiything below, long 

 kept sleep in abeyance. One thought and feeling predomi- 

 nated : it was gratitude, deep and humble, for the success 

 which had hitherto attended us, and for some narrow escapes 

 which I must ever regard as providential. 



Yesterday's gale has given place to calm foggy weather. An 

 occasional iceberg is seen. The officers amuse themselves 

 in trying new guns, and shooting sea-birds for our dogs. 



Governor Fliescher told me yesterday that for the last four 

 weeks southerly winds had prevailed, and that only a fort- 

 night ago his boat was unable to reach the Loom Cliffs at 

 Cape Shackleton, 50 miles north of Upernivik, in conse- 

 quence of the ice being pressed in against the land. I fear 

 these same winds have closed together the ice which occu- 

 pies the middle of Davis' Strait (hence called the middle ice), 

 so that we shall not be able to penetrate it. However, we 

 are standing out to make the attempt. 



