32 BESET IN MELVILLE BA Y. Chap. III. 



prospects are not so cheering. There is no relative motion 

 in the floes of ice, except a gradual closing together, the 

 small spaces and creaks of water being still further diminished. 

 The temperature has fallen, and is usually below the freezing- 

 point. I feel most keenly the difficulty of my position • we 

 cannot afford to lose many more days. Of all the voyages 

 to Barrow Strait, there are but two which were delayed 

 beyond this date, viz., Parry's in 1824, and the 'Prince 

 Albert's' in 185 1. Should we not be released, and there- 

 fore be compelled to winter in this pack, notwithstanding 

 all our efforts, I shall repeat the trial next year, and in the 

 end, with God's aid, perform my sacred duty. 



The men enjoy a game of rounders on the ice each even- 

 ing ; Petersen and Christian are constantly on the look-out 

 for seals, as well as Hobson and Young occasionally; if in 

 good condition and killed instantaneously, the seals float ; 

 several have already been shot ; the liver fried with bacon 

 is excellent. 



Birds have become scarce, — the few we see are returning 

 southward. How anxiously I watch the ice, weather, 

 barometer, and thermometer ! Wind from any other quarter 

 than S.E. would oblige the floe-pieces to rearrange them- 

 selves, in doing which they would become loose, and then 

 would be our opportunity to proceed. 



24M. — Fine weather with very light northerly winds. We 

 have drifted 7 miles to the west in the last two days. The 

 ice is now a close pack, so close that one may walk for many 

 miles over it in any direction, by merely turning a little to 

 the right or left to avoid the small water spaces. My fre- 

 quent visits to the crow's-nest are not inspiriting : how 

 absolutely distressing this imprisonment is to me, no one 

 without similar experience can form any idea. As yet the 

 crew have but little suspicion how blighted our prospects 

 are. 



