Sept. 1857. DRIFTING IN THE PACK. 35 



it. They had some exciting foot-races on the ice yesterday 

 evening. 



\st Sept. — The indications of an approaching S.E. gale 

 are at all times sufficiently apparent here, and fortunately so, 

 as it is the dangerous wind in Melville Bay. It was on the 

 morning of the 30th, before church-time, that they attracted 

 our attention : the wind was very light, but barometer low 

 and falling; very threatening appearances in the S.E. quarter, 

 dark-blue sky, and grey detached clouds slowly rising ; when 

 the wind commenced the barometer began to rise. This 

 gale lasted forty-eight hours, and closed up every little space 

 of water ; at first all the ice drifted before the wind, but 

 latterly remained stationary. Twenty seals have been shot 

 up to this time. 



On comparing Petersen's experience with my own, and 

 that of the 'North Star ' in 1849, it: seems probable that the 

 ice along the shores of Melville Bay, at this season, will drift 

 northward close along the land as far as Cape Parry, where 

 it probably meets with a southerly current out of Smith's 

 Sound ; it will be carried away into the middle of Baffin's 

 Bay, and thence during the winter down Davis' Strait into 

 the Atlantic. From Cape Dudley Digges to Cape Parry, 

 including Wolstenholme Sound, open water remains until 

 October. It is strange that we have ceased to drift lately 

 to the westward. 



6th.— Position, 75 24' N., 64 31' W. During the last 

 week we have only drifted 9 miles to the west. Obtained 

 soundings in 88 fathoms ; this is a discovery, and not an 

 agreeable one. Of the six or seven icebergs in sight, the 

 nearest are to the west of us ; they are very large, and 

 appear to be aground ; we approach them slowly. Pleasant 

 weather, but the winds are much too gentle to be of service 

 to us j although' the nights are cold, yet during the day our 

 men occasionally do their sewing on deck. Our companions, 



d 2 



