Sept. 1857. CANINE APPETITE. 37 



when afloat drift more slowly than the light ice. There is 

 a water-sky to the W. and N.W. ; it is nearest to us in the 

 direction of Cape York : could we only advance 12 or 15 

 miles in that direction, I am convinced we should be free to 

 steer for Bar rota Strait. 



Forty-three seals have been secured for the dogs; one 

 dog is missing, the remaining twenty-nine devoured their 

 two days' allowance of seal's flesh (60 or 65 lbs.) in forty-two 

 seconds ! it contained no bone, and had been cut up into 

 small pieces, and spread out upon the snow, before they 

 were permitted to rush to dinner ; in this way the weak 

 enjoy a fair chance, as there is no time for fighting. We 

 do not allow them on board. 



1 6///.— Position, 75 33' N., 64 52' W. At length we 

 have drifted past the large icebergs, obtaining soundings 

 in 69 fathoms within a mile of them ; they must now be 

 aground, and have frequently been so during the last three 

 weeks ; and being directly upon our line of drift, are pro- 

 bably the immediate cause of our still remaining in Melville 

 Bay. The ice is slack everywhere, but the temperature 

 having fallen to 3 , new ice rapidly forms, so that the 

 change comes too late. The western limit of the bay — 

 Cape York — is very distinct, and not more than 25 miles 

 from us. 



iSth. — Lanes of water in all directions; but the nearest 

 is half-a-mile from us. They come too late, as do also the 

 N.W. winds which have now succeeded the fatal south- 

 easters. The temperature fell to 2 below zero last night. 

 We are now at length in the " North Water " ; the old ice 

 has spread out in all directions, so that it is only the young 

 ice — formed within the last fortnight — which detains us 

 prisoners here. 



The icebergs, the chief cause of our unfortunate deten- 

 tion, and which for more than three weeks were in advance 



