Mar. 1858. STRONG GALES. 77 



Yesterday there was a very heavy S.E. gale; it blew so 

 furiously, and the snow-drift was so dense, that we could 

 neither hear nor see what was going on twenty yards off; 

 at night the ship, becoming suddenly detached from the ice, 

 heeled over to the storm ; until the cause was ascertained 

 we thought the ice had broken up, and pressed against the 

 ship. It was not so ; but when the weather moderated we 

 found that there had been heavy pressure upon the edge of 

 the floes, — so much indeed, that the lane of water was now 

 within 70 yards of the 'Fox;' and that ice 4^ feet thick 

 had been crushed during the storm for a distance of about 

 50 yards. 



2 5///.— Position, 69 16' N., 58 50' W. Strong N.W. 

 winds lately, the ship rocking to the breeze, and rubbing 

 her poor sides against the ice, producing a creaking sound 

 which is far from pleasant. More ice-squeezing, and a 

 further inroad upon our barrier; it has yielded slightly, 

 nipping the ship, inclining her to port, and lifting her stern 

 about a foot. Occasional groanings of the timbers within, 

 and surgings of the ice without. 



Our boats, provisions, sledges, and knapsacks, are ready 

 for a hasty departure, — beyond this we can do nothing ; as 

 long as our friendly barrier lasts we need not fear, but who 

 can tell the moment it may be demolished, and the ship 

 exposed to instant destruction ! I am scribbling within a 

 foot of the sternpost — in fact there is a notch in my table to 

 receive it ; and I sympathise with its constant groanings ; 

 the ice allows it no rest. 



27th. — Strong N.W. gale with a return of cold weather. 

 We have drifted 39 miles in the last forty-eight hours ! The 

 lane is open; the whole pack appears to have plenty of 

 room to drift, and, I am happy to add, is taking advantage 

 of it, — so much so that the smaller pieces floating freely in 

 the lane can hardly go at the same pace. Our remaining 



