78 BREAKING UP OF THE ICE. Chap. VI. 



winter companion, the iceberg, was in sight a few days ago, 

 far away to the N.W. ; it may be still visible from aloft, but 

 these March gales cut so keenly, that the crow's-nest is but 

 seldom visited. 



■$ist — Another N.W. gale; it is also spring tides, and this 

 conjunction makes one fearful of ice movement and pres- 

 sure ; but it seems as if the pack had more room to move 

 in, as it does not close much. Seals are often shot, bear 

 tracks are common, and narwhals are frequently seen mi- 

 grating northward. The bears must prefer the night-time 

 for wandering about, else we could not help seeing them ; 

 we often find their tracks within a few hundred yards of 

 the ship. 



Although the last, yet this is the coldest day of the 

 month — thermometer down to —27° The mean tempe- 

 rature for March has been unusually high, — 3 ; whilst 

 Lieutenant De Haven's was — 17 . Notwithstanding that 

 heavy S.E. gales have three times driven us backward, yet 

 we have advanced 100 miles further down Davis' Strait. 



6th April.— Position, 67 18' N., 58 17' W. To-day we 

 enjoy fine weather, the more so since it comes after a 

 tremendous northerly gale of forty-eight hours' duration. 

 Two days ago the friendly old floe, so long our bulwark of 

 defence, was cracked ; the lane of water thus formed soon 

 widened to 60 yards, passed within 30 yards of the ' Fox,' 

 and cut off three of our boats. Yesterday morning another 

 crack detached the remaining 30 yards from us, and as it 

 widened the ship swung across the opening; as quickly as 

 we could effect it the ship was again placed alongside the 

 ice and within a projecting point : had it closed only a few 

 feet whilst she lay across the lane, the consequences must 

 have been most serious. Even to effect this slight change 

 of position we were fully occupied for four hours ; for the 

 gale blew furiously, and thermometer stood at 12 below 



