PROSPECT OF RELEASE. 101 



the hazard of their being separated from the 

 ship left no room for hesitation, though I pro- 

 mised that on a future occasion the proposition 

 should not be forgotten. 



The wind now got more to the southward, 

 and after being unsettled for an hour or two, 

 began to blow fresh from S. by W. : still the ice 

 did not stir. However, about 4 h 30 m , it opened 

 out a little, and though no water was visible 

 from the Crow's Nest, the breeze was so strong 

 that it was deemed expedient to set the sails ; 

 and answering to their power, the ship imme- 

 diately forged ahead, generally, of course, very 

 slowly, but wherever the ice w r as smaller with 

 a speed that brightened every countenance. It 

 was indeed singular to behold the vast ship 

 gliding along without any perceptible water. This 

 could not last, and though it blew a gale of wind, 

 yet even with warps and all appliances and means 

 to boot, we were at length beaten by the solid 

 mass. The last gleam of twilight, however, had 

 just brought to sight several narrow lanes of 

 water precisely where they were most wanted, 

 so that the probability of a release was greater 

 than it had been for at least three weeks. The 

 wind veered a little to the eastward, but rather 

 increased than diminished in violence, so that 

 most of the sails were taken in, leaving enough to 

 press the ship forward if the ice should give way. 



h 3 



