96 HAWSER CARRIED AWAY BY ICE. 



closed, and the breeze blew, though light, from 

 the eastward, that is to say, fromthe quarter 

 directly opposite to what we wished: again 

 therefore our efforts were discontinued, and 

 the ship secured. The thermometer at noon 

 was 35° + , and in a small pool of water astern 

 three white whales were seen. Later in the 

 day the weather became overcast, and brought 

 with it a S.E. wind, thus at once overturning 

 hopes of a week's growth, and making the pros- 

 pect of our liberation as remote as ever. Never- 

 theless, as the ice slacked, about 7 h p.m., we 

 warped a couple of hundred yards ahead, and 

 then, setting the sails, endeavoured to bore 

 through the annoying obstruction ; a little way, 

 perhaps half a mile, we accomplished ; and even 

 that little was gratifying, for our long detention 

 had begun to be dispiriting. The ice then be- 

 coming closer, the sails were furled, and on the 

 morning of the 13th September we found our- 

 selves rather closer in with the coast, but owing 

 to the thick state of the weather the precise spot 

 could not be ascertained. During the whole of 

 the forenoon there was nothing but snow, and 

 the breeze blew dead on the land ; the result 

 showed itself, as was to be expected, by an in- 

 creased pressure of the snow and ice, which tight- 

 ened so much, that before we were aware of it 

 the securing hawser was carried away. It was 



