78 STEER FOR SOUTHAMPTON ISLAND. 



cemented masses near us suddenly broke asunder, 

 and disentangled the ship from the thin crust 

 that had surrounded her. This change, which 

 was evidently the effect of the breeze, was gra- 

 tifying, as showing that three days' continuation 

 of it would, in all probability, clear the whole of 

 Frozen Strait, and, as it was, a clear channel on 

 the following day was confidently anticipated. 

 During the first part of the night, the wind con- 

 tinued to blow freshly; but early on the following 

 morning it moderated, and the ice at once 

 returned to its former position ; yet again, about 

 6 a. m., with unaccountable eccentricity, the 

 entire body half a mile round was in agitation. 

 Prompt to seize the lucky moment, we warped 

 to a spot where the sails could be advan- 

 tageously used, and, contrary to all the ex- 

 pectations of but an hour before, found ourselves 

 making headway. As the day grew clearer 

 the same dark-bluish grey clouds were observed 

 in precisely the same bearing as had been noted 

 two days ago, strengthening the opinion already 

 expressed that they were the certain signs of 

 open water. Fortunately the * leads/ narrow and 

 hampered as they were, took a direction towards 

 the desired point, and allowed us to hold a course 

 directly for Southampton Island, which I was the 

 more eager to attain, from a conviction in my own 

 mind that a passage existed along shore, close in 



