34 SAVAGE ISLANDS. 



the rigging as it fell, and hung in icicles from 

 the boats and hammock-rails. 



There was now no choice but to endeavour 

 to close the shore and get to windward of the 

 whole body of ice, and this having succeeded 

 after repeated trials in effecting, we continued 

 during the remainder of the forenoon running 

 at a moderate rate through sailing pieces, which 

 from their size there was little trouble in steer- 

 ing clear of. Observations could not be got, 

 but the dead reckoning placed us in latitude 

 61° 39' N., and some doubtful sights gave the 

 same latitude, and longitude 67° 7' "W« 



The weather, which during the day had been 

 hazy, cleared towards the evening, and gave us a 

 distinct view of the bleak and snow-streaked 

 land, with several islands, which we conjectured 

 to be part of the group lying between the middle 

 and lower Savage Islands. The sea being very 

 calm the officers lowered a boat, and set off in 

 quest of the seals and loons which were swim- 

 ming about ; but a brace of the latter was the 

 only result of a considerable expenditure of 

 powder and shot. During the night, with a 

 light breeze heading us and the vessel close 

 hauled, I found to my surprise that, of course 

 under the influence of some current, the ship 

 had weathered, or, in other words, gone to the 

 westward so much, that I gladly kept under 



