ANNOYANCES OF THE SITUATION. 117 



Fresh till the morning, when the task of com- 

 pleting the requisite outfit for the boats was 

 resumed. The top-gallant-yards and masts were 

 lowered on deck, that the ship might be as light 

 as possible about the mast-heads ; and if by any 

 turn of fortune a channel should still open, we 

 could always set the topsails and courses, which 

 would be amply sufficient to take us to an 

 anchorage. At noon the ice was stationary, 

 and we therefore motionless. The thermometer 

 kept up to 29° + with an easterly breeze, from 

 which I inferred that there was open water at no 

 great distance in that bearing, notwithstanding 

 we could not see it from aloft. On the 29th 

 the only change was, that the wind had veered 

 more to the south, and that although the ther- 

 mometer was above the freezing point (viz. 33° + ) 

 so much snow fell that the whole forenoon was 

 occupied in clearing it from the decks and 

 boats. It was a tedious and annoying situation 

 to be placed in, not above three miles from the 

 shore, yet unable to get the ship there — bays 

 and harbours apparently within reach, and still 

 obliged to be prepared for being wrecked. 



The ship remained in the same inconvenient 

 position, the slope and slippery state of the lee side 

 of the deck causing many falls to those who were 

 passing along. Sept. 30th was calm, and a depo- 

 sition of hoar-frost and small spicuke coated the 



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