248 SHIP RIGHTS. [CHAP.V. 



About l h 40 m p. m. the retrograde action com- 

 menced, and after compressing the masses nearer 

 together, a temporary obstacle within twenty paces 

 from the starboard quarter squeezed up a small 

 ridge twelve feet high. We kept driving to the 

 north-west until 6 h p. m., from which time until 

 midnight we enjoyed almost uninterrupted quiet. 



February 28th. The Aurora appeared in the 

 form of an arch in the south-east quarter, and, as 

 before, sent up beams towards the zenith, but 

 without colour. At l h 40 m a.m. the reaction 

 took place, and once or twice pressed us closely, 

 though soon after the ice began to be more dis- 

 engaged, and that near the edge of the fixed 

 shore ice appeared to be going to the west- 

 ward. Between 4 h and 8 h a. m. there was some 

 grinding, but the cracks and openings grew 

 wider, and the ship gradually righted. The sea- 

 ward body again set to the S.E. ; but a large and 

 remarkable hummock, stationary among the land 

 ice abreast of us, showed us that our progress 

 had not been much, as the same mark had been 

 observed under a similar bearing about an hour 

 earlier the day before. Two or three narrow lanes 

 close to the vessel, and a continuous one along 

 the outer edge of the land ice, extending as 

 far as the farthest point of coast, gave me 

 reason to hope that the ice ahead was slowly 

 finding an outlet by the strait, which, with a 



