PASS CAPE COMFORT. 147 



two a dark lane of water. The land was 

 effectually shut out from view by the whirls 

 of drift raised by the gusty wind, but on the 

 following day, November 9th, a partial clearance 

 showed that the pack had not only drifted out, 

 but was also setting to the eastward, Cape 

 Comfort being at that time full on the beam. 

 After this, the same kind of weather continu- 

 ing throughout that day prevented us from 

 ascertaining the precise situation of the ship, 

 till daylight of the 10th, when we found we 

 had just passed Cape Comfort. Our pack, in 

 leaving the station where it had been so long 

 undisturbed, had carried away a considerable 

 portion of the bay ice attached to its edges, and 

 had now turned round about ninety degrees, 

 placing the stem of the ship towards the land, 

 and consequently leaving her head true north. 

 From the crow's nest much young ice was 

 observable on every side, but only in lanes 

 intervening between the heavier bodies, of which 

 it was remarked that our pack was the most 

 extensive. The thermometer still retained an 

 elevation which we thought high, viz. 11° + . 



It may well be imagined that these spring-tide 

 changes of position gave rise to no little specu- 

 lation whither we might be driven by the time 

 the ice commonly breaks up. During the three 

 succeeding days we were blown backwards and 



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