148 DRIVEN TOWARDS CAPE COMFORT. 



forwards until the pack set in towards the shore 

 a little to the westward of Cape Comfort, and 

 here it was hoped we might remain undisturbed 

 up to the time of the next spring-tide : but not 

 so ; for a strong north-westerly breeze coining 

 on with heavy squalls and much drift, we w r ere 

 again set in motion to the eastward, in an oblique 

 direction tow r ards the land, which, when seen at 

 intervals through the drift, appeared to be 

 nearer than we had yet approached. The tem- 

 perature now fell to 14°—, and this, though not 

 in fact so low as on some previous occasions 

 when the crew had walked out for exercise, was 

 found, with the aid of the breeze, too biting to 

 be faced without great discomfort ; and, conse- 

 quently, after our accustomed assemblage at 

 divisions and church on the 13th, the men were 

 directed to walk under the housing. Through- 

 out the latter part of the day and most of the 

 night, heavy squalls were frequent from the same 

 quarter, and though these had considerably 

 abated by the 14th, yet, to our astonishment, 

 the pack had taken us, according to Lieutenant 

 Stanley's measurement, within three thousand 

 six hundred and fifty yards of the inaccessible 

 cliffs of Cape Comfort, against which, therefore, 

 there was reason to apprehend that the ice might 

 strike, break up, and wreck the ship. The extra- 

 ordinary disappearance of extensive bodies of 



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