CHAP. IV.] SET OF CURRENT. 213 



rumbling and crashing noise as of splintered ice 

 towards the southwest, which continued more or 

 less until day-break of February 9th. The weather 

 was still calm, and yet, when the sun rose, it 

 was evident the ship and ice had been drifted to 

 the eastward, at a distance of five miles from the 

 land, which became lower, more sloping, and 

 more free from bays. The soundings atl h p.m. 

 were found in one hundred and fifty-two fathoms, 

 and with a bottom of darker mud than before. 

 The latitude observed was 64<° 29' N., and longi- 

 tude 81° 46' W., thus establishing the set of the 

 current along the coast. In two instances we 

 had been checked in our progress, and forced 

 diagonally about S.W. by W. towards the land; 

 and the coincidence of times at which this oc- 

 curred pointed to the action of two forces, that 

 is to say, the tide from the eastward in com- 

 bination with the prevailing current from the 

 north-west. 



All our boats which, except the barge, had been 

 necessarily kept hung at the davits, with a few in- 

 dispensable stores in them, to be prepared for any 

 sudden emergency, were now thoroughly cleansed 

 from ice and snow, and after a minute and atten- 

 tive examination by Mr. Smith, the carpenter, I 

 had the satisfaction of learning that they were 

 uninjured, and perfectly ready for service. They 



p 3 



