DISRUPTION BY A GALE. 133 



body, only raising in its fury clouds of drift, 

 particularly about the land to the east-ward of the 

 ship. Scarcely, however, had the sun crossed the 

 meridian when a change came on for the worse, 

 and soon settled into a downright gale, such 

 as a fortnight ago would most likely have taken us 

 to Repulse Bay. Until 4 h p.m. it had not made 

 the faintest impression on any part of the ice, but 

 at that time a lane of water was observed between 

 us and the shore, precisely where I had walked 

 over yesterday. Aided by the gale, which some- 

 times burst in heavy squalls, the channel went on 

 gradually expanding until night closed the view. 

 About 8 h p. m. however, a crack directly ahead 

 and another on the starboard quarter were heard, 

 seeming to announce a general disruption, the 

 effect of which, at that hour of darkness and at so 

 late a season, it was impossible to foresee. Sleep 

 was banished, at least from me, and when the 

 morning of October 25th arrived, a continuous 

 sheet of water was seen extending from the 

 before-mentioned lane to Cape By lot, and thence 

 to seaward abaft our starboard beam. Two or 

 three other small openings were seen ; and the 

 ship unable to resist the power of the gale, had 

 worked a clear space of three inches along the 

 whole of the starboard side. By noon the 

 cracks ahead and astern were something enlarged, 

 and the lane of water on the starboard side 



k 3 



