OUTLINE OF COAST. [cHAP.V. 



whether there had been no resistance, or that the 

 particles had intermixed and consolidated, we 

 could not determine ; but the fact was indis- 

 putable, that none of the hideous ruins piled up 

 on both extremities of our floe were distinguish- 

 able elsewhere. It is worthy of remark, as illus- 

 trating the fracture of chrystals, that the cracks 

 in general pursued their course through every 

 impediment of ice, large or small, in a track not 

 unlike that sometimes marked by lightning on 

 other substances. How far these continued, we 

 had no means of ascertaining. 



The clearness of the day enabled us to define 

 the outline of the coast very satisfactorily. We 

 had evidently been set a little into a bay, though 

 the nearest land which seemed rather low and 

 shelving, was at least twelve or fifteen miles away. 

 From the deck, it seemed to trend southerly, until 

 quite lost in the horizon ; but with the assistance 

 of a glass, as viewed from the crowVnest, it 

 formed a very deep bay, and again vanished 

 behind a line of high blue land, clearly visible 

 two points on the starboard bow. Beyond the 

 latter, and stretching something more to the 

 east, was the last point in sight, and which it was 

 considered must be the western side of Seahorse 

 Point, or at least very close to it. The ship's 

 head (which it will be remembered was turned 

 round by a commotion of the ice when not far 



14 



