CHAP. V.] REFITTING. 333 



and hampering their vessels so as to create 

 alarm for their safety. Sir Edward Parry men- 

 tions the bufferings his ship received from the 

 eccentric motion of masses of ice, which, under 

 the influence of a fresh working breeze, he was 

 unable to avoid ; and on several occasions Captain 

 Lyon was so startled at the sudden tumult of 

 waters around the Griper, that he was under 

 great anxiety to know where the " wild eddy" 

 would carry her ; once, indeed, he says, " a 

 noise as of a beach surf was heard, and the 

 fog being very heavy, the boats were lowered 

 to tow our head off the supposed shore, but 

 the sky was suddenly cleared by the breeze, 

 and no land was seen in any direction." 



The crew were kept employed in refitting, 

 &c, and in the evening the top gallant masts 

 were swayed aloft and pointed. The next day, 

 May 6th, brought a rather fresh breeze from the 

 westward, and, at noon, the south-west point of 

 Nottingham Island in sight, bore S. E. by S. J S. 

 But one lane of water was seen, and that was to 

 the south ; beyond it, however, there appeared 

 to be a water sky. 



On May 7th the ice was perfectly close, and 

 at noon we had been set nine miles to the south, 

 and five to the west ; the extremes of land at 

 8 h a. m. having been from N. 84° E. to S. 60° E. 

 For the whole of the day the ice carried us to the 



