272 DIVINE SERVICE. [ciIAP.V. 



been seriously strained ; and as it would be 

 necessary for the future to inspect narrowly the 

 complaining parts, I caused the bread, which 

 had hitherto been stowed there, to be taken up, 

 and placed, carefully covered over, on deck. 



March 12th. The ice began to set to the 

 eastward, and at the dawn of day a narrow lane 

 of water was descried ahead, extending north 

 and south. On going outside, the ship was seen 

 fairly lifted on the ice forward, and fearfully 

 wedged up abaft. She was in fact four feet 

 eight inches above her usual line of flotation. 

 The ice was much pressed up at certain points, 

 and closely jammed in all ; a circumstance easily 

 accounted for by the fact, that as we were nearer 

 the mural ridge, this also had undergone a 

 change in its outline : for though still, at unequal 

 distances, thrown up in smooth and perpendicu- 

 lar cliffs, terminated by peaked or jagged tops, 

 there were spaces between these corresponding 

 with the rest of the crushed masses around. 

 We fancied, moreover, that farther inshore 

 there was another similar ridge. 



We assembled at Divine Service as usual on 

 Sunday, and returned thanks for the protection 

 which had been so signally and mercifully 

 afforded us ; and in this, if I might judge from 

 the earnest and devotional tone of the responses, 

 there was no want of sinceritv. Noon came 

 peacefully. We had undoubtedly advanced along 



