376 MOTION OF ICE. [CHAP.VI. 



were promptly rescued by launching the clingy 

 to their assistance, though not soon enough to 

 save all the pickaxes, shovels, handspikes, &c, 

 some of which were lost. This circumstance 

 made a great difference both in the magnitude and 

 compactness of our island floe, and encouraged 

 a hope of getting the ship afloat earlier than had 

 been expected ; still this was a consummation 

 which at the present juncture was hardly to be 

 wished, as it would have been impossible to pre- 

 vent the running ice from striking, or the heavier 

 bodies from nipping her ; either of which, strained 

 and shaken as she was, it was obviously desirable to 

 avoid. The motion of the ice on this occasion was 

 singular, being rotatory, as if influenced by an 

 eddy, as indeed was not unlikely to be the case 

 about the eastern end of an island, having only a 

 narrow passage between it and the main, so far as 

 could be distinguished from the deck. The tempe- 

 rature varied from 30° to 47° + , and in the sun was 

 73° + . The ice moved backwards and forwards as 

 usual, but towards the close of the day was more 

 wedged than customarily. However, at 4 h a. m., 

 24th June, there were many lanes of water to 

 the eastward, without a single one in the oppo- 

 site quarter. Fresh /water ran off our floe in 

 streams during the warmth of the day ; and, 

 what with those and cutting away more ice on 

 the starboard quarter, it was found by the 



