CHAP. VI.] NEW RENT DISCOVERED. 889 



which he was prevented by the fog from ascer- 

 taining. The crew assembled at the customary 

 hour, and renewed their labour cheerily, though 

 some were obliged to stand in the water 

 which covered that part of the ice, in order to 

 guide the saw. Fearing the consequences of 

 this unavoidable exposure, I took care that they 

 were often relieved, and an extra allowance of 

 oatmeal, with a small quantity of spirits, was 

 issued. Pieces of ice of various dimensions 

 were either disentangled, or started up of their 

 own accord, from between the broad crack athwart 

 the bow and on both sides of the ship ; and as 

 a further encouragement to us, we saw for the 

 first time an entirely new rent through a thick 

 part of the floe, which opened into the line of 

 work made with the saw. By noon another 

 space of twenty-five feet had been cut through, 

 although a depth of from twenty-four to thirty 

 feet of tough solid ice had to be penetrated at 

 every motion of the saw ; and on examining the 

 marks on the stern-post, it was seen that the 

 ship's draught was 8 feet 91 inches, and that she 

 had settled down 51 inches. The general body of 

 ice continued deplorably close, while the tempe- 

 rature ranged between 30° and 43°-f; the wind 

 at east, and the barometer 29*94. A single seal 

 was seen, the only one for many days. 



July 8th. It was found by the marks on the 

 stern-post, &c. that theshtphadsunk three quarters 



c c 3 



