422 POSITION AS BEFORE. [CHAP.VI. 



the south-east, in a sort of neutral territory between 

 the confines of the polar and temperate regions. 



July 29th. It was in vain that topmast and 

 top-gallant studding sails were set, for though 

 they seemed to hug the gentle air aloft, we re- 

 mained immovable. Daylight however proved, 

 by the altered appearance of Long Island, that 

 our drift had been southerly, and this was farther 

 verified by the appearance of some flocks of ducks 

 flying from the land towards the north. At noon 

 our position was much the same, only that land, 

 supposed to be Green Island, was observed to 

 bear south-east. The temperature was 54°, hav- 

 ing risen from 33°+. We were still completely 

 beset, and as the day declined, the wind, gra- 

 dually veering to the eastward, so interlocked 

 the points of ice as to give the appearance of one 

 vast floe. In the twenty-four hours, according 

 to the noon observation of July 30th, our drift 

 had been a little westerly, and full fifteen miles 

 due south, which brought us still nearer to some 

 low islands lying off Long Island, With every 

 available sail set, the ship had forged ahead 

 about twice her own length in four hours \ and 

 though more or less sail was carried, according 

 to the strength of the breeze, at midnight only 

 a few hundred paces of distance had been 



gained. 



On July 31st, so close was the ice, that there 



