42G HEAVY MISTS. [CHAP.VI. 



was not repeated ; and, after a lapse of two 

 hours, it floated away to the leeward, whither, 

 indeed, all the lighter ice seemed to be drifting, 

 in the direction of south-east. The same dark 

 thick weather, with incessant rain, prevailed 

 throughout the night, the ice being often very 

 slack, and then closing again with some degree 

 of violence. 



August 3d. Finding that the stern was more 

 exposed than the bow, which had the shelter of 

 a projecting point of our holding piece, the ship 

 was turned round end for end, and secured ; 

 though, such was the uncertain action of the 

 drift ice, that it was little better than chance 

 which was the better direction. At noon we 

 were still in the dark as to our position ; but, 

 judging from the numerous flocks of loons flying 

 backwards and forwards morning and evening, 

 it was conjectured that the land could not be 

 very remote. Meanwhile, the easterly wind and 

 mist continued, the temperature varying from 

 32° to 3 r /° + . About 2 h p.m. the ice closed 

 rapidly around us ; and a heavy floe which had 

 been at rest for some hours, acquiring instant 

 speed, struck our holding piece so forcibly as to 

 split it, leaving, however, a remnant sufficient 

 for our purpose, when some necessary alterations 

 had been made with the warp. At 4 h there 

 was a partial clearing above, and some low land 



