422 DISMAL PROSPECT. 



our drooping spirits, and three or four anxious 

 hours were passed in anticipating the possibility 

 of yet floating freely on the western main. But 

 again the inconstancy of the breeze betrayed us, 

 and, as the rising tide moved the grounded masses 

 off the sands, a thick fog came on, which ob- 

 scured earth and sky ; and the wind shifted round 

 to N. W., which was dead on shore. The night 

 was cold, for the thermometer sunk below the 

 freezing point, and ice of half an inch thickness 

 was formed on the pools near the beach. 



A wet fog ushered in the morning of the 14th 

 August, and left every object dark and indefin- 

 able at eighty or ninety paces distant. The breeze 

 increased, and was fast packing the seaward 

 body of ice, which now came with considerable 

 velocity towards the shore, and threatened to 

 lengthen our tedious and most annoying deten- 

 tion. To avoid this, — as to remain where w r e 

 were could lead to no beneficial result, — I gave 

 orders for the boat to be taken quite light be- 

 tween the few open spots of water inshore, and 

 where impediments should occur to be lifted 

 over, so as to return to the island, where 

 she could be launched across, and so carried 

 into the free space to the eastward of Point 

 Ogle. This decisive step I was the more in- 

 duced to take trom having observed of late in- 

 creasing symptoms of uneasiness in my leading 



