104 PUT TO SEA, 



CHAPTER III. 



Put to sea from Fair Haven. — Renew the attempt to get to 

 the northward. — Difficulty of proceeding. — Beset in the 

 ice. — Regain the open sea, after having been three weeks 

 beset. — A storm compels the expedition to take refuge in 

 the ice. — Perilous situation of the vessels. — Their fortunate 

 deliverance. — The shattered condition of the ships obliges 

 them to go into port. 



During the time the expedition continued 

 at Fair Haven, the hills were ascended almost 

 daily for the purpose of surveying the state 

 of the ice in the offing : and, on the 6th July, 

 finding it had been driven to the northward, 

 the ships put to sea, and sailed as far as 80° 

 15' N. Here the same impenetrable barrier 

 that had before impeded their advance was 

 encountered, with as little success as before ; 

 and the ships, in their endeavour to extricate 

 themselves from the loose ice that skirted the 

 edge of the main body, received heavier concus- 

 sions than they had hitherto sustained. 



Thus, in every attempt to reach a high 



