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CHAPTER IV. 



Extent of damage ascertained. — Captain Buchan's determina- 

 nation thereupon. — Description of the anchorage, and of 

 the adjoining coast. — Geological feature. — Line of perpe- 

 tual snow. — Glaciers, their formation, &c. — Danger of ap- 

 proaching them. 



As soon as the Expedition was securely moored 

 at South Gat, an inspection of the hulls of both 

 vessels took place. The Trent was found to have 

 sustained less injury than the Dorothea, which had 

 the greater part of her timbers either broken or 

 shook, and several of her beams sprung. The 

 larboard side had been forced in so much, that 

 several spare oak planks, four and five inches 

 in thickness, which were stowed in the wing, 

 were found broken in various places. The spirit- 

 room, which was built in the centre of the ship, 

 was forced in; many casks of provision, stowed 

 in the body of the hold, were stove, and even 

 some that were bedded in coals in the ground 

 tier had their staves broken. It is hardly pos- 

 sible to imagine such extensive mischief occur- 



