CATTAIN M'CLUi:i:'s DESPATCHES. 33 



again secured to a large grounded floe, 70 yards from it, in 10 fathoms. 

 At 10 p.m. our position was hazarded by a portion of the main pack, 

 which had extended itself over the open water, coming in violent colli- 

 sion with the corner of our floe, turning it partially round, while the 

 smaller ice pressed with so much strain upon the ship that the anchors 

 besan to draw and hawsers carry away ; the stream chain luckily held 

 until the pressure ceased by the pack giving way, and our being pushed 

 a few fathoms nearer the shore. At 2*50 a.m. of the 1 3th a lane of 

 water opened about 60 yards from the vessel, and towards noon a rise 

 in the temperature to 43 degrees, with heavy rain, created hopes of 

 liberation, an object of the utmost importance, not only with respect to 

 the views with which the expedition was fitted out, but for the safety 

 of the ship, at present in a most exposed position, being upon the 

 eastern side of a large bay, open to the whole pressure of the Polar 

 pack, and surrounded with masses of ice 16 and 18 feet tliick, while 

 the grounded floes were from 40 to 67 feet in depth. To remove these 

 impediments, or, at all events, endeavour the formation of a dock, 

 blasting was had recourse to, with charges of from IGlbs. to 65 lbs. 

 These made little impression, except near the explosion ; therefore a 

 26-gallon rum cask, containing 255 lbs., was now sunk five fathoms, 

 among these large masses, at 30 yards from the vessel ; its effect was 

 most conclusive, shivering them to atoms, rending that to which we 

 were attached, and which was 67 feet thick on the outer and 35 feet on 

 its inshore edge, asunder, without the concussion being very much felt 

 on board. All hands were employed in floating the loose ice into the 

 water, having vainly attempted to force the ship through, aided by a 

 strong wind, and a nine-inch hawser brought to that patent capstan 

 (such resistance from merely this sludge is incredible), which work was 

 continued until the afternoon of the 14th, when all was drifted away, 

 leaving a snug harbour 40 yards in width, flanked by heavy grounded 

 floes, forming an excellent protection. The rudder was now hung, in 

 anticipation of a start on the following morning ; but at 11 p.m. the 

 wind freshened from the W.N.VV., bringing the whole pack down 

 upon this coast, filling our little harbour with loose and small ice 

 its entrance being too narrow to admit the large pieces ; an enormous 

 floe, however, carried away one of our flanks, but without disturbing 

 the vessel in the slightest. At daylight on the morning of the 15th, 

 these expectations were sadly blighted, it blowing hard from W.N.W., 

 with sleet and snow ; nor was a drop of water to be observed in any 

 direction, and the ice apparently as firmly fixed as in the depth of 

 winter. The rudder was again unhung, which, with the thermometer 

 at 14 degrees, scarcely afforded any probability of its being reshipped 

 this season. In the course of the forenoon Messrs. Court (second 

 mate) and Newton (ice-mate) were sent to examine the coast and the 

 state of the ice to the eastward of Point Colquhoun, distant about 

 four miles. Their report was such as to confirm the opinion previously 

 entertained, with this consolation, that the position we which occupied was 

 better than any they had seen, as the ice to the eastward was much 

 larger and more massive than that we were encompassed by. The soil 

 on this coast is composed of gravel and limestone, and in the valleys 

 near the beach the quantity and richness of the moss is quite sur- 

 prising ; but, on reaching the first range of hills, about a mile distant, 

 a more sterile landscape never met the eye. The whole country appears 



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