1876 JOURNEY ACROSS HALL'S BASIN. 187 



at 2.20 r.M. we had been sixteen . hours at work and 

 had done ten miles. The convalescents are standing 

 the work well. 



' I am sorry to find that the ice we are on is in 

 motion, drifting south. 



' 9 th and 10 th. — I have been up several times 

 watching the ice, and now that a little breeze has 

 sprung up we are drifting faster ; so I called the men, 

 and we prepared for a start. 



' Started at 9.50 p.m. We must have been swept 

 back a long way during our halt to the south and east. 

 Worked hard until lunch to make it up, amongst high 

 but small floes, surrounded by rubble. It would take 

 much too long, and would be difficult to describe the 

 variety of obstacles and delays which we met with, 

 and we have made so little way, that I don't think we 

 have even kept our ground against the southerly drift. 

 Now the ice appears to be stationary, and we are 

 stopped for lunch. 



' Started again in an hour and struck straight in 

 towards Bellot Island, to get out of the influence of 

 the drift, 



' Camped at 11.30 a.m., having been fourteen hours 

 at work ; Dr. Coppinger is watching the convalescents, 

 as it won't do to overwork them. 



' We are much farther south than we were yester- 

 day, and not so far across. 



' 10th, 11th, and 12th. — We have been drifted 

 south several miles during the halt, and matters are 

 looking serious. We are now abreast of Cape Lieber, 

 and if this goes on we shall be swept into Kennedy 

 Channel, and unable to regain the ship. 



' Coppinger and myself are quite of opinion that an 



