DRIFTING IN ICE OFF HERALD ISLAND. 137 



besetment we had a positive drift to the northward, and 

 then an equally positive drift to the eastward (making 

 two sides of the triangle), and now we seem to begin 

 the third side leading back to the beginning. Either 

 we are in a kind of dead-water back of a current, or 

 the floe in which we are caught is loose among a lot of 

 surrounding fields of ice, and we carom from one to the 

 other. On our clearest days we can see no land, else I 

 might hope that we had drifted into a pocket between 

 two islands or two continents, and might probably re- 

 main thereabouts until spring. 



The meteorological observations have shown several 

 times of late that the water at the bottom has been 

 from one and one half to two degrees colder than at 

 fifteen fathoms, and the water less dense. Mr. Collins 

 argues from this the existence of a warm current at 

 fifteen fathoms, but until the change in temperatures 

 is more decided I shall withhold my acquiescence in 

 that opinion. 



In order to have an exact estimate of the amount of 

 food consumed by the crew and officers, and to place it 

 upon record in case of any inquiry hereafter, I have 

 caused an exact account to be kept of the meals for the 

 past week, and will enter it here. The food here men- 

 tioned has been served out regularly since leaving San 

 Francisco (with the exception, of course, of bear meat, 

 and in its absence some preserved meat has been sup- 

 plied), and the bill of fare for one week will serve as an 

 index to the whole. We have still a large quantity of 

 fresh potatoes, and a small quantity of fresh carrots and 

 onions, so that for some time we shall not be down to 

 our strict ration table. When all our fresh vegetables 

 are gone, another week's meals will be entered as a 

 sample. We keep our vegetables from freezing by 

 stowing them in a coal bunker. 



