148 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



panied with considerable snow, in perfect squalls, blow- 

 ing like dust into every crevice and choking it up. 

 While out for exercise it was next to impossible to see 

 through the snow, and our tracks were filled as soon 

 as made. Everything was one blinding mass of snow- 

 dust. 



October 2d, Thin^sday. — Went out in the afternoon 

 to see the result of the gale. To the northward of us 

 there was quite a space of open water, extending about 

 three miles east and west and one half mile in width. 

 Across the opening, ice could be seen in pack, and the 

 floe, in which the ship was fast, seemed to be moving 

 past it to the S. E. To the southward and eastward of 

 us the same extent of open water was visible, and the 

 surface of our floe was soft and mushy, making us sink 

 frequently to the ankles. 



October ^d, Friday. — Soundings at noon in 24^ 

 fathoms blue mud and dark gravel. The dredge 

 brought up some delicate white coral. This is a very 

 interesting circumstance, for, unless this has been carried 

 here by the warm waters of the Kurosiwo current, its 

 presence can be accounted for only by natural growth, 

 and I have never heard of coral forming in such cold 

 waters as those we are now in. 



To our great surprise. Herald Island was in plain 

 sight this morning, bearing S. S. E. (true), and distant 

 probably thirty miles. We have drifted to the S. W. of 

 our last position, therefore, about thirty miles, or at the 

 rate of ten miles a day. My remark about our drift- 

 ing on the third side of the triangle is verified fully. 

 Whether there is heavy ice impinging on land to the 

 northward of us, which keeps our ice-field from advanc- 

 ing (in fact, caroms it back), or whether there is a 

 regular S. W. current, 1 cannot yet say ; but it looks 



