FAST IN THE ICE. 181 



one time against one floe, and at other times against 

 another. 



The S. W. wind blew with a velocity between twenty 

 and twenty-six miles an hour, changing occasionally to 

 W. S. W. ; towards midnight it moderated to fifteen miles 

 an hour. The barometer steadily rose from 28.95 to 

 29.63. The highest temperature was plus 2.5°; the 

 lowest minus 5°. The air was filled with falling and 

 drifting snow all day. Sounded at noon in twenty- two 

 fathoms, and observed our drift to be to the northward 

 and eastward. 



November 26th, Tuesday. — The S. W. wind piped 

 up again after midnight, and blew with a velocity va- 

 rying from twelve to twenty miles until eleven A. m., 

 when it went to west, remaining there until midnight, 

 blowing with a velocity varying between twelve, seven, 

 and three miles. The barometer rose rapidly from 29. 

 64 to 30.32, — so rapidly, in fact, that I am suspicious 

 of it, and inclined to look for some more bad weather. 

 Highest temperature minus 3.5° ; lowest minus 12°. 

 Brio:ht moonlio^ht and starlio-ht. Sounded at noon eio;h- 

 teen and one half fathoms. 



To-day has been one of the most anxious and excit- 

 ing days we have yet had. At 6.15 a slight pressure 

 on the port bow commenced hostilities. At 9.15 a very 

 heavy squeezing on port side started our bulwark plank- 

 ing, and pinching down under us heeled the ship 3° to 

 port. At ten a. m. the pressure ceased, and we were 

 left floating upright in a small lead of open water, and 

 adrift as far as any floe ice was concerned. For a time 

 I was undecided what to do. There was no floe near 

 us large enough to anchor to securely, and the chance 

 of another pressure coming while the ship was tied up 

 and unable to give to it was too unsatisfactory. If the 



