20 OFF THE ENTRANCE 



1824. arrived at heavier pieces, through whicli as 

 August, there was no way of avoiding them, owing to 

 the thickness of the weather, we also made 

 our way. In the evening we came to some large 

 flat ice, and as the weather Avas very thick, I 

 looked out most anxiously for a safe floe, by 

 which to hang the ships, but was unsuccessful. 

 I had experienced considerable anxiety in 

 consequence of the unavoidably dangerous 

 situation of the Snap throughout the day, but 

 having at length arrived in a '' hole of water,'' 

 we lay to, and I had the satisfaction of learn- 

 ing from Lieutenant Bullock, that she had re- 

 ceived no other injury than the loss of a little 

 copper from the bows. I now determined on 

 receiving our stores, and a spare bower anchor, 

 which we accomplished in a few hours ; but 

 to give some idea of the weather in which this 

 was performed, it will be sufficient to say, 

 that during the whole of the time we were at 

 work, the ships were so entirely hidden from 

 each other by a dense fog, that the boats were 

 directed backwards and forwards, amongst 

 loose ice, by the sound of bells, which we con- 

 tinued ringing. 



When our stores were all on board, we found 

 our narrow decks completely crowded by them. 

 The gangways, forecastle, and abaft the mizen- 



