CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



51 



Tbe temperature of the sea water at the surface at meridiau was 48°, and at the bottom 35°, 

 although tbe ice was in sigbt from tbe mast-bead. Tbe wind was very light from tbe southward. 

 A comparison of tbe ship's position by dead reckoning and observation at meridiau showed no 

 current up to that time, a circumstance probably accounted for by the fact of the ice resting on 

 tbe shore at ley Cape, which has the effect of stopping the current along the shore. No better 

 indication is needed of the condition of tbe ice to the northward than the strength of this eurreut. 

 When tbe ice reaches the shore tbe surface current is stopped entirely. It is possible that an 

 undercurrent continues to run, but as the depth of the ice is about one-half the depth of the water, it 

 is more probable that when the current at the surface is stopped, tbe bottom is nearly so. When 

 the ice leaves the shore as far north as Point Barrow, the current sets to the northward from 1 

 to 3 knots per hour. 



We sighted the ice several times during the day to tbe northward and once or twice thought 

 we saw the blink to the southward, but owing to the hazy state of the atmosphere we could not 

 be certain. At midnight we passed through a patch of ice, either a detached floe or a point ex- 

 tending out from the main pack. Hourly soundings in about 22 fathoms of water were made 

 during the night. The temperature at the surface was 45° aud at the bottom 40°. Notwith- 

 standing the high temperature of the sea water a comparison of the ship's position by dead reckon- 

 ing and by observation showed that no current had been encountered up to meridian, at which 

 time Herald Island bore by reckoning northwest by north, true, distant 38 miles. 



At 1.40 p. m. the lookout at tbe mast-head reported land ahead, aud soon after Herald Island 

 was in sight from the deck. The weather was fine, tbe wind light, southwest, and the sky almost 

 cloudless. Temperature of the air 67°, sea water at the surface 48° and at the bottom 43°. We 



FORM OF SEA ICE. 



HKRALD ISLAND, SOITHEAST SIDE. 



continued to stand directly for tbe island, with no ice in sight, or any indications of anice-blink 

 until 4 p. m., when we made tbe ice on the port beam, and soon after ahead, and on the starboard 

 beam. When first raised it loomed up and looked very heavy, but upon coming up to it, about 

 half past 5 p. m., it proved to be light, and at the edge well open. It bad a very dirty appear- 

 ance, as if off the shore. I sent an officer with a lead and Hue to take the drift of the ice, and 

 found it settling to the northward, about 1 kuot per hour. Herald Island appeared about 

 12 miles within the ice. At 5.45 p. m. we eutered the ice and made as direct a course for the 

 island as the state of tbe ice would permit. At 6.25 we sighted Wrangel Land bearing west. As 



