CEUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 65 



water to wait for a more favorable chance. The ice was so closely packed around the vessel that 

 the operation of turning around, assisted by steam and sail, poles and small spars to push against 

 the ice, and all means at our command, occupied just one hour. After several hours' more hard 

 work we reached the head of the lead. Although sadly disappointed at the failure of this third 

 attempt this season to reach the land, I felt relieved to be again in clear water, and did not 

 despair of ultimate success. 



"While in the ice a number of polar bears were seen near the vessel and one or two walrus. 

 They showed no signs of fear of us, but a good deal of curiosity. One of the bears was just making 

 a breakfast of seal, which he seemed to enjoy very much. It was evidently just killed, being still 

 bleeding, and the bear's head, neck, breast, and fore legs being covered with blood. He seemed 

 to be taking his breakfast very leisurely, and after eating awhile would go away a few feet and 

 roll and play like a kitten. Although we were quite near him he paid no attention, not even look- 

 ing at us. During the day we were fortunate enough to get good observations for latitude and 

 longitude, which, with the bearings already attained, gave us a very close approximation to the 

 position of the land. These were subsequently confirmed by bearings and observations taken near 

 the land off its east coast. They show the land on the Americau Hydrographic chart to be laid 

 down IS miles too far south, although the general trend of the coast is very nearly correct. After 

 reaching open water we followed the edge of the eastern ice, which gradually changed the direction 

 of its trend from southeast to east and northeast. The weather, which had been very clear in the 

 evening, had grown misty, so that the land became less distinct and seemed farther away duriug 

 the afternoon. The trend of the ice was observed to be more to the northward, and it was noticed 

 that as the mist cleared away a little from time to time the snow-banks on shore seemed nearer 

 than at any time before. Bearings of one of these snow-banks taken from different points showed 

 its distance to be only 13 miles. Soon after the edge of the pack fell back, so that we were enabled 

 to steer a course almost directly for the land. We had just taken in all sail and changed our 

 course, when the lookout reported ice on the starboard beam making off to the eastward as far as 

 he could see, showing that we had been running into a lead. This we continued to follow until 

 we came to its end, where we found the ice heavy and closely packed. We had 15 fathoms of water, 

 with sticky bottom, and judged ourselves to be about 8 miles from the land. I believed that no 

 great difficulty would be encountered in crossing on the ice to the laud. Lieutenant Reynolds, 

 Assistant Engineer Owens, Professor Muir, Mr. Nelson, and Coxswain Gessler, having volunteered, 

 were very anxious to make the attempt, but, owing to the mist and fog, which was rapidly shutting 

 out the land from our view, and the uncertainty of holding our position in the lead, I was com- 

 pelled to withhold my consent at that time, but determined to try to hold on in the lead until the 

 fog should clear away. We observed the set of the current to be northeast, about one knot per 

 hour. Running back to the eastward a short distance, to where the lead was about 3 miles in 

 width, we came to with the hedge, in 19 fathoms of water. 



The constant changes taking place in the position of the lead, owing to the set of the current, 

 necessitated changing our position several times during the night to avoid the ice. We got under 

 way at 4 a. m. (August 12). The mist began to clear away, giving us occasional glimpses of the 

 snow patches that lined the cliffs. We had made all necessary preparations for crossing on the 

 ice; the skiu boat had been placed on runners, and arms, ammunition, provisions, &c, served out. 

 At 4.30 we reached the end of the lead, which we judged to be 8 miles from the land, and which 

 we found by bearing of points on shore, that we could recognize as those we had observed the 

 night before to have changed their position to the northward 8 miles during the night. The ice 

 appearing to be much less closely packed than on the previous evening, I determined to shorten 

 up the journey over the ice by pushing in with the vessel as far as possible before embarking the 

 party. Accordingly we entered the ice at 5.30 and worked in the direction of a place where the 

 land appeared low, with high, dark-looking cliffs on each side. The ice, which was quite heavy, 

 contiuued to open as we advanced, until, at C.30, we could see the shore line distinctly, and, in the 

 direction in which we were steering, what appeared to be a small space of open water adjoining 

 the land. As the ice still remained sufficiently open to admit of forcing a way through it at the 

 expense of a good deal of hard bumping, squeezing, and pushing, hopes were entertained of reach- 

 ing the open space of water with the vessel. The last 2 or 3 miles were made with a good deal 

 S. Ex. 204 9 



