DISASTROUS SHIFT OF WIND. 261 



increase. To obtain a few bearings of Herschel 

 Island, and objects on the mainland, we ran under 

 the lee of the pack, which was very sohd, consisting 

 of floe-pieces, two or tliree square miles in area, and 

 ten or twelve feet thick. Two reefs were now taken 

 in the sails, a reduction the force of wind had 

 rendered necessary ; but the sea "followed" so fast, 

 that we ran some danger of swamping, and shortly 

 encamped for the night under the lee of a long spit, 

 which formed part of one of the small islands between 

 that of Herschel and the continent. The small tent 

 only was pitched for Mr. Pullen and myself, the sea- 

 men taking up their quarters in a deserted Esqui- 

 maux hut. The ice met with to-day was heavier 

 than any before encountered ; it lay close into and 

 upon the north-western shores of Herschel Island, 

 with large floes and loose masses driving rapidly to 

 the eastward. Early on the 22nd a new disaster 

 occurred : the wind shifted suddenly to the south- 

 west, to which quarter only our position was 

 exposed. The boats were driven broadside on to 

 the beach, and instantly filled. This misfortune did 

 more injury than any of the previous, as the instru- 

 ments, and our only luxuries, consisting of a few 

 small stores, were completely immersed, and became 

 considerably diminished ; salt, pepper, mustard, sago, 



