116 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. Aug is r 



air remained steadily below freezing point for the 

 winter, and the } T oung ice formed at mid-day earlier 

 than it does farther south. Notwithstanding this, 

 Arctic navigation is so greatly dependent on wind, that 

 there was still sufficient of the season left to give us 

 a reasonable certainty of reaching the northern land 

 which on the report of the Polaris Expedition had 

 been placed in latitude 84° N. 



On the morning of the 26th, having left my orders 

 with Captain Stephenson concerning our future move- ' 

 ments, the two ships forming the Expedition separated ; 

 those in the ' Alert,' if the published charts and state- 

 ments of our predecessors proved correct, having the 

 cheering feelings of, in all human probability, suc- 

 cessfully completing the chief duty assigned us ; those 

 on board the 'Discovery,' although rejoicing at the 

 prospects of their comrades, having also the depressing 

 sensation of being left behind to play what they could 

 not but consider at the time a secondary part in the 

 general programme. 



On arriving at the entrance of the harbour, the 

 main pack was found to be resting against the shore 

 and to have completely filled up Lady Franklin 

 Sound ; some small floes streaming rapidly into Dis- 

 covery Bay. In endeavouring to keep clear of these 

 the ship touched the ground and hung for a short 

 time ; fortunately, by lowering the boats and lightening 

 the ship a little, she floated again without damage. 



During the afternoon at low- water the pack, which, 

 apparently uninfluenced by wind, had been moving to 

 the southward the whole day, drifted slightly off the 

 land. 



