460 Thirty Years 



the ice, in its fickle movements, should open for a 

 short time. Notwithstanding the closeness of the ice, 

 -we perceived a regular rise and fall of the water, 

 though it amounted only to seven inches, except on 

 the night of the 24th, when the rise was two feet ; 

 but the direction of the flood was not yet ascertained. 

 We found a greater proportion of birch-wood, mixed 

 with the drift timber to the westward of the Babbage, 

 than we had done before ; between the Mackenzie and 

 that river it had been so scarce, that we had to draw 

 upon our store of bark to light the fires. Some lunar 

 observations were obtained in the afternoon of the 25th. 

 and their results assured us that the chronometers 

 were going steadily. At midnight we were visited by 

 a strong S.W. breeze, accompanied by rain, thunder, 

 and lightning. This weather was succeeded by calm, 

 and a fog that continued throughout the next day, 

 and confined our view to a few yards. Temperature 

 from 41° to 43°. On the atmosphere becoming clear 

 Wednesday about nine in the evening of the 2Gth, we 

 discovered a lane of water, and immediately embarking, 

 we pulled, for an hour, without experiencing much in- 

 terruption from the ice. A fresh breeze then sprung 

 up from the N.W., which brought with it a very dense 

 fo"\ and likewise caused the ice to close so fast upon 

 as, that we were compelled to hasten to the shore. 

 We had just lauded, when the channel was complete- 



