242 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



1822. Fury's nuklor and to haul it up on the ice, as well lor the purpose of a 

 v^-v-v^ general examination, as to put on an iron plate where the frost had cracked 

 it since the removal of the snow. We found it quite sound and serviceable 

 in every other part, and it was therefore shipped au^^ain in a couple of hours. 

 Tues. 18. On the 18th, the wind gcttins^ round to the south-east an<l east, a thick 

 fog, being the first very decided one this season, prevailed during great 

 part of the day, and froze hard on the rigging after sunset, the thermometer 

 Wed. 19. getting down to 31°. At the conclusion of the day's labour on the 19th 

 we had every prospect of getting to sea in forty-eight hours more ; but early 

 Tluu. 20. on the following morning, when the ebb or north-easterly tide had made, 

 and was assisted by a breeze from the southward, the whole body of sea- 

 ice came forcibly in contact with the bay-floe; which was now so weakened 

 by our cutting, as to split the whole way from the edge up to the Ilecla's 

 stern, a little to the westward of the canal, the latter being almost imme- 

 diately closed with a considerable crush, but without affecting the ships 

 which lay beyond it. The closing of our artificial canal had the effect of 

 partially opening a natural one at the place where the ice had just been 

 detached ; but, as this was incomplete, coming gradually up to a point 

 astern of the Hecla, we were at a loss to know on which of the two our 

 labour would best be employed. An attempt was first made by four strong 

 purchases, stretched from side to side across the new crack, to pull the 

 parts together again, and thus to leave our original canal in statu quo. All 

 our power however being insufficient to accomplish this, we commenced 

 with the saws upon the upper part of the crack, with the intention of widen- 

 ing it sufficiently for the passage of the ships. In this work we had made 

 considerable progress when, towards evening, it was perceived that this was 

 now closing and our former canal re-opening by the action of the wind and 

 tide. Relinquishing our last attempt therefore, we lost no time in floating 

 some heavy pieces of ice into the canal, to serve as wedges for keeping the 

 sides apart, in case of any fresh pressure from without again disposing them 

 to close. 



The fog still continued and some heavy rain fell at night, both of which 

 made a striking alteration in the appearance of the land and ice. The snow 

 Avhich was before hard enough to bear a man in walking, now allowed him 

 to sink almost to the middle ; and after this time the water was very abundant 

 on shore, occurring in numerous small streams and ponds in almost every part. 

 Frid.21. At two A.M. on the 21st, the piece of the floe which formed the separa- 



