118 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. AUGUST 



within two miles of Cape Union, but there we were 

 again stopped at 5 A.M. 



Fortunately, about fifty yards of the ice-wall had 

 been removed by a summer torrent, which had melted 

 a passage for itself through the icy barrier, leaving just 

 sufficient space in which to secure the ship, with her 

 side resting against the steep beach, and water on her 

 off side too shallow for any deep floating ice to harm 

 us much. 



The wind was blowing in squalls from the south- 

 ward, and, in consequence, the ice continued to drift 

 towards the north with the flood-tide when it should 

 have been moving the other way. 



About nine o'clock a momentary opening occurred 

 at the time of high-water, and I was induced to push 

 off; but within an hour we were obliged to return, 

 and I considered myself exceedingly fortunate when 

 we succeeded in regaining our small haven the only 

 indentation in the ice- wall for a distance of two miles 

 either way -just as the water- space was closed and 

 we could not have moved a ship's length in any direc- 

 tion. Eaising the screw and rudder, and removing the 

 boats from the off-shore side, where they would be 

 endangered by the ice should it close in, we were as 

 fully prepared for a nip as we could be. 



The following passage is from my journal : 



' The ice between us and the " crossing floe " is of a 

 decidedly lighter character than we have lately been 

 accustomed to ; but floating in shallower water it is 

 really more dangerous to us at present than the 

 heaviest Polar ice would be. 



' It is astonishing with what coolness we have each 



