150 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. AUGUST 



On our nearing Cape M' Clint ock the ice closed in 

 with the north-going tide ; and as the wind was blow- 

 ing strong, with very thick weather, I ran for shelter 

 behind some stranded icebergs about one mile north of 

 the cape. 



With the flood-tide the ice again moved from the 

 shore, but the thick weather prevented our ascertaining 

 whether or no it drifted to the south against the strong 

 wind. 



Passing Scoresby Bay, which was observed to be 

 about twenty miles deep and perfectly clear of ice, 

 the wind shifted, blowing down the bay, and enabled 

 us to use the fore and aft sails for the first time since 

 the 1st September the previous year. Owing to the 

 large size of the bay a considerable sea had risen, 

 causing motion in the ships. 



On nearing Cape Norton Shaw the wind again 

 came from the south-west and blew with such force 

 that occasionally, with the fires of both boilers alight, 

 we could scarcely make head-way ; however, I pushed 

 on, knowing that with such a wind we should meet 

 with no ice until arriving off Cape Frazer, the turning 

 point of the coast. 



While passing Cape John Barrow the squalls off 

 the land were so severe that a large book of drawings 

 belonging to one of the officers of the ' Discovery/ 

 and containing a collection of sketches made during 

 the voyage, which had been inadvertently left on deck, 

 was carried overboard by the wind. 



At 3 A.M. of the 23rd the storm had increased so 

 much that the ' Alert ' had scarcely steerage way ; I 

 accordingly anchored in Maury Bay to wait for the 



