118 



' ENTEEPRISE,' 1851. 



During the 27th, the ice opened at times, permitting us to make 

 a little progress, nor could we perceive any current. 



Throughout the whole of the 28th, we remained immovable, 

 except for an hour about noon, when we managed to warp her 

 through one or two holes, the depth of water varied from 13 to 11 

 fathoms mud. On the ice which was much broken up were many 

 shells (Nympliacea), which at first were thought to have been 

 brought there by birds : but, eventually, we came alongside a floe, 

 on which were three large stones (greenstone, 30 to 50 lbs. weight) : 

 therefore the mass we were alongside of, and which was surrounded 

 by ice as far as the eye could reach from the crow's nest, had been 

 in contact with the shore this season : the nearest land was 10 miles 

 distant. The ship remained alongside the stones the whole of the 

 29th. In the afternoon the current, which for the last twenty-four 

 hours had been imperceptible, took a south-easterly trend. On the 



