10G Varying Periods of Detention. 



expedition, in 1850, was forty-five days making the 

 passage, whilst, two years after, Captain Inglefield, 

 in the little " Isabel," went through without any 

 detention whatever. 1 Now, our whaling captains 

 consider themselves very unfortunate when they 

 are detained for a period of fifteen or eighteen 

 days. 



Saturday, June 7 th. — To-day fiuds us fairly 

 battling with the ice. We made excellent progress 

 during the night by keeping along the southern 

 edge of the land floe, taking advantage of the 

 different " leads " or lanes of water as they pre- 

 sented themselves, by which we were enabled to 

 advance some distance. The " Erik " was still in 

 company, each ship taking the lead, according to 

 her success in finding a passage or otherwise. At 

 7 a.m. we passed the little " Victor," the vessel we 

 had observed ahead the previous night, struggling 

 bravely on ; but, not being possessed of such power 

 as ourselves, she was soon left astern. 



The wind is blowing fresh from the southward ; 

 this is from the very worst direction that we can 

 have it for crossing the bay, as it packs the loose 

 ice tight up against the land floe. It is what the 



1 Since writing the above, I have learnt that the " Polaris," 

 commanded by the late Captain Hall, also passed through 

 Melville Bay without the slightest obstruction. In fact, no ice 

 of any consequence was met with until they had attained their 

 highest latitude, namely, 82° 16' N. 



