MISCELLANEOUS. 85 
freshened from the S.S. W. As the weather was threatening, Captain Young 
was compelled to stand off the land to the south-eastward for the night. On the 
14th the Fox was about 60 miles east of Prince Christian Sound, having been led 
off the land with the ice, which appeared to have accumulated in most unusual 
quantity round Cape Farewell. Soundings were obtained in 1,120 fathoms gravel 
and sand, and again on the following day, 75 miles north-west of Cape Farewell, 
in 1,280 fathoms. 
On the following day, September 15th, a violent gale sprung up from the north 
and north-west, which blew almost without intermission to the 20th, during 
which, on several occasions, Captain Young had penetrated into the ice in order 
to ascertain if the coast was sufficiently clear to admit of surveying operations 
in the southern fiords being carried on. On the 20th the high land about Cape 
Farewell was made at daylight, about 40 miles distant, the late gales having 
blown the ice into a compact part filling up the intervening space. As the sun 
rose the tops of the lofty mountains could be plainly discerned to be surrounded 
by a dense vapour, which looked like the smoke of a voleano, but which subse- 
quently proved to be the effects of a violent hurricane whirling the snowdrift 
from the lofty summits of the mountains. The wind at the time was blowing 
stiffly from the northward so the Fox was hove to till the afternoon, under the lee 
of the ice. On the morning of the 21st the ice was found to be considerably 
loosened by the gale, leaving open lanes of water between streams of ice. 
Through one of these openings the Moz beat against a strong northerly wind till 
the afternoon, when, the weather moderating and the main body of the ice being 
sufficiently open to sail through, the Fuz’s course was shaped direct for the 
Channel, leading between the islands to Julianshaab. Night, however, coming 
on, Captain Young made the ship fast to an iceberg. The night was beautifully 
calm and the sea as smooth as glass; there was no moon, but the few black clouds 
which occasionally flitted across the sky served by contrast, to render the light of 
the aurora doubly brilliant. For the first portion of the night the ship lay as 
quiet as if in a dock,—a most inexpressible relief to those on board, who for the 
previous three weeks had been buffeted about amid an almost continuous succes- 
sion of gales. A sounding was taken, and, though not more than 36 miles from 
land, a depth of 1,550 fathoms was found. As the night wore on the quiet which 
all enjoyed was disturbed by a slight swell, which caused the floe pieces to grind 
together with an ominous noise. After midnight the sky became overcast, the 
ship was uneasy, and the watches were almost constantly employed in resetting 
the ice-anchors. The barometer, which had stood very high, began to fall rapidly ; 
at 8 o’clock a.m. a sudden gust of wind tore away all the ice-anchors while some 
of the hands were employed in resetting them, and the ship rapidly drove away 
from the berg, leaving the men behind. The steam was immediately got up, and 
by its aid, and that of the fore and aft sails, the men were recovered from the 
ice; but by the time this was accomplished the full force of asouth-east hur- 
ricane had burst upon the ship. The sky was covered with a uniform dark mass 
of seud, from which the rain drove in torrents, freezing as it fell upon the rigging 
and upon the deck until everything was crusted with ice, The staysail was set,, 
