MR. B. LEIGH SMITA’S ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 461 
come up to the floes so far south. They anchored near Egg Island at 4 a. m. in 
nine fathoms of water. That morning Mr. Grant and others went ashore with 
the intention of collecting specimens and obtaining photographs of the place, 
but by noon they saw the ice drifting down and surrounding the ship, and thought 
it prudent to return on board. The ice continuing to come into the bay, they 
steamed away to the north-east, but were confronted by the main pack, which 
caused them to alter the course to a south-easterly direction to avoid being beset 
by the ice. On the 2d and 3d of July they got among the bladder-nosed seals,. 
and shot over 300 of these animals. They followed the ridge of the main pack 
among loose ice until July 6th, when they made an attempt to reach the east 
coast of Greeland, near Cape Bismarck—the farthest point that the Germans 
reached. Land had been seen about too miles north of Cape Bismarck, and 
Mr. Leigh Smith’s intention was to explore northward toward the point marked 
on the chart. ‘They worked in toward the west until the gth in 75 40 latitude ; 
but the weather was foggy, and all the time the ice was getting closer and heavier, 
some of the floes met with being very large. On the 9th nothing could be seen 
from the crow’s nest but ice closely packed, and the idea of going further west 
had to be given up. It was very discouraging to have to work their way back 
again; but it had to be done. They reached the open sea again on the 11th. 
On the evening of that date they sighted two whalers—the Eclipse and the Hope, 
of Peterhead. The three ships remained in company until the 13th, on the morn- 
ing of which day the Eira was steered northward through loose ice. On the 16th 
they came upon block ice in 75 50 north latitude, and about 5 east longitude, and 
had to go eastward toward Cloven Point—a well-known landmark to the north- 
west of Spitzbergen. Passing that point they anchored to a floe of land ice off 
Welcome point on the 18th. The intention at this point was to steer north; but 
after more battling with the ice they had again to bout ship and make the best of 
their way to the open sea. It is mentioned as an unusual circumstance that 
the islands known as the Norways and Fair Haven were closed with ice. ‘They 
anchored at the head of Smeerenburg Bay and took in water on the 20th; and, 
having sailed at once, were taken in a strong gale and had to seek shelter in 
Magdalen Bay. ‘They lay there three days. ‘The gale over, they sailed south- 
ward, and cleared the South Cape of Spitzbergen at midnight on the 3oth of July, 
and next day came upon loose floating ice, which as they advanced, got much 
closer; and about 9 p. m., when within 24 miles of Hope Island, they had to take 
a southwesterly course to, get clear of the ice. They reached a point 76 latitude 
and 25 longitude, and wanted to work northward after rounding the ice toward 
Wiches or King Charles Land, but finding this impossible, they took a north- 
easterly course with the idea of getting to Franz Josef Land. ‘They reached the 
pack ice on the 6th of August in 77 14 latitude, and the course had again to be 
changed. Thence they continued in a northeasterly course, leaving the ice to 
the west, until the 8th, when they reached 79 4 latitude. and 45 38 east longitude, 
and met with ice again. From this point they took a northerly course, and 
