26 



For over a month the extreme southerly drift of ice had necessitated 

 the presence of the patrol in the south and had precluded the proper 

 searching of the eastern edge of the Banks for new bergs. The few- 

 reporting vessels that had crossed the area between the Canadian 

 tracks and the B tracks were much hampered by fog. The location 

 and number of bergs now south of the forty-eighth parallel and between 

 the fiftieth and the forty-seventh meridians was much in doubt. It 

 was believed likely that many more than the eight reported and 

 sighted since May 25 existed in this area. 



On the 1st of June the patrol vessel was still south of the edge of 

 the fog area, but the berg could not be seen. Sights taken during the 

 morning showed the phenomenal drift of 63 miles in 19 hours. The 

 set was now 20° true. As soon as the heat of the sun burned off the 

 fog over the cold water a bit a search was carried on to the westward. 

 Numerous growlers were found in the vicinity of 42° 02' N., 46° 22' W. 

 These were thought to be the remnants of the berg of the 17th. 



Search to the west and southwest for larger parts of the berg proved 

 futile on account of the fog. The ice seen was in 60° water and 

 would hardly last over night. Around 5 p. m. the growlers were 

 returned to. They were much smaller already. A course of 225° 

 true was run for 5 miles. Then the main berg from which the smaller 

 pieces had been blown to leeward was found in the fog. It was low 

 and very much cut into by the warm water, but it still possessed 

 much mass. No resemblance to the berg being followed could be 

 found, but it must have been that one on account of its location. 



On the morning of June 2 north winds were blowing and the clear 

 weather following a shallow "low" was enjoyed. A 20-mile run 

 towards the west sufficed to reach the berg again. It was drifted by 

 all day. Once around 1 p. m. the berg suddenly listed 90° when a 

 large piece of ice broke off. In the afternoon water temperatures 

 were taken all around the berg, some of them close to it from a boat. 

 Sixty-degree water was found at all times. Several persons went in 

 swimming among the growlers surrounding the berg from one of the 

 ship's boats. 



By dark the berg had become reduced to small proportions. Its 

 highest pinnacle was about 40 feet above the water and it was about 

 90 feet long by 80 feet wide. Its position at 8 p. m. in 43° 00' N., 46° 

 17' W. showed that it had recurved and was now drifting away from 

 the steamer lanes. It would certainly melt enough to cease to be a 

 serious menace to navigation within 36 hours. Accordingly it was 

 left. A course was run during the night to the northwest so as to 

 arrive at a position in the cold current off the eastern edge of the 

 Banks early on the morning of June 3. 



The berg left had been trailed with great difficulty through fogs 

 and mists for 16 days along a curving track more than 480 sea miles 



