Junk, 1858. NEARLY CAUGHT IN THE PACK. 133 



were very close up before he reached the ship. 

 Another bear was seen about the same time, but 

 none of them came within shot. Rotchies (or 

 little auks) are very abundant. Seals are oc- 

 casionally shot. I ate some boiled seal to-day, 

 and found it good : this is the first time I have 

 eaten positive blubber; all scruples respecting it 

 henceforth vanish. 



25#A. — The land-ice broke away inshore of 

 the ' Fox' on the 19th or 20th, and we found 

 ourselves drifting southward amongst extensive 

 fields of ice. Sad experience has already shown 

 us how absolutely powerless our small craft is 

 under such circumstances. But after many 

 attempts we regained the edge of the fast 

 ice this morning, and steamed merrily along 

 it towards Bushnan Island. When within a 

 few miles a nip brought us to a standstill : 

 here five or six icebergs lie encompassed by 

 land-ice, and apparently aground ; one of them 

 juts out and has caught the point of an im- 

 mense field of ice. There is some slight move- 

 ment in the latter, but not enough to let us 

 pass through. 



Twelve or eighteen miles to the south there 

 is a cluster of bergs, in all probability aground 

 upon our " 70 fathom bank " of last September. 

 The ice-field appears to rest against them, as 



