Aua. 1858. STILL WELL BAY. 189 



About dusk (nine o'clock) mucTi loose ice to 

 the southward prevented our making any at- 

 tempt at further progress ; we therefore anchored 

 oif the coast — in Stillwell Bay, I think — about 

 45 miles from Depot Bay. Here the depot, con- 

 sisting of 120 rations, was landed. I observe that 

 it has only been on penetrating into Brent- 

 ford Bay that we have found the primary rocks 

 washed by the sea ; the coast-line both north 

 and south, as far as, and beyond our present 

 position, is a low shore of pale limestone, desti- 

 tute of fossils ; we can however see granitic 

 hill-ranges far in the interior. 



On the 27th we commenced beating back to 

 the northward, tacking between the land and 

 the ice which lay about 15 miles off shore. 

 Towards night the wind greatly increased, 

 and the ship, under reefed sails, plunged vio- 

 lently into the short, swift, high seas ; we also 

 felt quite as uneasy and restless as the ship, in 

 our great anxiety to get back and ascertain 

 what changes were likely to be effected by the 

 gale. 



I^th. — To-night the weather is more pleasant ; 

 the keen and contrary wind has given place to 

 a gentle fair breeze, the swell has almost sub- 

 sided, no ice has been seen to-day, and tJie 



