328 OUT OF WINTER QUARTERS. Chap. XVII. 



as to sTioot a snowy owl, tlie flesli of which 

 was white and tender, but, to my palate, taste- 

 less, although Petersen considers that " owl is 

 the best beef in the country." 



On Thursday night we found the harbour-ice 

 to be quietly drifting out, of course taking us 

 with it. The night was calm, the current in 

 Bellot Strait very strong ; we were almost help- 

 less under the circumstances, and therefore felt 

 the danger of our position. To warp the ship 

 along the ice-edge, out of the way of the shore 

 and rocks as it turned round and drifted along 

 the cliffs to the westward, gavje us some hours' 

 occupation. At length it stuck fast between 

 Fox Island and the main. 



At turn of tide on Friday morning it began 

 to drift eastward, and by this time being much 

 broken up, and a breeze coming to our aid, we 

 managed to extricate ourselves and reach a 

 secure anchorage in Port Kenedy. 



On Saturday night some ice that was left came 

 drifting out of the inner harbour, and obliged 

 us to slip our cable ; but after a few hours we 

 regained our berth in safety, and have since 

 been undisturbed. There is no immediate 

 prospect of escape, but we expect a prodigious 

 smashing up of the ice whenever a strong wind 

 springs up to set it in motion. To-day the 



