THE JOURNAL OF JOHN BISCOE. 315 
sea when in or near the ice before, I am inclined to think there is not 
much to the S.E. Accordingly we stood to the southward, our latitude 
68° 01'8., longitude, 10° 7’ E.; temperature, air 31°, water 34°. Much 
snow the last two days. Saw some penguins seated on the icebergs, but 
very few birds, one nelly this morning. 
Jan. 28.—On the 28th, a.m., again made field-ice; much broken. 
Passed through a great quantity of loose ice, tacking every two or three 
hours, endeavouring to get to the southward. The wind continuing from 
E.S.E. to 8 E. with sudden squalls of snow and thick weather. The sea 
smoother than yesterday. At 6 p.m., while standing to the southward, 
we suddenly, on the weather clearing up, found ourselves completely 
beset with large pieces of drift-ice. The helm was immediately put 
down, and by the careful management of the sails we were enabled to 
pass through two large pieces of about the size of our hull, which showed 
themselves under the bows, just as the head-yards were hauled, the 
vacancy between just sufficient to admit the vessel through, the cutter 
being a short distance astern avoided the danger. The whole of this day 
and the 29th we have been employed working along these broken fields 
of ice, and consequently have made but little progress. Temperature, 
air, at noon, 30°, water 30°. Latitude by account from L.O. 69° 03’, 
longitude, L.O. 10° 43’ E. Many snow birds and brown eaglets in sight. 
The second mate saw an albatross yesterday. 
Jan. 30.—On the 30th the wind continued from the E.S.E., with 
little variation. Passed through a considerable quantity of broken ice, 
and both vessels took some on board for present use, and, contrary to my 
expectation, I found much of it salt. At midnight the weather became 
so thick that, although I could speak the cutter I could not see her, and 
as we were now completely surrounded by broken ice and obliged to use 
the sweeps, I made a line fast to her to prevent our separation, the 
weather quite calm and sea smovth. I observed the surface of the water 
in a freezing state, having a film over it connecting one piece of ice to 
another, but their motion seemed to prevent its getting into a firm state ; 
but I have no doubt, had it been the winter season, and the same length 
of calm, the sea would have been frozen. Iam almost of opinion the 
greater part of this ice is formed at sea, and that field-ice is no certain 
indication of the proximity of land. I found the temperature of the air 
26°, in the shade 273°, water 29°. I think ice formed in this way may 
be rendered fresh by the continual falls of snow, which may freeze as 
it falls and repel the influence of the salt water, except on its outer 
surfaces. 
Jan. 31.—Towards noon the weather, though still very hazy, became 
less foggy, and a light breeze sprung up from the eastward and con- 
tinued light from the E.S.E. 
Feb. 1.—a.m. Mr. Avery reported having seen a seal near the cutter, 
and as we had now many snow-birds about the vessels with brown 
