THE NARRATIVE OF CHARLES WILKES. 393 
that which accompanied the first gale. From the shortness of the sea I 
inferred that we had some current. This state of things continued for 
several hours, during which we every moment expected to reach the end 
of our channel. Since the last gale the whole crew, officers and men, 
had been put in watch and watch, ready for an instantaneous call, and 
prepared for rapid movements. The snow was of the same sleety or 
cutting character as that of the previous day, and seemed as if armed 
with sharp icicles or needles. 
The 31st brought no moderation of the weather. At 1a.m.a group 
of ice-islands was reported, and shortly afterwards field-ice close under 
our lee. 
We wore ship instantly, and just avoided coming in contact with 
the latter; sail was immediately made on the ship, and the scene of 
the former gale again gone through (which it is needless here to repeat), 
with this exception, that we were now passing to and fro among ice- 
bergs immediately to windward of the barrier, and each tack brought 
us nearer to it. Between 4 and 5 a.m. our space was becoming confined, 
and there was no abatement of the gale; I therefore, as it had cleared 
sufficiently to enable us to see a quarter of a mile, determined to bear 
up and run off north-north-west for a clear sea. In doing this we passed 
icebergs of all dimensions and heavy floe-ice. By 8.30 we had run 
thirty miles, when, finding a more open sea, I judged we had partially 
cleared the ice. At noon the gale still continued. The lowest reading 
of the barometer during this gale was 28°59 in. 
After lasting thirty hours the gale, at 6 p.m., began to moderate a 
little, when we again made sail to the southward. I now felt inclined 
to seek Piner’s Bay again, in order to effect a landing. This would 
have been a great personal gratification ; but the bay was sixty miles 
distant, so that to revisit it would occupy time that was now precious; 
and feeling satisfied that a great extent of land wholly unknown lay 
to the westward, 1 deemed it my duty to proceed to its discovery, not 
doubting that if my opinions of its existence were correct, a place 
equally feasible for landing would be found. Another subject also pre- 
sented itself, which, for a time, caused me some anxiety, and which I 
confess was not only unexpected by me, but directly at variance with 
my own observations on the condition of my crew. As I feel compelled 
to give a complete detail of our proceedings, I must now revert to this 
subject. 
The following report of the medical officers of the ship was made 
to me on the day of its date. 
“US. Ship Vincennes, 
At Sea, January 31st, 1840. 
“ Sir,—It becomes our duty, as medical officers of this ship, to report 
to you in writing the condition of the crew at the present time. 
“The number upon the list this morning 1s fifteen; most of these 
