APPENDIX. 451 



The winds have their effect upon the loose drift-ice, or that which 

 is detached from the icy barrier. Owing to a change of wind from 

 southeast to north, with a fresh breeze, the Peacock became embayed, 

 and the ice forced in upon her, which brought about the accident. 

 The northerly winds are always accompanied with a heavy swell, 

 and her escape is attributable to a rare exercise of good seamanship 

 and perseverance. If Captain Hudson's ship had been as strong as 

 adamant itself, he is of opinion she would have been ground to atoms 

 by a longer exposure ; her stem was abraded to within an inch and a 

 half of the wood-ends. 



There are places in which the barrier is within the floe-ice several 

 miles. I enclose you the mean temperature during the summer 

 months. 



You will see there is but little chance of the ice melting or disap- 

 pearing, as from accounts frequently takes place in the Arctic Ocean. 

 Your time, being unlimited, will allow you to wait some days in a 

 situation to make experiments. 



I frequently found myself so closely beset that I thought it next to 

 impossible to escape, and if the wind had not been extremely con- 

 stant in its direction, I should have been shut up or much injured ; 

 as it was, I escaped with scarcely a scratch, although we took some 

 heavy thumps. 



The charts will show you the tracks and state of the ice. It was 

 constructed as I went on, and the ice-islands laid down by carefully- 

 kept diagrams by the officer of the deck during his watch. This I 

 found gave me more confidence in proceeding, and facilities in case of 

 having to return. 



Magnetic Pole. — I consider we have approached very near to the 

 pole. Our dip was 87° 30' S., and the compasses on the ice very 

 sluggish ; this was in longitude 147° 30' E., and latitude 67° 04' S. 

 Our variation, as accurately as it could be observed on the ice, we 

 made 12° 30' E. It was difficult to get a good observation, on 

 account of the sluggishness of our compasses. About one hundred 

 miles to the westward, we crossed the magnetic meridian. 



The pole, without giving you accurate deductions, I think my ob- 

 servations will place in about latitude 70° S., and longitude 140° E. 



On the meridian of 140° E., you will find a small bay, partly 

 formed by ice-islands and rocks, which I have named Piner's Bay, 

 and I think among the rocks you may find a snug little harbour. I 

 was driven out of the bay by a gale of wind; sounding about one and 



VOL. II. 121 



