412 APPENDIX. 



ward and eastward, and when in doubt, hove-to, to windward of an 

 island, and drifted down in its wake ; when finding a passage clear, 

 would again fall back on our own resources, flat sails and a pilot- 

 boat's bottom. 



The weather grew thicker and intensely cold, though the thermo- 

 meter did not fall below 30° ; I attributed these changes to the ice to 

 windward, and, believing we were getting into a clear sea, I stepped 

 below to stick my toes in the stove. I had not been below certainly 

 five minutes, when the look-out called to me that the fog had lifted, 

 and that we were surrounded. I jumped on deck, and such was too 

 truly the case : narrow fields of ice, with narrow passages of water 

 between, and extending longitudinally in a direction perpendicular to 

 the wind, formed a complete circle round us, stretching in all direc- 

 tions as far as the eye could reach, and beyond, icebergs, packed and 

 floating ice. I did not know at first how I should proceed ; but, after 

 a careful look round, I ran over to the weather shore of the pond, and 

 stood along it in search of a passage, that I could not find ; but, 

 observing at intervals " sutures" in the ice, where it did not appeal 

 firmly formed, I resolved to take advantage of this, and, if possible, 

 force a passage, feeling it necessary at all hazards, to extricate our- 

 selves as soon as possible. Having the wind free, I gave her the main- 

 sheet, and manned it well, and having got about six knots way on her, 

 kept close to the ice, and when at the proper distance, put the helm 

 down, hauled the main-sheet forcibly to windward, and let fly the 

 head-sheets ; this brought her round suddenly, before she had passed 

 through sufficient water to deaden her way ; the ice cracked, we 

 slipped over, or brushed through, and before eight o'clock I had got 

 into a tolerably clear sea. The weather again growing thick, the 

 wind freshening, and sea getting up, fatigued with labour and anxiety, 

 we hove-to, under the foresail with the bonnet off; and I believe all 

 must have returned thanks to Heaven for their deliverance. 



From eight to meridian, fresh gales and weather very thick, with 

 innumerable ice-islands, which we frequently passed at a dangerous 

 proximity, owing to their number, and our limited vision, — the sea 

 breaking on them with the roar of thunder, and to the height of eighty 

 to one hundred feet ; I do not believe a ship could have passed these 

 dangers ; frequently we felt cramped in stays or in waring. At ten, 

 the sea tolerably clear, again stood to the southward and westward. 

 At meridian, obliged to haul to the westward, many icebergs, and 

 floating ice in large masses around us. At 4 p. m., weather clearing a 

 little, discovered a field ahead ; wore to the southward and westward. 

 Until midnight, working to the northward and westward, many islands. 



