256 



SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



1822. the loose ice in the offing and beset. This escape we considered the more 

 cLv>J fortunate as the Hecla was soon after observed to be under sail, and rapidly 

 nearing us in a clear lane of water. The ice at this time appearing less 

 close than it had hitherto been, on the opposite side of the island, I left 

 the ship in a boat, to examine the state of it by rowing round the point, that 

 in the event of its proving favourable not a moment might be lost in pushing 

 on to the northward whenever the Hecla joined us. After rowing about 

 four miles to the N.N.E., and finding a lane of open water sufficiently wide 

 for the ships with a free wind, as well as a proper depth of water along the 

 land-ice, I returned on board, in order to take advantage of the first of the 

 ebb-tide in getting the ships along the coast. I was happy to find from 

 Captain Lyon, who had joined an hour before my return, that the Hecla had 

 escaped from her "besetment" without injury or loss of any kind, though she 

 had remained drifting about the whole time till the morning of the 6th, not- 

 withstanding the constant exertions and fatigue of the officers and men in 

 endeavouring to secure her to the floe. 



The ships being immediately got under sail, we rounded the point in seven 

 fathoms water, at the distance of half a mile from the grounded ice, and 

 soon afterwards deepened to fifteen and eighteen fathoms. The wind fail- 

 ing, however, and the ice having closed the land since my return in the 

 boat, we were soon obliged to haul in-shore and pick up the best births we 

 could find among the grounded masses, where we lay in from ten to twelve 

 fathoms but much exposed to the pressure of the sea-ice. Fortunately, 

 however, this did not come any closer, and we remained undisturbed ; 

 which circumstance was partly owing to a fresh breeze from the north- 

 west that sprung up in the evening, and continued to blow during the night. 

 This had,*also, the good effect of driving the ice some distance off the land, 

 of which we did not fail to take advantage ; and at half an hour before mid- 

 night cast off and made sail with the young ebb-ticle. The weather was 

 dull and overcast, with a dense fog hanging over most parts of the land. 

 Mon. 8. Our progress however was but small ; for about three A.M. on the 8th, 

 after advancing only four or five miles, we had reached the end of the 

 open water and were therefore obliged to shorten sail, with no pleasing 

 prospect before us as to the birth we might expect to find for our security. 

 On this northern side of Cape Wilson the land ice had assumed a different and 

 more dangerous character than before. The whole way from Winter Island 

 its margin bore evident marks of tremendous external pressure, but it had 



