SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 



469 



cept that a pool of water about twice their own length in diameter was now WJ* 

 open around them*. I determined, therefore, notwithstanding the apparent ^rw 

 hopelessness of sawing our way through four or five miles of ice, to begin 

 that laborious process ; not indeed with the hope of cutting a canal suffi- 

 ciently large to allow the passage of the ships to sea, but with a view to 

 weaken it so much as, in some measure, to assist its disruption whenever any 

 swell should set in upon its margin. On this and the following day, there- Sat. 2. 

 fore, all the gear was carried down for that purpose, and a large tent pitched 

 for the ships' companies to dine in, the distance being too great to allow 

 them to return on board to their meals. On the 3d, however, we were Sun. 3, 

 saved a great deal of unnecessary labour, by the ice opening out at the 

 crack before mentioned, so that our sawing might now be commenced within 

 a mile of the Fury. After divine service, therefore, all hands were sent 

 from both ships to bring back the tent and tools to the point of Oongalooyat, 

 and the parties were recalled from the walrus-fishery, except a single boat's 

 crew : these also returned on board a few days after, the whole number 

 of sea-horses killed being eight, and one large seal. It is remarkable 

 that all the walruses were males, of which a skeleton was made on board 

 each ship as anatomical specimens. The Hecla's two boats had one day a 

 very narrow escape in assaulting a herd of these animals; for several of 

 them, being wounded, made so fierce an attack on the boats with their 

 tusks, as to stave them in a number of places, by which one was immediately 

 swamped and the other much damaged. The Fury's boats being fortunately 

 in sight prevented any further danger ; two of the walruses were killed and 

 secured, and the damaged boats lightened and towed to the shore, from 

 which they had been several miles distant. 



On the 4th our sawing work was commenced, with the usual alacrity on Mem. 4L 

 the part of the officers and men, and three hundred and fifty yards of ice 

 were got out before night, its thickness varying from one to four feet, but 

 very irregular on account of the numerous pools and holes. An equal length 

 was accomplished on the following day, though not without excessive fa- 

 tigue and constant wet to the men, several of whom fell into the water by 

 the ice breaking under them. 



* This circumstance afforded a very favourable opportunity of obtaining a complete set of 

 steady observations on the deviation of the magnetic needle on board the Fury; these are 

 given in tlje Appendix. 



