248 
LANCASTER SOUND. 
cue, has not opened. Her officers haye brought their 
private papers on hoard the Advance, and such indis- 
pensable articles as may be needed in case of her de- 
struction. 
"Our ship's head is toward a point of land to the 
northeastward, but her position changes so constantly 
that there is little use of recording it. Caught a fox 
this morning ; have now two on board. 
" Our bearings, taken by azimuth compass this morn- 
ing at eleven, gave Cape Hurd, S. by W. i W. ; West- 
ern Bluff, of Rigsby's Inlet, S.E. i S.; Table-hill of 
Parry, S.E. by S. i S.; Cape Ricketts, E. by N. 
"Wind changed at 9 P.M. to N.N.W. ; thermom- 
eter, minimum, —26°; maximum, —22°; mean, 23° 
82^ 
'■^December 4, Wednesday. This morning showed us 
an interval of over two hundred yards already covered 
with stilF ice : so much for our chasm of last night ! 
All around us is a moving wreck of ice-fields. 
" Our drift seems to have been to the westward. We 
have certainly left the coast, which yesterday seemed 
almost over us, though it is still too near for good fel- 
lowship. 
" This is the first clear day — truly clear, that we 
have had since my record of the changing daylight. 
Compared with the gloomy haziness of its predeces- 
sors, it was cheering. The southern horizon was a 
zone of red light ; and although the clear blue soon 
absorbed it, we could read small print with a little ef- 
fort at noonday by turning the book to the south. The 
stars were visible all the time, except where the hori- 
zon was lighted up." 
The next four days were full of excitement and 
anxiety. One crack after another passed across our 
