i9io] ICE MOVEMENTS 61 
as large as ever and I sec little sign of their breaking or 
becoming less tightly locked. 
It is a very, very trying time. 
We have managed to make 2 or 3 miles in a S.W. (?) 
direction under sail by alternately throwing her aback, 
then filling sail and pressing through the narrow leads ; 
probably this will scarcely make up for our drift. It's 
all very disheartening. The bright side is that every one 
is prepared to exert himself to the utmost — however 
poor the result of our labours may show. 
Rennick got a sounding again to-day, 1843 fathoms. 
One is much struck by our inability to find a cause 
for the periodic opening and closing of the fioes. One 
wonders whether there is a reason to be found in tidal 
movement. In general, however, it seems to show that 
our conditions arc governed by remote causes. Somewhere 
well north or south of us the wind may be blowing in 
some other direction, tending to press up or release 
pressure ; then again such sheets of open water as those 
through which we passed to the north afford space into 
which bodies of pack can be pushed. The exasperating 
uncertainty of one's mind in such captivity is due to 
ignorance of its cause and inability to predict the effect 
of changes of wind. One can only vaguely comprehend 
that tilings arc happening far beyond our horizon which 
directly affect our situation. 
Tuesday, December zj. — Dead reckoning 69 0 12' S., 
178 0 18' W. We made nearly 2 miles in the first watch — 
half push, half drift. Then the ship was again held up. 
In the middle the ice was close around, even pressing 
