72 
FAST. 
ice ; but, by cutting and boring, succeeded in penetrat- 
ing it, and sailed on through loose streams until noon. 
“ We now entered fairly the so-thought open water, 
keeping the shore on our starboard beam, and steering 
for the northeast and north, at a rate of six knots, 
through an apparently unobstructed sea. But the 
sanguine anticipations of our commander were soon 
to be moderated. By four in the afternoon, after plac- 
ing at least fifty miles between us and the coast, the 
leads began to close around us. Fearing a separation 
from the Rescue, we took her in tow and continued 
our eflbrts ; but from 5 P.M. until the termination of 
the day, our progress was absolutely nothing. The 
morning of the 8th opened upon us fast in summer ice. 
8. Fast ! Around us a circle of snow-covered 
ice, streaked with puddles of dark water, and varied 
(alas for the variety !) by the very distant looming of 
some icebergs. In the centre of this dreariness are 
o 
the two vessels — ‘Advance’ and ‘ Rescue.’ 
“Our commander, loth to relinquish his hopes, de- 
termined to ‘ bore.’ This operation, which consists in 
forcing a passage through the ice, continued through- 
out the night — ‘all hands’ jumping upon the floes, 
and working away with crow-bar, boat-hook, ice-an- 
chor, and warping-lines. The result of all this labor 
was, that the two vessels made about three quarters 
of a mile into deeper entanglement; and now, at 11 
P.M., we are fast in the apparent centre of a solid sea. 
“All the men are asleep except Dunning, our watch- 
man ; and but for his tramp on the deck overhead, 
and the scraping of my pen over the paper, the silence 
is coiuplete. My mess-mates, thoroughly tired out, 
are breathing heavily Ifom their bunks. 
“July 9. Although we commenced bright and early 
