Henry G. Bryant, 
II 
ing in the ice-field. The inland ice here sweeps down to the 
sea, where it breaks off in huge sections, forming great tabular 
bergs and revealing a glacier wall perhaps unexampled for height 
and unbroken front. The mirage which hung persistently over 
the horizon distorted the outlines of the grounded bergs and im- 
parted fantastic shapes to the nunataks which at intervals formed 
promontories in the great ice-wall. Comparatively few bergs 
were visible in the outer bay. This may be explained by the 
fact mentioned by the Danish officials, that violent north winds 
prevailed during the previous autumn. Coming from that quar- 
ter, at a time when the bay is free from ice, these storms would 
effectually disperse the fleet of bergs which usually ground here, 
and whose presence has been noted by most travelers to this re- 
gion. 
On Sunday morning, July 22d, when in sight of Cape York, 
which is regarded as the northern boundary of Melville Bay, we 
reached the end of the lane of water which we had followed so 
successfully, and at 6 o’clock found ourselves beset in the ice, 
just as we were congratulating one another on our good fortune 
in crossing the bay with comparatively little detention. I tran- 
scribe the following from my notes written at the time: “Our 
position is anything but pleasant, held as we are, between the 
fixed shore ice and the broken floe of the bay. Immediately 
after breakfast the ice about us, impelled by some mysterious 
force, closed in with a harsh, grinding noise. In front and to 
the rear of our position the huge “pans” crunched together, 
forming hummocks along the line of resistance, and at the same 
instant impelling the superimposed sheets against the sides of 
the vessel with great force. Slowly the black hulk of the “Fal- 
con” was raised up, and directly after, given a “list” of nine de- 
grees to the port side. All day we have remained in this help- 
less position, enveloped part of the time in a dense fog. Had we 
been thus beset while in the hard, thick ice of day before yester- 
day our position would have been indeed a critical one. As it 
is, the power revealed by the impact of this comparatively soft 
ice is strenuous enough to excite the concern of all on board.” 
After a detention of thirty-three hours, the ice mysteriously 
