PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
317 
wind blew strong at S. S. E. ; and every preparation being made for weigh- CHAP- 
ing, after a hasty breakfast the anchor was got up, and our little vessel 
again bounded through the waters. Our tacking now was very uncertain, Narrative 
as in some places the ice still remained thick, and obliged us to perform 
that evolution twice or thrice in the space of a few minutes ; and as we 
made it a rule not to bear up for any thing, we had some close rubs. 
By two p. M. we could see the southern termination of the main body 
of ice. There were still a number of large pieces aground, and much 
drift about us ; the current setting to the northward at the rate of a 
mile and a half an hour. At three the wind fell light. A heavy swell 
from the S. W. occasioned a furious surf along the beach, and obliged 
us to keep well out to sea. The ice still extending far to windward 
made our situation very critical should the wind blow hard from the 
S. W. It now fell calm, with heavy clouds in the S. W. ; and being in 
want of water, we procured a supply from the bergs that were near us. 
We w'atched every cloud with the greatest anxiety, and at eight ob- 
served them coming steadily from the westward, bringing with them a 
thick fog. We then stood to the northward until we reached the ice, 
when we tacked to the southward, and sailed along its margin. There 
w'ere several walruses upon it ; which at our approach bundled into the 
water. We had scarcely got clear of this field or body of ice, when it 
again fell calm — the clouds very heavy, and a thick fog. Finding that 
the current was again setting us to the northward at the rate of two 
miles and a half an hour, we anchored, and had no sooner done so, than 
several large detached bergs w'ere seen driving rapidly down in our 
hawse. We again got up the anchor, and towed the boat in shore, 
where we anchored again, and kept a vigilant look-out. 
Tuesday, 29th Aug. In the course of the night the S. W. swell 
went down, and at one this morning a light air sprang up from the S. E. 
Weighed and stood in shore, the wind gradually freshening. In running 
along the land, passed a quantity of drift ice. At noon, saw another 
body of ice about two miles distant, extending about eleven miles N. 
and S. ; and as we were not yet far enough south to see Cape Franklin, 
we were apprehensive the ice might join it, in which case we should 
be again beset. In the afternoon, with great pleasure, we passed between 
