LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
131 
it was conjectured that there was clear water in the direction 
which the ship was steering, for it is a phenomonon well known 
to those who are accustomed to navigate the arctic seas, that in 
proportion to the clearness of the sea from ice, the sky assumes a 
darker or a brighter hue, which it is to be accounted for, upon 
the established principles of reflection. With this favourable 
prospect before them; they made all sail towards it, the ship at 
times receiving such thumps as to shake the whole of her rig¬ 
ging. At 9 p.m. they came in sight of clear water, apparently 
running west, on which they continued to run until 3 a.m. of the 
19th, when they were completely beset in the ice, and made fast 
to a large piece, which was evidently grounded. At 9 a.m they 
dropped the deep sea lead overboard, and found the whole body 
of ice driving south. At 1S, the rudder was unshipped for fear of 
pressure. Here they remained beset until the 2 rd, when they 
moored the ship a little in shore. Two bears were seen on the 
ice, one of which was severely wounded, but it got away. Two 
seals were also shot, but they both sunk. The ship had scarcely 
made f of a mile for the last 24 hours, but towards the evening of 
the 23rd the ice opened a little, and all hands were called to 
track the ship through it, but shortly afterwards it was made fast 
to a floe, as there was not any w ind which could assist the vessel 
through her difficulties. On the following morning a breeze 
sprung up, and all sail was set to force the vessel through the 
ice; this how T ever being found insufficient, the engineer was 
ordered to get the steam up, and they cast off and stood in for 
land. At 7 p M. they made fast to a berg in 7 fathoms of water. 
The first sea unicorn was here seen, but at too great a distance 
to obtain a shot at him. Several whales were also seen, but too 
far off to be taken. The ice appeared closely packed, but the 
steam did them here some good service, as it enabled them to 
w r ork in shore, but a breeze springing up directly foul, they were 
obliged to make fast to the ice again. Commander James here 
shot a seal, the length of which from the tip of the nose to the 
extremity of the tail w^as seven feet ten inches; its circumference, 
behind the fore flippers five feet six inches, and its weight seven 
hundred and eighty pounds; the fore flippers measured in length 
