LA9T VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS, 
143 
day the ship got under weigh, and the whale boat was lowered 
for the purpose of towing her. As the ice was now running fast 
to the northward, Capt. Ross and his nephew went on shore to 
make the necessary observations, and shortly after their return 
the ship was again fast. The dingy was sent away to sound, the 
depth varied from five fathoms to twelve ; the ship was moored 
to a berg in five fathoms, but as she lay amongst a parcel of 
Islands, between which the tide ran with great rapidity, and as it 
happened at this time to be flood tide, the berg floated, and the 
tide took the berg and the ship with such force, that the latter 
was driven on a rock. She was however got off without sustain¬ 
ing much injury, it being a fortunate circumstance that the rock 
was very round at the top, for which reason the vessel could not 
lodge, but slided off into deep water. A hawser was now taken out 
and made fast to a berg a stern, and the ship was hove to it, in 
order to take her more out of the stream. 
Capt. Ross not altogether approving of the place were the 
ship lay, went on shore for the purpose of discovering another 
of greater safety, and on his return the ship was got under weigh, 
but they had not proceeded far, when on going through a very 
narrow passage between two bergs, the ship grounded on the 
tongue* of one of them, and it being flood tide, it was not with¬ 
out great exertion that she was hove off. The ship was now 
taken to the place pointed out by Capt. Ross, and secured in the 
best possible manner. The whale boat was lowered down, and 
a party went on shore on a cruise of observation, and appeared 
w ell satisfied with the situation of the ship, and the prospect 
which presented itself to them, if they<jould once succeed in 
getting clear of the islands. A raven, a few gulls, and a seal 
were seen this day, but at too great a distance to be fired at. 
The snow fell in great quantities during the whole of the day, 
with light winds from the north. The temperature of the air 
and the water being both 30°. 
On the following morning the 25th, the tide had risen to such a 
height as to cause the bergs to float, and the ship and the bergs 
* A long piece of ice which projects from the berg a considerable distance under water, and its 
size is according to that of the berg. 
