FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WHALES. 257 
try on this day, for which occasion the ceremony 
was deferred. In the fulfilment of this desire 
we were disappointed; and, unfortunately, no 
other opportunity of landing occurred during our 
stay upon the coast. 
We continued to stand off and on the whole 
day, in anxious expectation of the return of our 
boats. In the evening two of them arrived; at 
10 P. M. another came on board; and a little af¬ 
ter midnight, to my great comfort, and not less 
so to the comfort of the sailors who had been on 
this service, the last reached the ship. Having 
hove-to for some little time, to get the boats 
hoisted up and secured, we suddenly, and unex¬ 
pectedly perceived, through the haziness occa¬ 
sioned by the rain, that we were close down to 
the lee ice, and drifting towards it with extraor¬ 
dinary rapidity. This was the effect of a strong 
tide, of the existence of which we had not before 
been aware, as no stream whatever was observed 
while we lay off Cape Moorsom. All sail that 
could be carried with safety was immediately 
made ; and after some almost fruitless tacks, we 
succeeded in weathering a point of the lee ice, 
that had interrupted our reach to the eastward, 
and appeared then to be out of danger. 
As I was greatly fatigued by keeping the deck 
most of the day, exposed to a fall of rain so 
K 
