Since Our First Falling In With The Ice, The Mercury In The
Thermometer Had Been From 33 To 31 At Noon-Day.
On the 24th, the wind abated, veering to the N.W., and the sky cleared up,
in the latitude of 67 deg.
0' longitude 138 deg. 15'. As we advanced to the N.E.
with a gentle gale at N.W., the ice islands increased so fast upon us, that
this day, at noon, we could see near 100 round us, besides an immense
number of small pieces. Perceiving that it was likely to be calm, I got the
ship into as clear a birth as I could, where she drifted along with the
ice, and by taking the advantage of every light air of wind, was kept from
falling aboard any of these floating isles. Here it was we spent Christmas
day, much in the same manner as we did the preceding one. We were fortunate
in having continual day-light, and clear weather, for had it been as foggy
as on some of the preceding days, nothing less than a miracle could have
saved us from being dashed to pieces.[7]
In the morning of the 26th, the whole sea was in a manner covered with ice,
200 large islands, and upwards, being seen within the compass of four or
five miles, which was the limits of our horizon, besides smaller pieces
innumerable. Our latitude at noon was 66 deg. 15', longitude 134 deg. 22'. By
observation we found that the ship had drifted, or gone about 20 miles to
the N.E. or E.N.E.; whereas, by the ice islands, it appeared that she had
gone little or nothing; from which we concluded that the ice drifted nearly
in the same direction, and at the same rate. At four o'clock a breeze
sprung up at W.S.W., and enabled us to steer north, the most probable
course to extricate ourselves from these dangers.
We continued our course to the north with a gentle breeze at west, attended
with clear weather, till four o'clock the next morning, when meeting with a
quantity of loose ice, we brought-to, and took on board as much as filled
all our empty casks, and for several days present expence. This done, we
made sail, and steered N.W. with a gentle breeze at N.E., clear frosty
weather. Our latitude at this time was 65 deg. 53' S., longitude 133 deg. 42' W.;
islands of ice not half so numerous as before.[8]
At four in the morning of the 28th, the wind having veered more to the E.
and S.E., increased to a fresh gale, and was attended with snow showers.
Our course was north till noon the next day. Being then in the latitude of
62 deg. 24', longitude 134 deg. 37', we steered N.W. by N. Some hours after, the
sky cleared up, and the wind abating, veered more to the south.
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