The ice across the
entrance of the harbour as far as this spot, and the whole of that
in the offing, of which we had here a commanding view from the
Hecla's crow's-nest, was still quite continuous and unbroken, with
the same appearance of solidity as it had during the middle of
winter, except that the pools of water were numerous upon its
surface.
The wind being from the S.S.W. during the night of the 30th,
served to close the lane of water which had appeared in the offing
the preceding day, which we considered a favourable circumstance,
as showing that the external mass of ice was in motion. In the
course of the day, the wind shifting to the W.N.W., we once more
discovered a small opening between the old and young floes, and at
eleven P.M., the whole body of the ice in the harbour was
perceived to be moving slowly out to the southeastward, breaking
away, for the first time, at the points which form the entrance of
the harbour. This sudden and unexpected change rendering it
probable that we should at length be released, I sent to Captain
Sabine, who had been desirous of continuing his observations on
the pendulum to the last moment, to request that he would have the
clocks ready for embarcation at an early hour in the morning.
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