o while we had been lying
at this station; a circumstance which we were the more inclined to
notice, as the easterly winds had hitherto been more faint and
less frequent than those from the westward. In this respect,
therefore, we considered ourselves unfortunate, as experience had
already shown us that none but a westerly wind ever produced upon
this coast, or, indeed, on the southern coast of any of the North
Georgian Islands, the desired effect of clearing the shores of
ice.

The gale continued strong during the night, and the ice quite
stationary. Not a pool of clear water could be seen in any
direction, except just under the lee of our point, where there was
a space large enough to contain half a dozen sail of ships, till
about noon, when the whole closed in upon us without any apparent
cause, except that the wind blew in irregular puffs about that
time, and at one P.M. it was alongside. The ship was placed in the
most advantageous manner for taking the beach, or, rather, the
shelf of submarine ice, and the rudder again unshipped and hung
across the stem. The ice which came in contact with the ship's
side consisted of very heavy loose pieces, drawing twelve or
fourteen feet water, which, however, we considered as good
"fenders," compared with the enormous fields which covered the sea
just without them. Everything remained quiet for the rest of the
day, without producing any pressure of consequence; the wind came
round to N.b.E. at night, but without moving the ice off the land.

Early in the morning of the 13th I received by Mr. Griffiths a
message from Lieutenant Liddon, acquainting me that, at eleven
o'clock on the preceding night, the ice had been setting slowly to
the westward, and had, at the same time, closed in upon the land
where the Griper was lying, by which means she was forced against
the submarine ice, and her stern lifted two feet out of the water.
This pressure, Lieutenant Liddon remarked, had given her a twist,
which made her crack a good deal, but apparently without suffering
any material injury in her hull, though the ice was still pressing
upon her when Mr. Griffiths came away. She had at first heeled
inward, but, on being lifted higher, fell over towards the deep
water. Under these circumstances Lieutenant Liddon had very
properly landed all the journals and other documents of
importance, and made every arrangement in his power for saving the
provisions and stores in case of shipwreck, which