heard of their hopes and disappointment. Directly
after leaving Disco they fell in with the ice, and had fought their way
the whole distance to their present position. The season was not
promising, but forty-eight hours of a N.E. wind would do wonders, and I
cordially partook of his opinion, that "keeping the vessel's nose to
the crack" was the only way to get ahead in the arctic regions. The
crews of the brigs were in rattling health and spirits. Having
delivered him some letters and a number of parcels which, by great good
luck, had not been landed at Uppernavik, Capt. Stewart returned to his
chief, some eight miles northward of us, and we remained to watch
progress.

[Headnote: _TOWING THE SHIPS._]

_Saturday, June 29th, 1850._--

_Monday, July 1st, 1850._--At last the hoped-for signal, "take ships in
tow," was made; and, with a leaping heart, we entered the lead, having
the "Resolute" fast by the nose with a six-inch hawser. What looked
impassable at ten miles' distance was an open lead when close to.
Difficulties vanish when they are faced; and the very calm which
rendered the whalers unable to take advantage of a loose pack, was just
the thing for steamers. Away we went! past berg, past floe, winding in
and out quietly, yet steadily!--and the whalers were soon astern.
Penny, indefatigable, was seen struggling along the shore, with his
boats ahead, towing, and every stitch of sail set to catch the lightest
cat's paw: him too, however, we soon passed. The water ahead increased
as we advanced, and we found, as is well known to be the case, that the
pack-edge is always the tightest part of it.

Several whale-boats from the vessels astern were busy taking ducks'
eggs from the islands, which seem to abound along the coast. When
passing one of these islands that appeared remarkably steep, I was
disagreeably surprised to feel the "Pioneer" strike against a sunken
rock with some violence; she slipped off it, and then the "Resolute"
gave herself a blow, which seemed to make every thing quiver again.
Capt. Penny had a signal up warning us of the danger; but we were too
busy to see it until afterwards, and then the want of wind prevented
our ascertaining what was meant. After this accident we went very
cautiously until the evening hour, when, having neared Cape Shackleton,
and some thin ice showing itself, through which, at reduced speed, we
could not tow the broad-bowed "Resolute," she was cast off, and made
fast t