wo hours,
and enabled us to perceive that the ice, which in the preceding evening
had been at a considerable distance from the land, was now tossing
about, in large masses, close to the border of the shallow water. We
were also enabled, during the interval of clear weather, to ascertain,
by astronomical observations, the latitude 70 degrees 16 minutes 27
seconds N.; longitude 147 degrees 38 minutes W.; and variation 43
degrees 15 minutes E.

The hunters were sent out in pursuit of some deer that were seen, and
Augustus killed one. They ascertained, during the chase, that we were on
an island, separated from the main shore by a channel, fordable at low
water. At this encampment we remarked the first instance of regularity
in the tide. It was low water at half past nine on the evening of the
7th, and high water at half past two the following morning; the rise
being sixteen inches. An equally regular tide was observed on the 8th,
but we could not ascertain the direction of the flood. [Sidenote:
Wednesday, 9th.] After sunset the squalls became extremely violent; and
until three in the afternoon of the 9th, the fog was so dense that every
object more distant than forty yards, was hidden. After that period, a
partial clearness of the atmosphere discovered to us the waves more high
than the day before, and beating heavily against the weather beach of
the island. We rejoiced, however, at seeing a large stream of ice to
windward, supposing that its presence there would cause the swell to go
down, and that we should be able to proceed as soon as the wind should
fall. We employed ourselves in observing the dip with Meyer's and the
common needles, as well as the magnetic force. The mean dip was 82
degrees 26 minutes. The temperature of the air this day varied from 38
degrees to 45 degrees. High water took place at fifteen minutes after
three P.M., the rise being two feet. The water did not fall so low as
yesterday, owing to the wind blowing more across the mouth of the bay.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 10th.] On the 10th, the continuance of the gale,
and of the fog more opaque, if possible, than before, and more wet, were
not only productive of irksome detention, but they prevented us from
taking exercise; our walks being confined to a space between the marks
which the Esquimaux had put up on two projecting points, whither we went
at every glimpse of clearness, to examine into the state of the waves.
We witnessed with regret, in these sh