Jan. 17.At 2.30. a.m. the ice slackening with the turn of the tide, we cast off and rejoined the Terror with very little difficulty: we then made some way to the north-east, but were soon again closely beset, and obliged to make fast to a floe, which, together with the whole body of ice, was drifting with the tide back to the southward: fortunately, in this instance it was stopped by a grounded berg, whilst the rest of the pack continued its progress with much rapidity, and occasionally produced very considerable pressure; but before the tide was done, the clear water to the northward was seen over the pack. At noon we were in latitude 64° 22′ S., longitude 56° 43′ W., in twenty-five fathoms water, distant about four or five miles from the land, Cape Seymour bearing N.N.E. distant nine miles. At 2 p.m. the ice began to drift back to the northward, and to stream off soon afterwards. We now cast off, and made all sail before a strong south-west breeze and after four hours warping and boring through the ice, we effected our escape, and got into clear water. Our people had been so much harassed night and day for the whole of the last week, that being before midnight in comparatively comfortable circumstances, I put the ship under easy sail, which admitted of all hands obtaining a few hours' peaceful rest, which they greatly needed.
Jan. 18.At 2 a.m., whilst standing to the eastward, we came in with the edge of the main pack, very close and consisting of heavy floes, of from one to five miles in diameter; we bore away along it to look