I have rarely seen a finer sight.

The sea was literally studded with these beautiful masses, some of pure white, others showing all shades of the opal, others emerald green and occasionally, here and there, some of deep black.

Our situation was critical, but the weather favored us for a few hours.

On clearing these dangers we kept off to the south and west under all sail, and at 9 P.M.we counted eight large islands.

Afterward the weather became so thick with mist and fog as to render it necessary to lie to till daylight, before which time we had a heavy snowstorm.