On this morning, however, being in latitude 73 degrees 15' E., longitude 42 degrees 10' W, we were again brought to a stand by an immense expanse of firm ice.

We saw, nevertheless, much open water to the southward, and felt no doubt of being able to reach it eventually.
Standing to the eastward along the edge of the floe, we at length came to a passage of about a mile in width, through which we warped our way by sundown.

The sea in which we now were was thickly covered with ice islands, but had no field ice, and we pushed on boldly as before.

The cold did not seem to increase, although we had snow very frequently, and now and then hail squalls of great violence.

Immense flocks of the albatross flew over the schooner this day, going from southeast to northwest.
January 7 .-- The sea still remained pretty well open, so that we had no difficulty in holding on our course.