On the morning of the 11th, notwithstanding the promise of fine summer weather, the sky became overcast, and at noon the captain, assisted by the volunteers, including Lockwood, Israel, and Gardiner, could hardly succeed in getting observations, and though they reckoned the latitude at 58°, it was not reliable. Rain, attended with high winds or gales, succeeded, the sufferers from sea-sickness finding refuge in their berths. Ellis, one of the sergeants, suffered more than the others, having refused all food since leaving port. They could give him no aid save a little wine and beef-tea. The cold, cheerless weather depressed the spirits of all, but they hoped to get used to it. The days were sensibly growing longer, beginning at 1.45 A. M. and closing at 10 P. M. They now remarked the absence of icebergs and ice-floes, and wondered whether this meant that the previous winter in the north had been so mild that but little ice had formed, or that the spring had been so backward that but little had become detached and drifted southward. They had learned at St. John’s that the late winter had been the mildest ever known there. At the close of the 11th, no land was in sight, and they had made seven hundred miles. The steward informed Lockwood that the men were growling about their food, which was the same as that received in the cabin. He thought this a bad sign for Arctic explorers, but tried to make matters more satisfactory. The next day was disagreeable, a cold rain falling; and though a strong head-wind was blowing, the sea was smooth, betokening land or ice, it was supposed. Accordingly, at 9 P. M., they were aroused by the cry of “ice ahead,” and, sure enough, there was seen, extending over 90° of the horizon, the white line indicating an ice-floe. Coming up to the ice, they found it to consist of detached pieces flowing southward. Some of these assumed the most fantastic shapes—dogs, seals, and other animals, and even houses and castles, readily presenting themselves to the imagination. One piece looked like an old ruin. The pillars, dome, and vaulted roof, all were there; indeed, the effect was perfect. Again, other pieces presented varieties of color most beautiful and remarkable. Generally, the lower parts being dark blue, were surmounted by a stratum of pure white, resembling snow, but really the purest ice. They were two hours in getting through this floe. Although daylight was continuous, they could not, because of fogs, distinguish the hours of sunrise or sunset.