At eight P.M., having shoaled the water from sixty to forty, and then to thirty-two fathoms, and the weather still continuing extremely thick, I suspected that the tide was taking us too close to Passage Island, which was the nearest land when the fog came on. A large space of open water was at this time not more than a quarter of a mile distant from us in the opposite direction; but, before the ships could be moved by warps or any other means within our power, the tide was observed to be setting her directly between the island and the little yellow-looking rock I have before mentioned as lying on its eastern side. The anchors were kept ready to drop in an instant should the ship drive into shoal water; had we grounded, and the heavy masses of ice continued to drive upon us, little less than the total destruction of the ship was to be apprehended. The natural direction of the stream, however, effected for us that which, hampered as we were, our own exertions must have failed in accomplishing; the ship drove through, at the distance of one hundred yards from the rock and about one hundred and forty from Passage Island, having no less than twelve fathoms; and soon after deepened the water to thirty-five and forty, and then to no bottom with ninety. After this providential escape we lay-to within the island, in order to drift to the northward and westward of it with the flood tide, which runs stronger here than in any other part of the Frozen Strait. The night was fine, but extremely dark, so that after ten o'clock we could not distinguish where the land lay, and the compasses could not be depended on. After an ineffectual attempt to push through the ice towards the middle of the Strait, in order to avoid the danger of being entangled among the numerous islands lying off this shore, we were literally obliged to let the ship take her chance, keeping the lead going and the anchors in readiness. The Hecla having got clear of the ice the preceding evening, and narrowly escaped an adventure similar to that which we had experienced, rejoined us early in the morning, when Captain Lyon returned to her to prepare a boat for his intended excursion. We then stood in under all sail for the land, and at eleven A.M. Captain Lyon left the Hecla, while the ships tacked off and on to await his return. At nine P.M. Captain Lyon returned, acquainting me that he had met with a small bay having no stream of tide, and being at present clear of ice, he thought it might answer our purpose, but he wished me to see it before the ships were taken in.