Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp4.djvu/393

 In a subsequent part of his narrative, Captain Parry states, that the rain produced even a greater effect than the sun, in softening the snow.

The farther Captain Parry proceeded, the more the ice was broken; indeed it was much more so on the 5th July, in lat. 81&deg; 45' 15", than he had found it since entering the “pack .” The labour required to drag the boats over the hummocks, and from one mass to another, was so great, that the officers and men, after having recourse to a “bowline-haul,” for many minutes together, were often obliged to sit down, their breath being quite exhausted. On the 7th of that month, having first launched the boats into the water, over a high and rugged margin, and then hauled them across a number of irregular and ill-connected masses, sometimes making them serve as bridges, they were more than two hours in proceeding a distance of about 150 yards. Still their work went on cheerfully, their hope resting on at length meeting with something like continuous and level ice.

