20'N 42 o 30'W passed an iceberg fully 500' high on which was a number of polar bears. 26th, 4am ran into a field of pack ice and icebergs but soon got clear. A run of 20m was made to the SE when the ship was put on her course again. She steamed 160m on the southern edge of the ice field, and during that time passed fully 100 bergs on which were seen polar bears and a large number of seals. 47 o 54'W passed 2 other large bergs.
Navigation is now fairly open.
The winter of 1881-82 in the Arctic Regions has from all reports been comparatively mild. This accounts in a great measure for the numerous ice fields and bergs seen so early this season in the North Atlantic ocean. John's from Boston reported having met ice 120m SSE of Louisburg and passed numerous icebergs scattered along the course to Cape Race. 55'W passed a small berg. On the 18th she got into the ice and was unable to clear it till the 23rd sustaining damage and jettisoning 50 tons of cargo.