nine o’clock
Mrs Barnett was anxious to accompany him , but he persuaded her to rest a little instead , and started off , accompanied only by Sergeant Long . Mrs Barnett , Madge , and Kalumah returned to the principal house after seeing them off , and the soldiers and women had already gone to bed in the different apartments assigned to them . It was a fine night , there was no moon , but the stars shone very brightly , and as the ice-field vividly reflected their light , it was possible to see for a considerable distance . It was nine o'clock when the two explorers left the fort and turned towards that part of the coast between Port Barnett and Cape Michael . They followed the beach for about two miles , and found the ice-field in a state of positive chaos . The sea was one vast aggregation of crystals of every size , it looked as if it had been petrified suddenly when tossing in a tempest , and , alas , there was even now no free passage between the ice-masses -- it would be impossible for a boat to pass yet . Hobson and Long remained on the ice-field talking and looking about them until midnight , and then seeing that there was still nothing to do but to wait , they decided to go back to Fort Hope and rest for a few hours .