noon on the 25th May
A little later the beams and planks of the house , which had slid under the island , were seen floating about in the offing like the spars of a wrecked vessel . This was the worst evil the storm had wrought , and would compromise the solidity of the island yet more , as the waves would now eat away the ice all round the crevasse . In the course of the 25th May , the wind veered to the north-east , and although it blew strongly , it was no longer a hurricane ; the rain ceased , and the sea became calmer . After a quiet night the sun rose upon the desolate scene , the Lieutenant was able to take the bearings accurately , and obtained the following result : -- At noon on the 25th May , Victoria Island was in latitude 56 ° 13 ' , and longitude 170 ° 23 ' . It had therefore advanced at great speed , having drifted nearly eight hundred miles since the breaking up of the ice set it free in Behring Strait two months before . This great speed made the Lieutenant once more entertain a slight hope . He pointed out the Aleutian Islands on the map to his comrades , and said -- `` Look at these islands ; they are not now two hundred miles from us , and we may reach them in eight days . ''