46 DANGERS NUMEROUS. \June, 



by this route without striking on, or discovering, some 

 new rock. Several were noticed by the ' Resolute,' as 

 well as ourselves, just capped by ice, and both escaped 

 once or twice; the 'Resolute' found out her mistake 

 when intending to graze the ice which concealed the 

 danger ; great caution must therefore be exercised. As 

 to fixing the position of any which we saw on the charts, 

 it was impossible : fog and other difficulties entirely pre- 

 vented our knowing where we were. 



If one calmly casts his eye on the chart, and there 

 views the dots decorating the coast, each of which is 

 intended to represent an island and sixty of such dots 

 would represent sixty miles the difficulty of placing any- 

 thing there to warn navigators may be understood. 



The navigator in these regions must, like the pilots of 

 the Bermudas, carry his chart in his head, and use his 

 eyes properly. Latitude and look-out may help him, but 

 the water is very deep too deep for the lead and but 

 few soundings on the chart. 



Before quitting this neighbourhood, I will endeavour 

 to give my own opinion as to the approach to and an- 

 chorage at Upernavik. It is necessary, in the first in- 

 stance, to know the latitude and longitude of the place 

 bound to. The anchorage point of Upernavik Bay is si- 

 tuated in latitude 72 48' N. and longitude 55 53' W., 

 about one mile east of the church. The Danish vessel, 

 which makes her annual visit, I am informed, moors 

 within a line of rocks, in the depth of this bay, which 

 forms a natural dock; and she is, I doubt not, in perfect 

 security, if properly provided with ground-tackle. Our 

 anchorage in the outer bay showed the nag-staff of the 



