106 PAKRY'S FIRST VOYAGE. 



night, in hopes of overcoming it, till, about the 20th, 

 their situation became alarming. The young ice began 

 rapidly to form on the surface of the waters, retarded 

 only by winds and swells, so that the commanding offi- 

 cer was convinced that, in the event of a single hour's 

 calm, he would be frozen up in the midst of the sea. 



No option was therefore left but to return, and to 

 choose between two apparently good harbors, which 

 had been recently passed on Melville Island. Not 

 without difficulty he reached this place on the 24th, and 

 decided in favor of the more western haven, as affording 

 the fullest security ; but it was necessary to cut hia 

 way two miles through a large floe with which it was 

 encumbered. To effect this arduous operation, the sea- 

 men marked with boarding-pikes two parallel lines, at 

 the distance of somewhat more than the breadth of the 

 larger ship. They sawed, in the first place, along the 

 path tracked out, and then, by cross-sawings, detached 

 large pieces, which were separated diagonally, in order 

 to be floated out ; and sometimes boat-sails were fas- 

 tened to them, to take the advantage of a favorable 

 breeze. On the 26th the ships were established in five 

 fathoms water, at about a cable's length from the 

 beach. For some time the ice was daily cleared round 

 them ; but this was soon found an endless and useless 

 labor, and they were allowed to be regularly frozen in 

 for the winter. 



Parry then applied himself to name the varied group 

 of islands along which he had passed. He called them, 

 at first, New Georgia ; but, recollecting that this appel- 

 lation was preoccupied by one in the Pacific, he gave 

 the title of the " North Georgian Islands," in honor of 

 his majesty George III., whose reign had been so emi- 

 nently distinguished by the extension of nautical and 

 geographical knowledge. 



