OF THE POLAR SEA. 



11 



The approach to ice would be more evidently pointed out in the 

 Atlantic, or wherever the surface is not so continually chilled by the 

 passing and the melting of ice as in this sea ; and I should strongly 

 recommend a strict hourly attention to the thermometrical state of 

 the water at the surface, in all parts where ships are exposed to the 

 dangerous concussion of sailing icebergs, as a principal means of 



security. 



The following day our ship came near another stream of ice, and 

 the approach to it was indicated by a decrease of the temperature of 

 the water at the surface from 44° to 42°. A small pine-tree was 

 picked up much shattered by the ice. In the afternoon of the 30th, a 

 very dense fog came on ; and, about six P.M., when sailing before a 

 fresh breeze, we were suddenly involved in a heavy stream of ice. 

 Considerable difficulty was experienced in steering through the 

 narrow channels between the different masses in this foggy weather, 

 and the ship received several severe blows. 



The water, as usual in the centre of the stream, was quite smooth, 

 but we heard the waves beating violently against the outer edge of 

 the ice. There was some earthy matter on several of the pieces, and 

 the whole body bore the appearance of recent separation from the 

 land. In the space of two hours we again got into the open sea, 

 but had left our two consorts far behind ; but they followed our track 

 by the guns we discharged. The temperature of the surface water 

 was 35° when amongst the ice, 38° when just clear of it, and 41.5° at 

 two miles distant. 



On the 3d of August, when in latitude 59° 58' N., longitude 

 59° 53' W., we first fell in with large icebergs ; and in the evening 

 were encompassed by several of considerable magnitude, which 

 obliged us to tack the ship in order to prevent our getting entangled 

 amongst them. The estimated distance from the nearest part of the 

 Labrador coast was then eighty-eight miles ; here we tried for sound- 

 ings, without gaining the bottom. The ship passed through some 



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