24 



BAFFIN'S BAY. Chap. II. 



To the uninitiated it may be as well to observe that each 

 winter the sea called Baffin's Bay freezes over; in spring 

 this vast body of ice breaks up, and drifting southward in a 

 mass — called the main-pack, or the middle ice — obstructs 

 the passage across from east to west. 



The " North Passage " is made by sailing round the north 

 end of this pack ; the " Middle Passage," by pushing through 

 it; and the "Southern Passage," by passing round its 

 southern extreme ; but seasons do occur when none of 

 these routes is practicable. 



It is very remarkable that southward of Disco northerly 

 winds have prevailed. They greatly impeded our progress 

 up Davis' Strait, but we cheered ourselves with the hope that 

 they would effectually clear a path for us across the northern 

 part of Baffin's Bay. 



2>th. — Last night we reached the edge of the middle ice, 

 about 70 miles to the west of Upernivik, and ran southward 

 along its edge all night. This morning, in thick fog, the 

 ship was caught in its margin of loose ice. The fog soon 

 after cleared off, and we saw the clear sea about two miles 

 to the eastward, whilst all to the west was impenetrable 

 closely-packed floe-pieces. After steaming out of our pre- 

 dicament (a matter which we could not accomplish under 

 sail) we ran on to the southward until evening, but found 

 the pack edge still composed of light ice very closely pressed 

 together. 



Having now closely examined it for an extent of 40 miles, 

 I was satisfied that we could not force a passage through it 

 across Baffin's Bay, as is frequently done in ordinary 

 seasons: therefore, taking advantage of a fair wind, we 

 steered to the northward, in order to seek an opening in 

 that direction. 



12 th.— Position 75 6' N., 59 20' W. We are in Melville 

 Bay; made fast this afternoon to an iceberg, which lies 



