Aug. 1857. THE MIDDLE ICE. 25 



aground in 5S fathoms water, about two miles from Browne's 

 Islands, and between them and the great glacier which here 

 takes the place of the coast-line. 



We have got thus far without any difficulty, sailing along 

 the edge of the middle ice ; but here we find it pressing in 

 against Browne's Islands, and covering the whole bay to 

 the northward, quite in to the steep face of the glacier. 

 This is evidently the result of long-continued southerly 

 winds; but as the ice is very much broken up, we may 

 expect it to move off rapidly before the autumnal northerly 

 winds now due, and these winds invariably remove the 

 previous season's ice. All that we know of Melville Bay 

 navigation in August is derived from the experience of 

 exploring voyages, and is limited to eight or nine seasons. 

 My own three previous transits across it were made in this 

 month. The whalers either get through in June or July, 

 or give up the attempt as being too late for their fishing. 

 It frequently happens that they get round the south end of 

 the middle ice, between latitudes 66° and 69 N., and up 

 the west coast of Baffin's Bay late in the season ; but we 

 have no accounts of these voyages, nor should I be justified, 

 at this late period of the season, in abandoning the prospect 

 before me, in order to attempt a route which, even if suc- 

 cessful, would lengthen our voyage to Barrow's Strait by 700 

 or 800 miles. We have already passed what is usually the 

 most difficult and dangerous part of the Melville Bay transit. 



There is much to excite intense admiration and wonder 

 around us ; one cannot at once appreciate the grandeur of 

 this mighty glacier, extending, coastwise, unbroken for 40 

 or 50 miles. Its sea-cliffs, about 5 or 6 miles from us, 

 appear comparatively low, yet the icebergs detached from it 

 are of the loftiest description. Here, on the spot, it does 

 not seem incorrect to compare the icebergs to mere chip- 

 pings off its edge, and the floe-ice to the thinnest shavings. 



