ISLANDS. SI 



served to impede our progress, for the strong 

 breeze packed the ice. September 3d brought 

 a cold and chilling day, with a temperature of 

 25° + , and a surface of young ice on all the pools 

 around. Every attempt therefore to move was as 

 useless as laborious ; and, after carrying away a 

 warp in trying to change the situation fifty paces 

 forwards, we were obliged to yield to necessity, 

 and desist altogether. The sails were taken 

 in ; and our stock of fresh water being almost 

 exhausted, the crew were employed in refilling 

 the tanks, a task which was completed in the 

 forenoon. The sky, which had been dark and 

 hazy towards the land and to the eastward, had 

 become clearer, and enabled us to see Southamp- 

 ton Island somewhere about Cape Comfort, which 

 was high and much covered with snow. On 

 this side of it, and within perhaps twelve miles 

 of the ship, Fife Rock w T as also visible ; while far 

 away to the eastward of North, was Baffin Island. 

 In fact, after all our labour, we found by the 

 observations that we had only got twelve miles 

 to the south. 



A Burgomaster, or Glaucus gull, was seen ; and 

 a golden plover, blown off the shore by the force 

 of the wind, was shot. Towards sunset several 

 pools of water were formed, one of which, on 

 the lee-bow, was of some extent. That nearest 



G 



