66 BAFFIN AND SOUTHAMPTON ISLANDS. 



now dark, we necessarily ran foul of many a 

 piece of ice, and got some violent knocks ; but, 

 depending on the strength of the ship, I could 

 not forego the pleasure of pushing on while a 

 chance remained, and we continued to thread 

 our tortuous way as well as the faint gleam from 

 the ice allowed us to pick it out. 



It was with considerable satisfaction that, 

 at 4 h a. m. of the 23d, I heard the announce- 

 ment of Baffin Island bearing N. N. W., and 

 shortly afterwards that the land of Southampton 

 Island was made out to the westward. Had there 

 only been a channel, even as wide as a brook, 

 we should soon have got to the strait ; but the 

 scene around us now presented an apparently 

 solid sea of ice, thrown up in many parts to the 

 height of eighteen feet, and so ragged, peaked, 

 and uneven, as to bid defiance to any attempt 

 even to walk over it. Had it been composed of 

 mere drift-ice, which is invariably detached by a 

 strong breeze, there would have been more en- 

 couragement ; but the limits of the enormous 

 floes surrounding us could not be discerned, and 

 it was absolutely marvellous that we should be 

 able to penetrate it at all ; yet, at noon, we were 

 still moving slowly ; and the observations (for 

 the weather was beautifully clear) gave the lati- 

 tude 65° 42', longitude 82° 41' W„ variation 

 49° 5%' W. The southerly wind now freshened, 



