62 OBSTRUCTION BY THE ICE, 



gation, which, though less striking than the wild 

 commotions of the earthquake or tornado, are at 

 all events calculated to excite equal gratitude to 

 that merciful Providence whose protecting care 

 is over all his works, — in the icy waste no less 

 than in the thronged city. For two or three hours 

 the sun struggled in vain with the mist, which 

 enveloped sky and ice, still we met with no 

 hindrance ; and, having made a few tacks to avoid 

 the large drift pieces, at noon we were still ad- 

 vancing to the north, the latitude, as obtained 

 on a floe, being 64° 57' N., the variation 52° W. 

 At length however the mist dispelled, and with 

 it the hopes in which we had been indulging. 

 A glance satisfied us that our further progress 

 would be very short. The breeze had died 

 away, and allowed the ice to pack afresh. Not 

 a lane, not a hole of water was to be seen in 

 any direction but the one just passed ; and again, 

 most reluctantly, were we compelled to secure 

 the ship to a floe. 



August 20th. Though the night was gene- 

 rally calm, yet a motion in the ice, and the 

 suspicious approach of a large floe, which 

 seemed to threaten a squeeze, induced us to 

 cast off and warp a little to the south ; where we 

 once more made fast to the same extensive 

 piece of ice. The morning gave no sign of a 

 favourable change, and the crew were exercised, 



