SOUTHAMPTON ISLAND. 59 



the tedious manner already described ; and in the 

 night the ship, having little head-way, ran against, 

 or rather dropped broadside on, a floe, from 

 which she could not be removed without the aid 

 of a warp, which was accordingly carried out to 

 a projecting point. The land of Southampton 

 Island was now distinctly made out, bearing by 

 compass N. W. -g-N., but far away. Both com- 

 passes were more than commonly sluggish, and 

 required constant tapping ; a phenomenon which 

 was observed to be more palpable with the ship's 

 head west, than on any other point. 



The next day (August 18.), after beating to 

 windward slowly till noon, the ice became so 

 close that there was but one hole of water to 

 work in ; nearer the land, which was now visible 

 from the deck, looking like blue hills, it appeared 

 to be somewhat looser, but as it was not suffi- 

 ciently so to allow of our reaching it, we were 

 compelled to go wherever the least chance of an 

 opening presented itself. At length we came 

 to a solid and unbroken pack, of such fearful 

 extent as to throw a sudden damp on our hopes. 

 It looked, from the crow's-nest, as if it were 

 joined to the land, and stretching thence, west 

 and north, glared in one undivided mass to the 

 utmost limits of the sight. To the south and east 

 the prospect was little better, rendering it doubt- 

 ful whether, in a case of necessity, a passage 



