LAND DISCOVERED. 53 



longer lie our course ; and, not knowing ex- 

 actly how near Mill Islands might be, or, from 

 the amazing difference in the variation, whether 

 w r e might not be actually standing on them, the 

 small sails were taken in and the topsails reefed, 

 and, with the anchors ready to let go, we 

 proceeded with the utmost caution. That we 

 were near to the land w r as certain, but none 

 could be distinguished through the haze, either 

 to windward or leeward, and we literally groped 

 our w r ay in much uncertainty, and not without 

 some anxiety. The wind also increased to such a 

 degree that the ship was put under snug canvass, 

 and, for the first time since leaving the Atlantic, 

 there was a regular sea, and consequently no 

 continuous ice. The next morning brought no 

 change for the better, for the wind was accom- 

 panied by snow, and that, with the haze, so em- 

 barrassed us, that it was difficult to determine 

 in what direction to proceed. However, when 

 daylight broke the ship was put about ; and we 

 had the pleasure of seeing that the head sea 

 which tumbled us about was at the same time 

 fast reducing the ice into fragments. 



Akout 7 h A « m. land was discovered, forming a 

 semicircle to windward, and which, guided by 

 the log, we conjectured to be Seahorse Point of 

 Baffin, on Southampton Island. The distance 

 certainly seemed rather more than the ship was 



e 3 



