SALISBURY ISLAND. 51 



glad to get out of the thick of it, which, though 

 still hampered on every side by small floes and 

 drift masses, we now considered ourselves as 

 having achieved. As we advanced to the north- 

 west, the lanes and holes of water increased; but 

 the weather continuing hazy, with intermittent 

 showers of snow, and the night gloomy, and 

 consequently darker than usual, the smaller sails 

 were taken in, and, running securely under top- 

 gallant sails, we kept on a devious course through 

 the ice. 



Early on the 14th, during a partial clearance 

 of the clouds to the west, some of the people 

 fancied they saw land, which, according to the 

 bearing, could be no other than Salisbury Island ; 

 and, in the forenoon, the wind then blowing 

 fresh, land was reported on the lee-bow, which 

 our reckoning made the north coast of the 

 strait, in longitude 76 5& W., to the eastward of 

 the Nottingham Island of Sir E. Parry, or Mill 

 Islands of Arrowsmith. It was evident there- 

 fore that our progress had been very favour- 

 able ; and, if a passage were to be effected this 

 autumn, I felt assured that we were now in the 

 best channel for accomplishing it. Having stood 

 within three miles of the land, the ship was put 

 round, and directions given to work to wind- 

 ward along shore. The first appearance which 

 the coast presented was a round-backed hill,, 



e 2 



