320 FLOCK OF DUCKS. [CHAP.V. 



the current, on arriving at this spot ; for it was 

 difficult to say whether we should be set round 

 the point along the coast towards Caryswan's 

 Nest, or to the East of Mansfield Island to- 

 wards Labrador, or, directly through Hudson's 

 Straits into the Atlantic. Confiding in the 

 observations of those who had preceded us, and 

 assuming, therefore, that the meeting of the tides 

 from the Welcome and Fox's Channel was some- 

 where about Caryswan's Nest, I held to the 

 first opinion; conjecturing further, that the nu- 

 merous detentions likely to be encountered from 

 different winds, eddies, or other causes, would 

 eventually lead us near open water, perhaps 

 quite as early as any practical use could be made 

 of it. 



In the course of the evening a flock of fifty 

 ducks was seen approaching, but after coming 

 within five hundred yards, they wheeled round 

 and flew away to the south east. 



At2 h a.m. of April 22d the ice in its course 

 to the eastward eased out so much, that many 

 calves sprung up from beneath the pack, and 

 soon after a few holes of water were seen. By 

 8 h a. m. the south point bore S. 5 U Z° W. ; but the 

 ice, as usual, with the change of tide setting 

 again in the contrary direction, at noon, the ex- 

 treme point bore S. 32° W., and Mount Minto N. 

 80° W. The wind was moderate from the S.W., 



