334 HILLY COAST. [CHAP.V. 



southward, but still not a drop of water was in 

 sight. Three burgomasters (Larus Glaucus) 

 flew past, and were followed by some flocks of 

 loons. 



May 8th, There was no change in the ice, but 

 several flocks of birds were observed winging 

 their flight to the west. At noon we had gone 

 nine miles to the south of yesterday's position. 

 On clearing away the booms to caulk the deck, 

 the seams were found more open than was antici- 

 pated, and numberless rents were discovered 

 between them, all of which were now filled up 

 and made tight. The ice remained perfectly 

 quiet, and on May 9th there was no water in 

 sight, nor could the land be seen on account of 

 the haziness of the weather. About 7 h 30 m p. m. 

 before sunset, the sky became clearer, and showed 

 us the coast of this part of Nottingham Island, 

 extending farther than we had yet seen to the 

 south-east. The distinct view now afforded us, 

 gave an outline more marked than any hitherto 

 passed, for irregularity and sinuosity, ravines and 

 isolated hills. Of the hills, many had an elevation 

 of no less than one thousand or fourteen hundred 

 feet, and it is probable that some, in the interior, 

 were still higher, as their peaks also were 

 faintly visible. One, the nearest of the detached 

 heights, sprang abruptly from the comparatively 

 smooth summit of a shelving slope that rose 



