\676. WOOD AND FLAWES. 26? 



journal of Captain AVood is so meagre, that, if it 

 were not for his ^zz/^/^o^e^/ latitudes and his situation 

 " according to judgment," it is not easy to ibllow 

 his track or to trace his place on any particular 

 day. By the 22d, however, he had reached the 

 lat. 75° 59\ at which time the ice appeared ahout 

 a league from the ship, and the weather was cold 

 and snowy. They found many openings in tlie 

 ice which allowed them to proceed, and it is said 

 that the pieces of ice detached hy the current 

 from the main field '^ represented the shapes of 

 trees, beasts, fishes and fowls." Among the ice 

 was observed some floating wood. On the i26th 

 they got sight of land, which was the west coast of 

 Nova Zembla. The depth of the sea was eighty 

 fathoms or 480 feet; yet so smooth and clear was 

 the water, that it is stated '' they could discern 

 the ground very plain," and even discover the shells 

 at the bottom. On the 29th, on wearing the 

 Speedwell to avoid the ice, she struck upon a 

 ledo'e of rocks under water. Fortunately the 

 Prosperous pink was close at hand, though it does 

 not appear that she was then able to aflbrd them 

 the least assistance. They had scarcely succeeded 

 in landing tlie bread and the carpenter's tools, to 

 rebuild the long boat, in the event of the Prospe- 

 rous not being able to approach them on account 

 of the ice, when the ship went entirely to pieces, 

 and the fog prevented them from seeing their con- 

 jsort. All the crew, however, Avere safely got on 



