Chap. IV. PARRY'S FIRST VOYAGE. 91 



of the year, it occurred to the Commander that this 

 place appeared to mark, in a very decided manner, 

 the completion of one stage of their voyage. " The 

 ensigns and pendants were hoisted, and it created in 

 us no ordinary feelings of pleasure to see the British 

 flag waving, for the first time, in those regions, 

 which had hitherto been considered beyond the 

 limits of the habitable world." Parry gave to this 

 large island the name of Melville, being that of the 

 First Lord of the Admiralty. 



Parry determined however to extend their ope- 

 rations for prosecuting disco veiy in these regions, 

 though it became necessary to secure the ships 

 every night from ten till two o'clock, when it was 

 too dark to keep under way, more especially as 

 no trust whatever could be placed in the com- 

 passes. But his hopes were damped when from 

 the crow's nest he perceived a compact body of 

 ice, extending completely in to the shore, near 

 the point which formed the western extreme of 

 the island ; the ship ran, however, sufficiently close 

 to be assured that no passage to the westward could 

 then be effected, the floes being literally upon the 

 beach, and not a drop of clear water visible beyond 

 them. The shore was covered nearly with large 

 masses of ice aground in four or five fathoms of 

 water, of which they would have drawn at least ten, 

 if set afloat ; these masses the people were in the 

 habit of calling bergs, but they were very different to 

 those met with in Baffin's Bay, none of which kind 



