258 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. VIII. 



prospect before us of making as rapid a progress, as 

 the nature of this navigation will permit, towards 

 the final accomplishment of our object." The 

 trending of the western shore to the westward 

 might also have contributed to the choice of that 

 side; the only surprise is, that after the cases he 

 has given, all of them adverse to it, he should have 

 resolved to adopt it. 



The ships continued to proceed southerly close in 

 with the western shore, having alternately open water 

 and floating ice, to which they had occasionally to 

 make fast. On the 28th the ice was observed to be 

 in rapid motion towards the shore. The Hecla was 

 immediately beset, in spite of every exertion ; and 

 after breaking two of the largest ice-anchors, in 

 endeavouring to heave in to the shore, was obliged 

 to drift with the ice. On the 29th the ships were 

 so close in with the shore, that, after shifting the 

 Hecla into " a less insecure berth" Parry says " he 

 walked to a broad valley facing the sea near us." 

 The cliffs next the sea, four or five hundred feet 

 perpendicular height, were continually breaking 

 down ; and " the ships lay so close to the shore 

 as to be almost within the range of some of these 

 tumbling masses, there being at high-water scarcely 

 beach enough for a person to walk along the 



shore." 



On the 30th July the Hecla's berth was shifted 

 to a greater distance from the shore, by which 



