394> REFLECTIONS. 



I stood glared one solid body of drift ice, con- 

 necting both shores. 



The shore to the westward was, for a like 

 reason, unapproachable ; and though a strong 

 southerly gale might disperse the entire mass, 

 yet there was no predicting when that would 

 happen, whilst it was certain that a very few 

 days of delay would inevitably be fatal to our 

 object. It was, indeed, a mortifying consider- 

 ation, that after surmounting so many toils and 

 perils on that long and difficult river, we might 

 be thus checked at the very place where, from 

 past experience of the sea to the westward, I 

 least expected such a disaster ; and I could 

 scarcely help entertaining some apprehension, 

 that we might be at the southern extremity of 

 a deep inlet, from which a change of wind alone 

 could release us. 



Doubly, therefore, was I grateful that the 

 primary object of the service had been provi- 

 dentially anticipated. Had it been otherwise, 

 the delay thus occasioned would have been 

 still more mortifying. 



July 31st. — A fresh breeze from the south- 

 ward sprung up about midnight ; yet a thin 

 crust of ice was formed on the pools of water 

 about the rocks. At daylight, the main body 

 of the ice was found to be closely packed 

 against the western shore, which extended 



