PROCEED TOWARDS GREENLAND. 117 



of finding ourselves again in a clear sea, after 

 having been three weeks encircled by ice, ex- 

 tending to the horizon in every direction. The 

 pleasure we felt at again having our vessels 

 under command cannot be equalled by any 

 arising from the ordinary occurrences of a mari- 

 time life. They at first appeared to bound 

 through the water, and every passing wave 

 brought w 7 ith it a peculiar gratification. As we 

 increased our distance from our icy prison we 

 observed a wide channel leading to the east- 

 ward, between the land and the ice, which would 

 probably have enabled us to advance nearly as 

 far as the Seven Islands. But this route had 

 been attempted several times, and had always 

 occasioned disappointment, and ended in great 

 difficulty in extricating the ships. 



Captain Buchan did not therefore bestow upon 

 it a second thought ; but, on the contrary, being 

 of opinion that he had given the ice a fair trial 

 in the vicinity of Spitzberc/en, and that it was 

 utterly useless to persevere any longer in a 

 northern direction from thence, he determined 

 upon examining the ice towards Greenland ; and, 

 in the event of finding it equally impenetrable 

 there, to proceed round the south cape of Spitz- 

 bergen, and make an attempt between that 

 island and Nova Zembla. 



