HON. CAPTAIN PHIPPS. 309 



termed the main ice was connected with the a.d. 



1773. 



northern coast of Spitzbergen ; a point he had 

 before been unable to determine, in consequence 

 of the quantity of loose ice floating about. 



Two days' calm, succeeded by a thick fog, how- 

 ever, prevented the execution of this plan for 

 the time ; and, there being every appearance of 

 very boisterous weather, the ships put into Fair 

 Haven for shelter. 



Fair Haven is a name which has been given 

 (by the Dutch navigators) to all the anchorages 

 between Cloven Cliff and Amsterdam islands ; 

 but that part of it in which Phipps now anchored 

 is situated between Vogel Sang, Cloven Cliff, 

 and the Norways, and is sometimes called the 

 North Harbour. This is the most convenient 

 port in Spitzbergen for observing the motion 

 of the ice in the offing, which can be plainly dis- 

 covered from the hills or from the islands under 

 which the ships are anchored. 



The Norways are two islands, situated to the 

 north-east of Cloven Cliff, and have been used 

 by the Dutch whalers at various times for the 

 purpose of boiling their blubber previous to 

 their return home. There were several ships 

 anchored there at the time Captain Phipps put 

 into Fair Haven, but he does not appear to 

 have had any communication with them. 



