316 HON. CAPTAIN PHIPPS. 



a.d. They were at this time among the group called 

 1 77Q 



the Seven Islands, and were surrounded by ice, 



to which it was found necessary to moor the 

 ships with ice anchors. Captain Lutwidge and 

 the master of the Racehorse went on shore and 

 ascended a mountain, from whence they com- 

 manded a prospect of ten or twelve leagues 

 to the north-eastward, and found the sea so 

 covered that " it presented a plain of smooth, 

 unbroken ice, bounded only by the horizon." 

 To use Captain Lutwidge's own words : " Here 

 (from the top of the hill) I had an extensive 

 view of the sea to the eastward, which was 

 entirely frozen over, not like the ice we had 

 hitherto coasted, but a flat even surface as far 

 as the eye could reach, which was undoubtedly 

 ten leagues at least ; a compact body of ice 

 joined to all the islands and lands in sight, 

 and no appearance of water except a few streams 

 in the direction which the ships came in." 



The main body of ice which the ships had 

 traced from the westward joined the Seven 

 Islands, and extended from them to the north- 

 east point of the mainland, thus shutting out 

 all prospect of the expedition being able to 

 proceed further. 



This unpromising prospect from so elevated a 

 situation determined Captain Phipps to endeavour 



