HON. CAPTAIN PHIPPS. 321 



August 7th, Captain Phipps set out with the a.d. 



1773 



Launch, and by noon the crew had succeeded in 

 dragging her two miles. About this time the 

 ice about the ships beginning to open, and a 

 breeze springing up from the eastward, the sails 

 were set, which had the effect of moving the 

 ships about a mile to the westward in the course 

 of the day. Still there was no certainty of libe- 

 rating them, and Captain Phipps determined 

 upon dragging the boats to the edge of the 

 packed ice, keeping sail upon the ships at the 

 same time, and if on the 14th instant they were 

 not clear, upon finally abandoning them, and 

 proceeding in his boats direct to Fair Haven. 



On the 8th the people worked hard at the 

 boats, and succeeded in moving them three miles. 

 The weather was foggy, so that they could form 

 no correct idea of what effect had been produced 

 upon the ships by the sails, but it was evident 

 by what could be discovered of the land, that 

 they were moving slowly in the desired direction ; 

 and what rendered the prospect more cheering 

 was, the advantage they were deriving from a 

 current in their favour. In the afternoon of the 

 following day the fog cleared off, and they were 

 agreeably surprised to find that the ships had 

 been drifted a considerable distance to the west- 

 ward, and that the ice began to slacken, so that 



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