T H E P A G I F I C O C E A N. 455 



were feen clearly at inrervals, and we erot fome flyine ob- 1778. 



fervations tor tne longitude ; which, reduced to noon, when « — ,-— » 



the latitude was 70'' 33', gave 197** 41'.. The time-keeper^ 



for the fame time, gave 198°; and the variation was 



35° i' 2.1" Eaft. We had, afterward^ reafon to believe, that 



the obferved longitude was within a very few miles of the; 



truth* 



Some time before noon, we perceived a brigHtnefs in 

 the Northern horizon, like that refledled from ice, com- 

 monly called the blink. It was little noticed, from a fup- 

 pofuion that it was improbable we fiiould meet with ice io 

 foon* And yet, the fharpnefs of the air, and gloominefs of 

 the weather, for two or three days pafl, feemed to indicate 

 fome fuddcn change. About an hour after, the fight of a 

 large field of ice, left us no longer in doubt about the caufe 

 of the brightnefs of the horizon. At half pad two, we tack- 

 ed,, clofe to the edge of the ice, in twenty-two fathoms wa- 

 ter, being then in the latitude of 70° 41' ; not being able to- 

 fland on any farther. For the ice was quite impenetrable, and 

 extended from Weft by South, toEaft by North, as far as the 

 eye could reach. Here v;ere abundance of fea-horfes ; fome 

 in the water; but far more upon the ice. I had thoughts 

 of hoifting out the boats to kill fome ; but the wind freflien— 

 ing, I gave up thedefign ; and continued to ply to the South- 

 ward, or rather to the Weftward 5 for the wind came from, 

 that quarter. 



We gained nothing; for, on the i8th at noon, our lati- Tuefday iS,. 

 tude was 70" 44' ; and we were near five leagues farther to 

 the Eaftward. We were, at this time, clofe to the edge of the 

 ice, which was as compadt as a wall ; and feemed to be ixin. 

 ox twelve feet high at leaft.. Rut, farther North, . it appeared: 



much, 



..J 



