456 A VOYAGE TO 



«778. much hieher. Its furface was extremely rugged ; and, here 

 •,^ ^. , and there, we law upon it pools or water. 



We now flood to the Southward ; and, after running fix 

 leagues, ihoaled the water to feven fathoms ; but it fooa 

 deepened to nine fathoms. At this time, the weather, which 

 •had been hazy, clearing up a little, we faw land extending 

 from South to South Eaft by Eaft, about three or four miles 

 •diftant. The Eaftern extreme forms a point, which was 

 much incumbered with ice ; for which reafon it obtained 

 the name oi Icy Cape, its latitude is 70° 29', and its longi- 

 tude 198° 20'. The other extreme of the land was loft in the 

 horizon ; fo that there can be no doubt of its being a conti- 

 nuation of the American continent. The Difcovery being 

 about a mile aftern, and to leeward, found lefs water than 

 we did ; and tacking on that account, I was obliged to tack 

 alfo, to prevent feparation. 



Our fituation was now more and more critical. We were 

 in flioal water, upon a lee fhore ; and the main body of the 

 ice to windward, driving down upon us. It was evident, 

 that, if we remained much longer between it and the land, 

 it would force us afliore j unlcfs it fliould happen to take the 

 ground before us. It feemed nearh' to join the land to lee- 

 ward ; and the only direiftion that was open, was to the 

 South Weft. After making a fhort board to the Northward, 

 I made the fignal for the Difcovery to tack, and tacked my- 

 felf at the fame time. The wind proved rather favourable j 

 fo that we lay up South Weft, and South Weft by Weft. 



Wednef. 19. At ciglu in the morning of the igrh, the wind veering 

 back to Weft, I tacked to the Northward ; and, at noon, the 

 latitude was 70" 6', and the longitude 196' 42'. In this fi- 

 tuation, we had a good deal of drift-ice about us ; and the 



maia 



