4^0 AVOYAGETO 



•778- It is worth obfcrving, that for fome days before this date, 



V , -^-'_f we had frequently fcen flocks of ducks flying to the South- 

 ward. They were of two forts, the one much larger than 

 the otlier. The largcft were of a brown colour j and, of the 

 fmall fort, either the duck or drake was black and white, 

 and the other brown. Some faid they faw geefe alfo. Does 

 not this indicate that there muft be land to the North; 

 where thefe birds find flicker, in the proper feafon, to breed, 

 and from whence they were now returning to a warmer 

 climate ? 



By the time that we had got our fea-horfes on board, we 

 were, in a manner, furrounded with the ice ; and had no 

 way left to clear it, but by ftanding to the Southward; 

 Thurfday2o. wliich was douc till three o'clock next morning, with a 

 gentle breeze wefterly ; and, for the moll part, thick, foggy 

 weather. The foundings were from twelve to fifteen fa- 

 thoms. We then tacked, and flood to the North till ten 

 o'clock ; when the wind veering to the Northward, we di- 

 rcAed our courfe to the Weft South Weft and Weft. At two 

 in the afternoon, we fell in with the main ice ; along the 

 edge of which we kept ; being partly diretflcd by the roaring 

 of the fea-horfes; for we had a very thick fog. Thus we 

 continued failing till near midnight, when we gotinamongft 

 the loofe ice, and heard the furge of the fea upon the main 

 ice. 



The fog being very thick, and the wind Eaflerly, I now 

 Friday 21. haulcd to thc Southward ; and, at ten o'clock the next morn- 

 ing, the fog clearing away, wc faw the continent of America,, 

 extending from South by Eaft, to Eaft by South ; and at 

 noon, from South Weft half South, to Eaft; thc neareft part 

 five leagues diftant. At this time we were in the latitude 

 I of 



