i^'o 



224 cook's VOYAGE TO JULY, 



We continued our course to the north north-east, 

 along the edge of the ice, during the remaining part 

 of the day, passing through many loose pieces that 

 had been broken off from the main body, and against 

 which, notwithstanding all our caution, the ships were 

 driven with great violence. At eight o'clock in the 

 evening we passed some drift wood, and at midnight 

 the wind shifted to the north-west ; the thermometer 

 fell from 38° to 31°, and we had continued showers of 

 snow and sleet. 



On the 8th, at five in the morning, the wind coming 

 still more to the northward, we could no longer keep 

 on the same tack, on account of the ice, but were 

 obliged to stand to the westward. At this time our 

 soundings had decreased to nineteen fathoms, from 

 which, on comparing it with our observations on the 

 depth of water last year, we concluded that we were 

 not at a greater distance from the American shore 

 than six or seven leagues ; but our view was confined 

 within a much shorter compass by a violent fall of 

 snow. At noon, the latitude by account was 69° 21', 

 longitude 192° 42'. At two in the afternoon the 

 weather cleared up, and we found ourselves close to 

 an expanse of what appeared from the deck solid ice ; 

 but from the mast head it was discovered to be com- 

 posed of huge compact bodies, close and united 

 toward the outer edge, but in the interior parts 

 several pieces were seen floating in vacant spaces of 

 the water. It extended from north-east by the north 

 to west south-west. We bore away by the edge of it 

 to the southward, that we might get into clearer 

 water ; for the strong northerly winds had drifted 

 down such quantities of loose pieces, that we had 

 been for some time surrounded by them, and could 

 not avoid striking against several, notwithstanding we 

 reefed the topsails and stood under an easy sail. 



On the 9th we had a fresh gale from the north 

 north-west, with heavy showers of snow and sleet. 

 The thermometer was in the night-time 28°, and at 



