246 AVOYAGETO 



yj had been broken off from the main body, and againft which 



' r — ' notwithstanding all our caution, the fhips were driven with 



great violence. At eight o'clock in the evening, we patted 

 ibme drift wood •, and at midnight the wind fhifted to the 

 North Weft; the thermometer fell from 38 to 31% and we 

 had continued mowers of fnow and fleet. 



Thurfda.vs. On the 8th, at five in the morning, the wind coming (till 

 more to the Northward, wc could no longer keep on the 

 fame tack, on account of the ice, but were obliged to Hand 

 to the Wclhvard. At this time our foundings had decreafed 

 to nineteen fathoms, from which, on comparing it with 

 our obfervations on the depth of water laft year, we con- 

 cluded, that we were not at a greater diftance from the 

 American fhorc than fix or feven leagues ; but our view was 

 confined within a much fhorter compafs, by a violent fall 

 of fnow. At noon, the latitude, by account, was 6<f 21' 

 longitude 192° 4a'. At two in the afternoon, the weather 

 cleared up, and we found ourfelves clofe to an expanfe of 

 what appeared from the deck folid ice ; but, from the maft- 

 head, it was difcovcred to be compofed of huge compact 

 bodies, clofe and united toward the outer edge, but in the 

 interior parts, fevcral pieces were feen floating in vacant 

 fpaces of the water. It extended from North Eaft by the 

 North to Weft South Weft. We bore away by the edge of it, 

 to the Southward, that we might get into clearer water; 

 for the flrong Northerly winds had drifted down fuch 

 quantities of loofe pieces, that we had been, for fome 

 time, furrounded by them, and could not avoid ftriking 

 againft fevcral, notwithstanding wc reefed the toplails, and 

 flood under an cafy fail. 



Fridays On the oth, we had a frefh gale from the North North 



Weft, with heavy fhowers of fnow and fleet. The thcrmo- 



3 meter 



