254 A VOYAGE TO 



1779- Setting us on toward the land. The depth of the water, at 



July. ° * 



« , > midnight, was twenty fathoms. 



Wedncf. 21. At eight in the morning of the 21ft, the wind freshening, 

 and the fog clearing away, we faw the American coaft to 

 the South Eaft, at the diftance of eight or ten leagues, and 

 hauled in for it ; but were flopped again by the ice, and 

 obliged to bear away to the Weft ward, along the edge of it. 

 At noon, the latitude, by account, was 69 34', and longi- 

 tude 1 93 , and the depth of water twenty- four fathoms. 



Thus, a connected, folid field of ice, rendering every ef- 

 fort we could make to a nearer approach to the land fruit- 

 lcfs, and joining, as we judged, to it, we took a lafl farewel 

 of a North Eaft pafTage to Old England. I fhall beg leave to 

 give, in Captain Clerke's own words, the reafons of this his 

 final determination, as w r ellas of his future plans; and this 

 the rather, as it is the laft transaction his health permitted 

 him to write down. 



" It is now impoflible to proceed the lead farther to the 

 <c Northward upon this coaft (America); and it is equally 

 *' as improbable that this amazing mafs of ice mould be 

 " diflblved by the few remaining fummer- weeks which will 

 " terminate this fcai'on ; but it will continue, it is to be be- 

 " lieved, as it now is, an insurmountable barrier to every 

 " attempt we can poflibly make. I, therefore, think it the 

 " bcil Hen that can be taken, for the good of the fervice, to 

 " trace the fca over to the A funic coaft, and ro try if I can find 

 " any opening, that will admit me farther North; if not, to 

 t( fee what more is to be done upon that coaft; where I hope, 

 " yet cannot much flatter myfelf, to meet with better fuc-. 

 " cefsj for the fea is now fo choaked with ice, that a paf- 

 " fage, 1 fear, is totally out of the queftion. ' 



