THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 257 



midfl of loofe ice, and clofe in with the main body; we x ~79- 



therefore flood upon a wind, which was flill Eaflerly, and * *—-> 



kept beating to windward during the night, in hopes of 

 weathering the loofe pieces, which the freflmefs of the 

 wind kept driving down upon us in fuch quantities, that 

 we were in manifefl danger of being blocked up by them. 



In the morning of the 23d, the clear water, in which we Frid >y 2 > 

 continued to fland to and fro, did not exceed a mile and a 

 half, and was every inflant lefTening. At length, after 

 ufing our utmoft endeavours to clear the loofe ice, we were 

 driven to the neceflity of forcing a pafTage to the Southward, 

 which, at half pad feven, we accomplished, but not with- 

 out fubjeeting the fhip to fome very fevere fhocks. The 

 Difcovery was lefs fuccefsful. For, at eleven, when they 

 had nigh got clear out, fhe became fo entangled by feveral 

 large pieces, that her way was flopped, and immediately 

 dropping bodily to leeward, fhe fell, broadfidc foremofl, on 

 the edge of a confiderable body of ice ; and having, at the 

 fame time, an open fea to windward, the furf caufed her to 

 flrikc violently upon it. This mafs at length either fo far 

 broke, or moved, as to fet them at liberty to make another 

 trial to efcape ; but, unfortunately, before the fhip gathered 

 way enough to be under command, fhe again fell to lee- 

 ward on another fragment ; and the fwell making it unfafe 

 to lie to windward, and finding no chance of getting clear, 

 they pufhed into a fmall opening, furled their fails, and 

 made fafl with ice-hooks. 



In this dangerous fituation we faw them at noon, about 

 three miles from us, bearing North Weil, a frefli gale from 

 the South Eafl driving more ice to the North Weft, and in- 

 creafing the body that lay between us. Our latitude, by 



Vol. III. L 1 account. 



