276 A VOYAGE TO 



17-9. guft, in latitude 69^°, and longitude 184. , we were obftructed 



July, 



i__ by it in fuch quantities, as made it impollible for us to paf3 



either to the North or Weft, and obliged us to run along the 

 edge of it to the South South Weft, till we faw land, which 

 we afterward found to be the coaft of Afia. With the feafon 

 thus far advanced, the weather fetting in with mow and fleet, 

 and other figns of approaching winter, we abandoned our 

 cnterprize for that time. 



In this fecond attempt, we could do little more than con- 

 firm the obfervations we had made in the firft ; for we were 

 never able to approach the continent of Afia higher than the 

 latitude of 67", nor that of America in any parts, excepting 

 a few leagues between the latitude of 68° and 68° 20',. that 

 were not feen the laft year. We were now obftructed by 

 ice 3* lower, and our endeavours to pufh farther to the 

 Northward, were principally confined to the mid-ipace be- 

 tween the two coafts. We penetrated near 3 farther, on the 

 American fide than on the Afiatic, meeting with the ice 

 both years fooner, and in greater quantities, on the latter 

 coaft. As we advanced North, we it ill found the ice more 

 compact and folid ; yet as, in our different traverfes from 

 fide to fide, we pafied over (paces which had before been 

 covered with it, we conjectured, that moll of what we faw 

 was moveable. Its height, on a medium, we took to be 

 from eight to ten feet, and that of the higheft to have been 

 fixteen or eighteen. We again tried the currents twice, and 

 found them unequal, but never to exceed one mile an hour. 

 By comparing the reckoning with the obfervations, we alio 

 found the currentto let different ways, yet more from theSouth 

 Weft than any other quarter ; but whatever their direction 

 might be, their effect was fo trifling, that no conclulions, re- 



fpecting 



