134 PASSAGE DOWN 



1824. surf was heard;, and the fog being very heavy, 

 Sept. the boats were lowered to tow our head oif the 

 supposed shore, but the sky was suddenly 

 cleared by the breeze, and no land was seen in 

 any direction. A narrow and agitated eddy 

 was now observed to whirl quickly past the 

 ship, and we then found that the noise had 

 proceeded from its motion. Whence this 

 could have come, so as to retain such velo- 

 city at so great a distance from the land, I 

 cannot conceive. The breeze increased slowly 

 from the north-eastward, but as we were un- 

 certain where we had drifted in the recent 

 calm, I lay to for the night, and at daylight on 

 the 29th made sail east to discover the land. 

 At noon we obtained observations, and in the 

 evening made the coast, which we neared suf- 

 ficiently before dark, to discern to be the North 

 Bluff, from whence at eight P.M. we took a 

 departure, and steered south-east. Along the 

 shore a great number of very large bergs were 

 observed, apparently aground, as if driven to 

 the northern land by the recent southerly 

 winds. 



We sailed past several during the night, 

 which was exceedingly bright and fine, the 

 stars shining with uncommon brilliancy, and 

 the Aurora being unusually splendid. 



