POLAR-ICE. — ANNUAL SITUATION. 279 



of May, which, producing a heavy swell from the 

 northward, annihilated most of the bay-ice in one 

 day. The retreat of the whales was soon afterwards 

 attained, and the fishery proved partially successful. 

 At the close of the season, an isthmus of ice stretch- 

 ed 50 or 60 miles from the main western body to 

 the eastward, the extremity of which lay in longi- 

 tude IS*^ 30' E. 



The season of 1811 was uncommonly close. 

 Though the most arduous exertions were made by 

 the fishers for four or five weeks, few ships passed 

 the barrier before the 26tli of May. AV hales occur- 

 red in great plenty, and the fisheiy was generally 

 good. During the stay of the ships, a pack of 

 heavy ice, formed between them and the land, join- 

 ing the main ice in the 80th degree of north lati- 

 tude, and preserving its continuity in a southerly di- 

 rection, with a breadth of 15 to 20 leagues, as far 

 as latitude 73 » 40'. In latitude 77° 30', it approach ; 

 ed the main ice within a few miles, but still leaving 

 a channel leading in a south-westerly direction to 

 seaward. This channel, however,^was so narrow, 

 that the majority of the ships did not discover it, 

 but forced throtigh the eastern pack, and then per- 

 formed the passage to the southward along its east- 

 ern margin. 



A season more singularly close than this occurred 

 in 1812. The barrier consisted of a compact body 

 of floes and fields. In each of the preceding years. 



