288 ACCOUNT OF THE AliCTIC REGIONS. 



to the ice, have been known to perform a complete 

 revolution in a few hours ; and two ships beset a 

 few furlongs apart, within the most compact pack, 

 have sometimes been separated to the distance of se- 

 veral leagues within the space of two or three days, 

 notwithstanding the apparent continuity of the pack 

 remained unbroken ! 



On the 7th of May 1798, the Dundee of Lon^ 

 don, (then commanded by my Father,) while for- 

 cing to the northward on the most eligible course, 

 was suddenly stopped by a shift of wind, and en- 

 veloped by the ice at a very short distance from the 

 land. The Volunteer of Whitby, and three other 

 ships, were likewise arrested, a little way from the 

 Dundee. During the day, three Russian hunters 

 visited them, coming over the ice from the nearest 

 shore ; but as none of the crew could speak their 

 language, they were prevented from deriving any 

 information from them. 



The next day, a heavy gale of wind prevailed 

 from the north-west ; the frost was intense, and 

 much snow fell. The pressure of the ice was very 

 severe ; insomuch, that their iron-tiller was broken, 

 the siiip lifted above two feet, and forced within a 

 mile and a-half of the land. All the bay-ice was 

 squeezed upon the top of the heavy ice, and the 

 whole was rendered so compact, that they could not 

 find a hole sufficient to admit a lead, for the pur- 

 pose of ascertaining the depth of the water. They 



