POLAR-ICE.— i-DRIFTING. 291 



situiatioii, has a constant tendency to drift to the 

 south-westward. Near Spitzbergen, indeed, this 

 tendency is not usually observed ; because the influ- 

 ence of the tide, eddies, peculiar pressures, &c. some- 

 times produce a contrary effect ; but at a distance 

 from land, its universal prevalence can be illustrat- 

 ed by numerous facts of almost annual occurrence. 

 Some of these facts have already been given ; one 

 more shall suffice. 



In the beginning of May 1814, we entered with 

 the ship Esk of Whitby, a spacious opening of the 

 ice, in latitude 78° 10', longitude 4° E., to a distance 

 of ten or twelve leagues from the exterior, wherein 

 we were tempted to stay, from the appearance of a 

 great number of whales. On the 9th of JNIay, the 

 weather, which had previously been stormy, mode- 

 rated, when, the frost being severe, the ship was soon 

 fixed in bay-ice. At the same time, the external 

 sheets of ice on the north-east wheeled to the south, 

 and forming a junction with the ice south-east from 

 us, completely enclosed us. Until the l6th, we 

 lay immoveable ; a break of the bay-ice then appear- 

 ed about half a mile from us, to attain which we la- 

 boured vdth energy, and in eight hours accomplish- 

 ed a passage for the ship. On the 18th, we pursu- 

 ed the same opening to its eastern extremity, and 

 endeavoured, but without success, to force through 

 a narrow neck of ice, into another opening leading 

 farther in the same direction. On the 20th, in at- 



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