ArrUOXIMATlONS TOWARDS THE POLES. 313 



ice, between the E. N. E. and S. E. points, with- 

 in thirty miles, or limited by land within 60 or 

 even 100 miles of the place of the ship. 



Had the purport of our voyage been discovery, 

 instead of whale-fishing, we should certainly have 

 been enabled to add something more to our know- 

 ledge of the Globe, by the exploration of a region 

 seldom attainable. Discovery, however, being only 

 in a limited degree compatible with our object, consi- 

 derations of safety and prudence induced our return. 

 Our situation was solitary indeed. No ship, or hu- 

 man being, it is believed, was within 340 miles of 

 us. We, doubtless, occupied the most northerly 

 situation of any individuals in the world. The sea 

 began to freeze, and threatened our detention. We 

 had made no progress in the fishery ; nor could we 

 find any whales : and the sailors began to be anxious, 

 fearful, and troublesome. Such were the considera- 

 tions that induced us to return. 



We now proceeded to the south-west, at a dis- 

 tance from the ice that we examined on our ad- 

 vance. On the 24th, at noon, we were in latitude 

 81° 1' 5S'\ longitude 17° 30' E. 



Having run to the south-west about 120 miles, 

 Hakluyt's Headland was seen, bearing S. E. dis- 

 tant 19 or 20 leagues. On penetrating a body of 

 open ice encompassing the Headland, we saw a 

 whale, and pursued it with all our boats, but with- 

 out success. From hence we steered to the west- 



