^2 JOURNAL. 



July. weather to run to the Weftward, and found the ice quite 

 foHd there; I then ftood through every opening to the 

 Northward, but there alfo foon got to the edge of the- 

 fohd ice. I was forced to haul up to weather a point 

 which ran out from it. After I had weathered that, the- 

 ice clofing fall upon me, obhged me to fet the forefail, 

 which, with the frefh wind and fmooth water, gave the 

 fhip fuch way as to force through it with a violent ftroke.. 

 At one in the afternoon, immediately on getting out inta 

 the open fea, we found a heavy fwell fetting to the North- 

 ward; though amongft the ice, the minute before, the 

 water had been as fmooth as a mill pond. The wind blew 

 ftrong at S S W. The ice, as far as we could fee from 

 the mafl: head, lay E N E : we fleered that courfe clofe 

 to it, to look for an opening to the Northward. I now 

 began to conceive that the ice was one compact impene- 

 trable body, having run along it from Eaft to Weft above 

 ten degrees. I purpofed however to ftand over to the 

 Eaftward, in order to afcertain whether the- body of ice- 

 joined to Spitibergen. This the quantity of loofe ice had 

 before rendered impradicable ; but thinking the Wefterly 

 winds might probably by this time have packed it all that 

 way, I flattered myfelf v/ith the hopes of meeting with 

 no obflrudion till I fhould come to where it joined the 

 land ; and in cafe of an opening, however fmall, I was 

 determined at all events to pufli through it. The weather 

 clearer, and the land in fight. 



iith. 



