62 JOURNAL. 



Auguft. North Eaft wind. There was not the fmalleft appearance 

 of open water, except a little towards the Well point of 

 the North Eaft land. The feven iflands and North Eaft 

 land, with the frozen Tea, formed almoft a bafon, leaving 

 but about four points opening for the ice to drift out, 

 in cafe of a change of wind. 



3d. The weather very fine, clear, and calm ; we per- 

 ceived that the ftiips had been driven far to the Eaft- 

 ward ; the ice was much clofer than before, and the 

 pafl'age by which we had come in from the Weftward 

 clofed up, no open water being in fight, either in that 

 or any other quarter. The pilots having exprefl!ed a wifli 

 to get if poflible farther out, the (hips companies were 

 fet to work at five in the morning, to cut a pafl'age through 

 the ice, and warp through the fmall openings to the 

 Weftward. We found the ice very deep, having fawed 

 fometimes through pieces twelve feet thick. This labour 

 was continued the whole day, but without any fuccefs ; 

 our utmoft efforts not having moved the ftiips above three 

 hundred yards to the Weftward through the ice, at the 

 fame time that they had been driven (together with the 

 ice itfelf, to which they were faft) far to the N E and 

 Eaftward, by the current ; which had alfo forced the loofe 

 ice from the Weftward, between the iflands, where it 

 became packed, and as firm as the main body. 



4th. 



