TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. Ol 
indicated its direction to be N. N. W. (true), and 
going at the rate of a quarter of a mile per hour. 
The ice forms still a compact barrier to the west- 
ward, so that it would be vain to attempt to force 
through it; we are, as usual, constantly surrounded by 
whales, unicorns, &c. and, within these two or. three 
days past, seals of the kind called by seamen saddle- 
back, from a dark-coloured stripe across their back. 
Thursday, 19th. — Nothing occurred during these 
two days past deserving of particular notice, the ice 
forming still a compact body to the westward, all that 
could be done. was to sail about along its edge, 
watching the first favourable change that might 
occur, to push through. Although that wished-for 
change has not yet taken place, there is every pros- 
pect to-day that it will soon happen ; for a strong 
breeze of wind sprang up last night from east by 
north (true), which already seems to have had some 
effect on the ice, as we found several loose streams, 
and detached pieces of it, scattered about to-day in 
all directions. It is probable then, that if the wind 
veers round to the northward and westward, we shall 
soon have a clear passage; for there is plenty of 
clear water between this and Baffin’s Bay to receive 
an immense quantity of ice. As we had some reason 
to hope, then, that this would soon take place, we got 
close in with the north land to-day, in order to be in 
readiness to start immediately an opening occurs, 
which it is presumed, from the direction of the wind, 
will take place between that coast and the ice. 
Friday, 20th. — We found to-day, that our antici- 
pations respecting the ice had turned out just as we 
wished ; for a narrow channel was discovered be- 
