128 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
the afternoon made fast to a hummock of ice aground 
about a cable’s length from the shore, and nearly in 
the same place that we started from in the morning. 
We had not been fast above two hours when it was 
observed that the ice was closing in upon us; to 
avoid therefore getting jammed between it and the 
land, we cast off again, and kept sailing about during 
the remainder of the night, wherever we could find 
clear water. 
Saturday, 18th. —It froze so hard during the 
night, that at six o’clock this morning the ships were 
regularly beset in the bay-ice: we tried to send the 
boats to a piece of ice aground near the shore, with 
a hawser to make the ship fast to it, but it was found 
that the young ice was already too strong for them 
to get through it. We were therefore obliged to let 
go an anchor in thirty-nine fathoms’ water, to prevent 
our being carried to the westward (amongst the 
heavy ice) by a strong tide or current which was set- 
ting in that direction. It now appeared, from the 
effects of last night, and indeed from the state of the 
weather for this week past, that the winter had at 
length fairly set in, and that, unless some strenuous 
exertions were made, we were likely to get beset 
here for the winter, and as far as appearances go, 
we could not be caught in a less desirable place, for 
it is a completely exposed coast, without a bay, or 
even a projection of any kind in the land to afford 
the least shelter. . 
After duly considering all these circumstances, 
then, it will be seen that prolonged attempts to prose- 
cute the voyage any further this season, would be 
endangering the safety of the ships, and that too 
18 
