14 Forced back to Spitsbergen. 



3 to 4 miles ; tliey are quite bold. The shoalest water we had 

 was 7 fathoms, at the distance of 50 3'ards. They would be 

 dangerous to strangers, as tliey would hardly be looked for at 

 that distance from land ; and without a good look-out they are 

 not to be seen till close upon them. 



11th. — We reached our former anchorage early this morning, 

 and found our party well, and in good spirits. 



The remainder of our stay in Spitzbergen was employed in 

 overhauling the ship's rigging, and preparing for the further 

 prosecution of our voyage. Our surveys of Fair Haven and the 

 adjoining islands corroborated that of Captain Beechey, which 

 was found, in every instance, to be remarkably correct ; but we 

 found them ihuch at variance with that of Captain Phipps. 

 Captain Sabine, besides completing the observations on the pen- 

 dulum, measured the height of the nearest accessible hill, both 

 barometrically and trigonometrically, the results agreeing with- 

 in two feet. 



During our stay our sportsmen were very successful, and we 

 killed nearly fifty reindeer, which gave us an ample supply of 

 fresh provisions. Fair Haven has been so often visited and 

 described as to render any remarks of mine unnecessary. 



IV. From Spitzbergen to the East Coast of. Old Greenland — 

 Exploration from Cape Parry to Rosncath Inlet — Meet- 

 ing xuith the Natives — Account erf tliem — Finally quit the 

 Coast and return to England. 



The observations * having been completed, every thing was 

 re-embarked on the 22d June. 



Wednesday 23d. — Although a considerable fall in the baro- 

 meter indicated an approaching gale, upon opening the point 

 of Hackluyts Head we experienced some heavy squalls, with 

 a head sea; and finding we could not beat up to Sraeeren- 

 berg, bore up for our former anchorage, where we remained 

 till the 24)th, when ^ve again sailed with favourable weather, 

 passing through Smeerenberg Sound. We sounded occasion- 

 ally with the hand-lead, in the middle of the channel ; no bot- 

 tom. At a mile distant from the west shore, we had from 

 5 to 20 fathoms ; at sJK rounded the S. E. point of Danes' 



• Latitude of Observatory 79" 49' 58" N. Longitude WW 30'' E. 



