220 THE LAND-FLOE. 



get out upon the ice and force the boats through in 

 various ways, but all was of little use ; we got over 

 perhaps three miles by these means, but at last came 

 to the land-floe, which had never moved, and through 

 which, in its present state, there was no hope of 

 passing. It was, however, very much honeycombed, 

 and a great deal of water from the melted snow lay 

 upon it, which gave us good prospects of its speedy 

 disruption. We again secured to the shore, and were 

 visited by the people of twelve tents, which were on 

 the bank a quarter of a mile distant ; great numbers 

 assembled around us, noisy and wondering enough, 

 but quite pacific ; their visit was retmiied by an 

 inspection of their tents, which gave them great 

 delight ; dancing and drumming were practised as 

 usual, and they were made quite happy by the dis- 

 tribution of presents, the scene ending with a scramble, 

 which was highly diverting. Towards night the floe 

 began to break up and drift away ; the chaimel, to 

 our joy, clearing fast. 



The booming of a distant cannon announcing the 

 approach of a vessel from the southward, Mr, Pullen 

 started to meet her, and soon after we saw the spars 

 of the " Nancy " peeping over the southern point. 



During the absence of our commander I went on 

 shore to examine the sea to the eastward. In Elson 



