Voyage to Hudeon's Bay. tf 



sible combination of words are few indeed to those of nature, 

 under all her variety of forms and colours. In a short time 

 we regained our vessel, when we retired, much gratified 

 with our evening's amusement. 



Monday, July the 20th. Weather continues very fine, 

 sky serene and calm; the horizon is covered on all sides with 

 ice, consisting for the most part of broken-up fields. About 

 twelve o'clock a light fair breeze sprung up, when the captain 

 gave orders to have more sail set. A person unaccustomed 

 to the navigation of these seas, would consider it as altogether 

 impossible that a ship could make any way when completely 

 beset with ice : still, however, when the breeze is fair, and the 

 flakes of ice not very large, it is astonishing what progress 

 she will make in the course of twenty-four hours. During 

 this operation of forcing through the ice, every man on board 

 has his place assigned him, while the captain takes his in the 

 most convenient one for observing when the ship approaches 

 very near the piece of ice directly a-head ; immediately on 

 the word being given, the ship is put about, and in less than 

 a minute is moving in a quite contrary direction. When a 

 " vein of water,"* as they term it, presents itself, they always 

 endeavour to avail themselves of it. 



Tuesday, July the 20th. Weather continues very fine, 

 wind fair ; forcing our way through huge masses of ice : 

 about two o'clock, the breeze dying away, we got fastened to 

 one of the principal icebergs. This island, I am certain, 

 could not be less man 300 feet high, and about a quarter of a 

 mile in circumference. The anchors which they use on these 

 occasions resemble very much an italic $ ; to one extremity a 

 cable is attached, while a hole is made in the ice for the purpose 

 of receiving the other. Being now completely at rest, we had 

 more leisure and more inclination to contemplate the very grand 

 and novel scene with which we were surrounded. The first 

 thing that engages the attention of the passing mariner, is the 

 majestic, as well as singular forms which the ice assumes in these 

 chilling regions. I have seen many of these immense masses 

 bear a very close resemblance to an ancient abbey with arched 

 doors and windows, and all the rich embroidery of the Gothic 

 style of architecture ; while others assume the appearance of 



* Navigating among icebergs in the gloom of night, has sometimes been 

 attended with fatal consequences. Occurring far from land, and in unex- 

 pected situations, the danger would be extreme, were they not providen- 

 tially rendered visible by their natural effulgence, which enables the ma- 

 riner to distinguish them at some distance, even in the darkest night, or 

 during the prevalence of the densest fog. See Scoresby on Polar lee. 



