356 CAPTAIN CARTWRIGHT'S 



opinion, from having had the new ice cut through 

 to creep for seal-nets, when we have found sev- 

 eral feet of soft lolly underneath; all of which 

 has been cemented into firm ice before it broke 

 up in the following spring. The breaking up of 

 Baffin's Bay, Hudson's Bay, the bays in Labra- 

 dor, and the tickles between the numerous islands, 

 all contribute their quota; and the sea is so com- 

 pletely subdued by it some certain winters, that 

 I am of opinion, there is not a drop of clear water 

 to be met with any where between Spotted Island 

 and Iceland; nor on the north-west side of that 

 line ; for I have known gales of wind to blow dead 

 on the shore, and to last for three days, yet the 

 ice which joined to the land, had no more motion, 

 than the rocks to which it was frozen; that was 

 scarce possible to have happened, had there been 

 any open water to windward. 



Dews are so little known in this country, that 

 I seldom observed any, unless there had been a 

 fog in the night; and, during every hot day in 

 summer, a vapour appears to skim along the sur- 

 face of all open grounds, which resembles that of 

 an intense, red hot fire, and prevents the distin- 

 guishing of an object at a distance. I do 

 not recollect to have observed the same in Eng- 

 land. 



During the summer, travelling by land to any 

 distant place, is not only very unpleasant, but it 

 is almost impracticable. It must be performed 

 on foot; the traveller must carry his provisions, 

 hatchet, and what other things he has occasion for 



