Davis 1 Straits. 65 



we must have bored through at least fifty miles of 

 pack ice. Had we been suddenly deprived of our 

 steam-power we should have been in a most unplea- 

 sant and precarious predicament. A sailing-vessel 

 would have occupied as many days as we did hours 

 to get through. The general course that we steered 

 throughout the day was about due east (true). 



This part of Davis' Straits, commonly known to 

 the whalers as the S.W. fishing-ground, has gene- 

 rally had the unenviable reputation of being a dan- 

 gerous neighbourhood, and one which it is most 

 desirable for a ship to get quickly clear of. My 

 own experience, during the last ten days, though 

 we have had unusually fine weather, impressed me 

 strongly that it was a locality which should, as 

 much as possible, be avoided by vessels without 

 steam-power. 



From the time these waters were first navigated, 

 ships have invariably encountered great dangers 

 and the crews much hardship in this dreary vi- 

 cinity. 



During Sir Martin Frobisher's third voyage to 

 these regions in the year 1578 it is related that the 

 barque " Dennis " of 100 tons " received such a 

 blow from a rock of yce, that she sunk down there- 

 with in sight of the whole fleet ;" after which fearful 

 catastrophe " a sudden terrible tempest arose from 

 the south-east, the ships weathering which became 

 encompassed on every side by yce, having left much 



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