210 Thirty Years 
but it appears they haunt every part of this country 
in defiance of climate. Mr. Back made an excursion 
to a hill at seven or eight miles distance, and from its 
summit he perceived the ice close to the shore as far 
as his view extended. 
On the morning of the 29th the party attended di- 
vine service. About noon the ice appearing less com- 
pact, we embarked to change our situation, having 
consumed all the fuel within our reach. The wind 
came off the land just as the canoes had started, and 
we determined on attempting to force a passage along 
the shore ; in which we fortunately succeeded, after 
seven hours’ labor and much hazard to our frail ves- 
‘sels. The ice lay so close that the crews disembarked 
on it, and effected a passage by bearing against the 
pieces with their polés ; but in conducting the canoes 
through the narrow channels thus formed, the great- 
est care was requisite, to prevent the sharp projecting 
points from breaking the bark. They fortunately re- 
ved no material injury, though they were split ii 
two places. 
At the distance of three miles, we came to tne en- 
trance of a deep bay, whose bottom was filled by a 
body of ice so compact as to preclude the idea of a 
passage through it ; whilst at the same time, the tra- 
verse across its mouth was attended with much dan- 
ger, from the approach of a large field of ice, which 
