202 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



feeble sides. A partial opening, however, 

 occurring, we landed without having sus- 

 tained any serious injury. Two men were 

 then sent round the bay, and it was ascer- 

 tained that instead of having entered a 

 narrow passage between an island and the 

 main, we were at the mouth of a harbour, 

 having an island at its entrance ; and that 

 it was necessary to return by the way we 

 came, and get round a point to the north- 

 ward. This was, however, impracticable, 

 the channel being blocked up by drift ice ; 

 and we had no prospect of release except 

 by a change of wind. This detention was 

 extremely vexatious, as we were losing a 

 fair wind, and expending our provision. In 

 the afternoon the weather cleared up, and 

 several men went hunting, but were unsuc- 

 cessful. During the day the ice floated 

 backwards and forwards in the harbour, 

 moved by currents, not regular enough to 

 deserve the name of tide, and which ap- 

 peared to be governed by the wind. We 

 perceived great diminution by melting in 

 the pieces near us. That none of this ice 



