[ 112 ] 
greffive motion of. thefe iflands, and the long time 
which, he thinks, they take up in diffolving. For, 
admitting his hypothecs to be true, and that there 
were no other iflands of ice but what came out of 
this bay ; not only Hudfon’s Straits, but even all the 
adjacent fea would in a very few years be fo entirely 
choaked up with them, that it would be impoflible 
to force a ffiip amongfl them, could a matter of one 
be found fo imprudent as to venture ; which mutt 
be inevitable deftru&ion. The truth is, their motion 
and diflblution are apparently fo very quick, that I 
am of opinion it mutt be a pretty large ifland which 
is not diflolved in one lummer. How Capt. Middle- 
ton could drop into luch a palpable miftake, is very 
difficult to fay : he moft certainly had as great an 
opportunity of informing hirafelf of the truth of 
what he wrote on this fubje<tt, as any perfon what- 
ever; and in this cafe had not the leaft inducement, 
whatever he might be thought to have in others, to 
fpeak contrary to his knowledge. 
? July 29th. At 1 5 h . we hauled the wind to the 
fouthward, the ice being quite thick a-head of us. 
At 19 h. hauled the wind to the N. W. and ttood 
through the ledge of ice, as, for aught that appeared 
to the contrary, it might reach quite to Cape Wal- 
fingham, which now bore S.W. It confifted of large 
pieces clofe jambed together: in the place where we 
attempted to pals through, it was not quite fo clofe. 
It is really very curious to fee a (hip working amongfl: 
ice. Every man on board has his place affigned 
him; and the captain takes his in the molt conve- 
nient one for feeing when the £hip approaches very 
near the piece of ice which is diredtly a-head of her, 
which 
