20 
VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
half past seven o’clock, a closely connected stream^ 
of ice was seen from the deck, which, as we ap- 
proached, assumed the appearance of a naval port, 
extending from south-west to north, as far as the 
eye could reach. It bore also the semblance of 
lofty ships, turreted and spired churches, and mag- 
nificent buildings. At nine, we ran close to an 
impenetrable barrier of close-packed ice, composed 
of massive hummocks^, thrown up by some pressure 
or force, and resembling fragments of rock. Ther- 
mometer 14°. 
The wind having changed during the 
night, I found on coming upon deck, that 
a gentle breeze from the eastward was taking us to 
the side of a range of ice, which it was presumed 
extended to the land, though probably at the dis- 
tance of one hundred miles. The fineness and 
beauty of the morning, with still water, yielded a 
comfort I had scarcely experienced for the last 
five days ; and being relieved from the continuance 
of that dreadful visitation of sickness, I had leisure 
to view with delight a bold barrier of ice, grand 
beyond conception, to one who had never before 
visited the frozen world. At nine o’clock, a ship 
under a considerable pressure of sail, crossed our 
track, as if to be before us in success, and fearlessly 
went into the ice; four others had been seen to 
* A number of pieces of ice joined together, forming a continued 
ridge, and running in any particular direction. . 
t Pieces of ice thrown up by pressure from large fragments 
coming in contact. 
