26 
VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
these motives induce your particular attention to a 
branch of service, from which success will never fail 
to be derived, when the direction of it is skilfully 
executed/' 
At eight o’clock, we arrived at the ice, with an 
intention of entering it, if possible, and I was much 
struck with the massy pieces that formed the boun- 
dary of a deep bight, or bay ; one immense hum- 
mock was towering above the rest, being in the form 
of an irregular building, with a considerable hole 
through it, like a window. On passing the point 
near this hummock, the appearance of the ice was 
curious from the kregularity of the pieces which 
were lying in all directions, in different forms, and 
of various sizes, like the ruins of some immense 
city, which had been, overthrown by a convulsion of 
nature. To the westward of the point, another bay 
presented itself, of about two miles in depth, and 
four or five to the more distant points ; and in the 
centre was an island with a hummock, at least thirty 
feet high, resembling a temple. The horizon had 
a most brilliant ' appearance from the rays of the 
sun ; and I retired to rest about ten o’clock, leaving 
it shining about four degrees above the great line 
of distance. 
I arose about three o’clock, with the ex- 
Mav 8 
^ ' pectation that we should enter the ice, but 
the wind changing again to the south-east, and blow- 
ing strong, it was considered not prudent to under- 
take it : so we sailed off for some hours, and about 
four o’clock, approached it again, when I was sur- 
