120 
VOYAGE TO GREENLAND, 
pleasing. By the optical illusion seen in it, the 
clouds were here accurately reflected, and appeared 
to be at a depth equal to their altitude above the 
surface, while the splendour of their colours was 
much heightened, and every particle of their woolly 
foldings distinctly seen. An unicorn was observed 
near the ship, but the stillness of the weather, and 
the clearness of the water, prevented the boat 
which was sent, from getting near it. 
At seven o’clock in the morning, the 
July 9. extremely dense fog which had continued 
all yesterday cleared, and gave us an opportunity 
of seeing that a field, floes, and other heavy bodies 
of ice had been collected, and ranged around us on 
twenty -six points of the compass ; and that only 
one opening, a very narrow channel, termed a lead^ 
nearly in a direct line, appeared for us to escape 
through. It was fast closing, so that it was evident 
if we did not instantly proceed and get through 
this passage, we should certainly be beset. One 
ship not six miles from us, was observed to be then 
enclosed in a manner that made its situation very 
critical at least, and its release extremely uncertain. 
We fortunately got clear, but soon found other ob- 
stacles from an impenetrable barrier extending from 
the south-east, to the north-west. By observation, 
we found ourselves in latitude 73° 18' N. longitude 
9° W. A month had now been employed in every 
zealous endeavour to get to the westward, with the 
hope of there succeeding in the fishery, and in the 
fullest persuasion that the whales must have taken 
