144 
VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
impenetrable barrier, with its boundary on each 
side presenting impediments wholly unconquerable. 
The ice forming this bay, from some cause, known 
only to Him who gives laws to the universe, indi- 
cated a general movement ; and we lost no time in 
beating out ; when this was accomplished, we sailed 
to the southward. In this proceeding a very rapid 
movement of the ice became evident, obstacles 
kept increasing that caused us much alarm, and 
prevented us from keeping our course ; from pru- 
dence, as well as necessity, we were obliged to 
pay deference to these immense bodies of ice, by 
making room for them to pass, particularly, as a 
dense fog was coming on that soon prevented our 
seeing fifty yards from the ship. The fog continu- 
ing, the ship was moored to a floe piece of ice, on 
which was a fine pool of water, from whence 
several casks were filled for the ship’s use : this 
water was of the finest quality possible, having been 
produced by the melted snow^ and ice, and from its 
not containing animalculae, it had the property of 
keeping for any length of time. 
Still wrapped in the thickest mist : just 
July 22 . prayers it was discovered 
that floes of ice were surrounding us in a manner 
which excited considerable alarm ; every exertion 
was made to free ourselves, and happily, we found 
a space of water where the ship could for a time float 
in safety. 
The weather was perfectly calm, with 
July 23 . extremely dense fog ; and the sounds 
of crashing ice gave threatenings of the liability 
