VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
179 
country ; nor did we forget our wives and friends 
at home. 
On this, and the two following days, 
August 14 .^^ inveterate fog, attended with rain and 
a heavy gale of wind, perplexed us, and called 
forth every precaution that prudence could dictate 
to preserve us from danger, as nothing warned us 
of our approach to the ice, but the hideous dashing 
of the waves against its rugged borders. Repeat- 
edly did detached pieces strike the ship with a 
degree of violence, that made our situation fearful, 
and often, as far as our limited sight would allow, 
we beheld heavy pieces in every direction. In 
this state of anxiety we passed three days ; our 
progress was almost totally impeded, and to add to 
our apprehensions, the nights were now become ex- 
tremely dark. 
At four o’clock the fog began to dis- 
August 17. found ourselves by the side 
of a long and heaving stream of ice, running east 
and west ; the pieces composing it were violently 
agitated by a lofty swell, that rendered it too ha- 
zardous to attempt passing through it ; we therefore 
sailed in a westerly direction by the side of it, for 
upwards of fifteen miles. This long tract of con- 
nected ice, is one of those peculiarities which ren- 
der the navigation of an arctic sea so very difficult, 
that the skilful accomplishment of it can only be 
attained by much experience. The ice that we 
this day saw much resembled what we had met 
with during the voyage, being branches in the form 
N 2 
