42 
VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 
1819. that which arises from the numerous pools of water found upon them in 
the latter part of the summer. 
From latitude 73 ° to the farthest progress made to the southward, we 
found the soundings remarkably regular in approaching the eastern shore. 
The colour of the water was always observed to change to a beautiful light 
green before we could obtain soundings with a line of forty fathoms, which 
occur generally at the distance of four or five miles from the land ; after which 
the depth decreases so gradually that the lead appears to be a safe guide. 
The bottom is principally mud, into which the lead sinks deep ; but there is 
also some hard ground, and a few pieces of limestone were occasionally 
brought up by the lead. 
The directive power of the magnet seemed to be weaker here than 
ever ; for the north pole of the needle in Captain Kater’s steering compass, 
in which the friction is almost entirely removed by a thread suspension, 
was observed to point steadily towards the ship’s head, in whatsoever 
direction the latter was placed. It is probable, therefore, that the magnetic 
dip would have been found somewhat greater here than at our place of 
observation on the 7th ; and it was a matter of regret to me that the primary 
object of the expedition would not allow of another day’s detention for the 
purpose of repeating the magnetic observations on this spot. 
Mond. 9. As we returned to the northward with a light but favourable breeze, we 
found that the ice had approached the eastern shore of the inlet, leaving a 
much narrower channel than that by which we had entered ; and in some 
places it stretched completely across to the land on this side, while the 
opposite coast was still as inaccessible as before. 
On the evening of the 9th, a circular prismatic halo was seen round the 
sun, with a bright parhelion on each side at the same altitude with the sun. 
The radius of the circle was 23° 06'. Several black whales, and multitudes 
of white ones, were seen in the course of the day, also several narwhals 
and seals, and one bear. There was an iceberg in sight. 
Tues. 10. On the 10th, the weather was very thick with snow, which was afterwards 
succeeded by rain and fog. The compasses being useless, and the sun 
obscured, we had no means of knowing the direction in which we were 
going, except that we knew the wind had been to the southward before the 
fog came on, and had found by experience that it always blew directly up 
or down the inlet, which enabled us to form a tolerably correct judgment 
of our course. We continued to stand off-and-on near the ice, till the 
