272 
VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 
1820. 
Sept. 
Sat. 2. 
Sund. 3. 
The ice led us off very much to the eastward after leaving Pond’s Bay ; and 
the weather became calm, with small snow, towards midnight. In this day’s 
run, the compass-courses were occasionally inserted in the log-book, being 
the first time that the magnetic needle had been made use of on board the 
Hecla, for the purposes of navigation, for more than twelvemonths. A few 
rotges ( Alca Alle ) were seen, being the first this season. 
There being some swell upon the ice, which extended generally to the 
distance of three or four leagues from the land, we were under the necessity 
of heaving-to for a few hours at night, a precaution which was always hence- 
forward adopted in running down this coast. At nine A.M., we were abreast 
an inlet having every appearance of a well-sheltered harbour, with an island 
near the middle of its entrance. Soon after passing this inlet, we came to a 
number of icebergs aground in forty-five fathoms, on a sandy bottom, after- 
wards deepening to seventy-eight fathoms ; a tide-mark of four or five feet 
was observed upon each of the icebergs. Some water brought up in Dr. 
Marcet’s bottle from the depth of seventy-five fathoms, was at the tempe- 
rature of 32°|, that of the surface being 32°, and of the air 33°. We again 
commenced throwing bottles overboard, containing papers with the usual 
information, which practice was continued daily till the Expedition reached 
England. We saw no ice to the eastward of us in the course of this day’s 
run, nor any blink in that direction. 
On the morning of the 3d, we passed some of the highest icebergs I have 
ever seen, one of them being not less than one hundred and fifty to two hun- 
dred feet above the sea, judging from the height of the Griper’s masts, when near 
it. At half-past seven A.M., being off a point of land, which is comparatively 
low near the sea, with hills rising at the back to the height of more than a 
thousand feet above the sea, we observed to the southward a remarkable dark 
perpendicular cliff, forming the most singular and conspicuous object we had 
seen upon this coast. This cliff, which, in coming from the northward has the 
appearance of being detached, and is not unlike the Bass Rock in the Frith 
of Forth, is situated, as we afterwards discovered, upon an island, lying in 
the entrance of one of the numerous inlets, or fiords, with which this coast is 
indented. The wind becoming light and variable in the forenoon, I took 
the opportunity of landing near this inlet, accompanied by Captain Sabine, 
and some of the other officers. The latitude observed on board at noon 
was 71° 24' 20", being only two miles and three quarters to the southward 
of the dead reckoning in three days, by which we considered that there 
