[ 55 ] 
an afTemblage of ice, which had gradu- 
ally accumulated. They fupport their opi- 
nion, by faying, that you will meet with 
ice on digging to the depth of one or two 
feet into the fuperficial earth., which they 
pretend has been carried thither by the 
wind from the coafl: of Ana, and depo- 
fited on this ice. 
I fhall not undertake to decide this 
quefrion, as I have not perufed all the 
authors who efpoufe or controvert this 
opinion j nor is it to my prefent purpofc 
But thus much I will venture to affirm, 
that the iiland of Eaji-Spitzbcrgen has not 
been formed by the ice, but that it is 
certainly real land ; and the account 
given me of it by thefe failor?, puts this 
matter beyond all doubt. 
According to their relation, the iiland 
of Eaji-Spitzberptn has many mountains 
and fteep rocks of a fmpendous height,. 
which are conftantly covered with fnow 
and ice. Not a tree, nor even the 
pooreft 
