A VOYAGE TO 
246 
1779. 
July- 
u —%—-J 
Friday 9. 
fame tack, on account of the ice, but were obliged to {land 
to the Weft ward. At this time our foundings had decreaf- 
ed to nineteen fathoms, from which, on comparing it with 
our obfervations on the depth of water laft year, we con¬ 
cluded, that we were not at a greater diftance from the 
American fhore than ftx or feven leagues; but our view 
was confined within a much fhorter compafs, by a violent 
fall of fnow. At noon, the latitude, by account, was 69° 21'', 
longitude 192 0 42'. At two in the afternoon, the weather 
cleared up, and we found ourfelves clofe to an expanfe of 
what appeared from the deck folid ice; but, from the maft- 
head, it yeas difeovered to be compofed of huge compadl 
bodies, clofe and united toward the outer edge, but in the 
interior parts, feveral pieces were feen floating in vacant 
fpaces of the water. It extended from North Eaft by the 
North to Weft South Weft. We bore away by the edge of 
it, to the Southward, that we might get into clearer water; 
for the ftrong Northerly winds had drifted down fuch quan¬ 
tities of loofe pieces, that we had been, for fome time, fur- 
rounded by them, and could not avoid linking againft feve¬ 
ral, notwithftanding we reefed the topfails, and flood under 
an eafy fail. 
On the 9th, we had a frefh gale from the North North 
Weft, with heavy fhowers of fnow and fleet. The thermo¬ 
meter was, in the night-time, 28°, and at noon 30°. We 
continued to fteer Weft South Weft, as before, keeping as 
near the large body of ice as we could, and had the misfor¬ 
tune-to rub off fome of the fheathing from the bows againft 
the drift pieces, and to damage the cutwater. Indeed, 
the fliocks we could not avoid receiving, were frequently 
fo* fevere, as to be attended with confiderable danger. At 
noon, the latitude, by account, was 69° 12', and longitude 
188° 
