THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
257 
kept beating to windward during the night, in hopes of 
weathering the loofe pieces, which the frefhnefs of the 
wind kept driving down upon us in fuch quantities, 
that we were in manifeft danger of being blocked up 
by them. 
In the morning of the 23d, the clear water, in which we 
continued to Hand to and fro, did not exceed a mile and 
a half* and was every inftant leffening. At length, after 
ufing our utmoft endeavours to clear the loofe ice, we were 
driven to the necelfity of forcing a palfage to the South¬ 
ward, which, at half paft feven, v r e accomplilhed, but not 
without fubjedting the fhip to fome very fevere fhocks. 
The Difcovery was lefs fuccefsful. For, at eleven, when 
they had nigh got clear out, fhe became fo entangled by 
feveral large pieces, that her way w-as flopped, and imme¬ 
diately dropping bodily to leeward, fhe fell, broadlide fore¬ 
moil, on the edge of a coniiderable body of ice ; and hav¬ 
ing, at the fame time, an open fea to windward, the furf 
caufed her to ftrike violently upon it. This mafs at length 
either fo far broke, or moved, as to fet them at liberty to 
make another trial to efcape; but, unfortunately, before 
the fhip gathered way enough to be under command, fhe 
again fell to leeward on another fragment; and the fwell 
making it unfafe to lie to windward, and finding no chance 
of getting clear, they pufhed into a fmall opening, furled 
their fails, and made faff with ice-hooks. 
In this dangerous fituation w r e faw them at noon, about 
three miles from us, bearing North Weft, a frefh gale from 
the South Eaft driving more ice to the North Weft, and in- 
creafing the body that lay between us. Our latitude, by 
account, w r as 69° 8', the longitude 187°, and the depth of 
Water twenty-eight fathoms. To add to the gloomy appre- 
Vol. III. LI henfions 
1779. 
Lb* 
c—„— 
Friday 23. 
