SHIP ENCLOSED IiY ICE. 101 
twenty or thirty feet in thickness, of solid ice, to 
afford materials for such ponderous superstructures. 
The dangerous and impervious qualities of the 
ice, in this quarter, with the discouraging circum¬ 
stance of the scarcity of whales, amounting almost 
to a total want of them, rendered it a matter of 
prudence to attempt a speedy change of our posi¬ 
tion, into a more commodious and promising sta¬ 
tion. And this was of the more consequence, 
since the drift of the ice towards the south-west, 
which, for three weeks preceding our entrance 
amid the land floes, had averaged seven or eight 
miles a-day, was found to he suspended; no change 
having now taken place in our latitude for two or 
three days. Hence, there appearing to be some 
stoppage to the drift of the ice, it was to he ap¬ 
prehended, that, instead of its becoming more 
open, the pressure of the ice descending from the 
north upon it, would occasion, if possible, an in¬ 
creased accumulation. 
Fortunately the time expended in fruitless ex¬ 
ertions to reach the land was not lost. The 
weather being almost constantly clear and fine, 
the coast was continually visible, through an ex¬ 
tent of ninety miles; and although we were far 
from some of this coast, yet its great elevation and 
boldness, rendering it visible, at least at twice the 
distance we were from it, I had the opportunity 
