340 
GREENLAND VOYAGE. 
ture of the sea, at the bottom, were completed, 
we got under-way, with a strong breeze from the 
south-west, and proceeded towards the NE. until 
1 p. m., when, tailing in with a body of ice, we 
hauled up NW. After standing about 15 miles 
in this direction, along the “ weather-side” of a 
large field, we doubled the western point among 
very crowded ice, aad then, hauling up to the 
eastward under its lee, hove to. 
The next day, though the weather continued 
foggy, and became rather windy, we renewed our 
search for whales, determined to make every exer¬ 
tion for improving our little cargo, during the 
short period for the fishery which yet remained. 
But we soon got involved in new difficulties, ha¬ 
ving been tempted into a “ bight” of the ice, 
from whence there was no outlet to leeward. All 
our seamanship was required to heat out of this si¬ 
tuation, where we had not only to contend against 
a narrow navigation, and numerous encumbrances 
from pieces of drift-ice, but against a remarkable 
superficial current, which almost prevented the 
ship steering, and greatly impeded her sailing. 
August 8th .—We were engaged all night in 
retracing our way hack to the field we had recent¬ 
ly left, and were still inconvenienced by the gene¬ 
ral prevalence of the fog, and endangered, while 
among rank ice, by a gale of wind. In the af- 
