o examine the
water at the intended anchoring place. Just as I was about to leave the
Hecla for that purpose, the ice was observed, to be in rapid motion
towards the shore. The Fury was immediately hauled in by some grounded
masses, and placed to the best advantage; but the Hecla, being more
advanced, was immediately beset in spite of every exertion, and, after
breaking two of the largest ice-anchors in endeavouring to heave in to
the shore, was obliged to drift with the ice, several masses of which
had fortunately interposed themselves between us and the land. The ice
slackening around us a little in the evening, we were enabled, with
considerable labour, to get to some grounded masses, where we lay much
exposed, as the Fury also did. In this situation, our latitude being 72
deg. 51' 51", we saw a comparatively low point of land three or four
leagues to the southward, which proved to be near that which terminated
our view of this coast in 1819.

The ice opening for a mile and a half alongshore on the 30th, we shifted
the Hecla's berth about that distance to the southward, chiefly to be
enabled to see more distinctly round a point which before obstructed our
view, though our situation as regarded the security of the ship was much
altered for the worse. In the afternoon it blew a hard gale, with
constant rain, from the northward, the clouds indicating an easterly
wind in other parts. This wind, which was always the troublesome one to
us, soon brought the ice closer and closer, till it pressed with very
considerable violence on both ships, though the most upon the Fury,
which lay in a very exposed situation. Early on the morning of the 31st,
as soon as a communication could be effected, Captain Hoppner sent to
inform me that the Fury had been forced on the ground, where she still
lay; but that she would probably be hove off without much difficulty at
high water, provided the external ice did not prevent it. A large party
of hands from the Hecla being sent round to the Fury towards high water,
she came off the ground with very little strain, so that, upon the
whole, considering the situation in which the ships were lying, we
thought ourselves fortunate in having incurred no very serious injury. A
shift of wind to the southward in the afternoon at length began
gradually to slacken it, but it was not till six A.M. on the 1st of
August that there appeared a prospect of making any progress. The signal
to that effect was immedi