floes or in heavy
grounded masses lying near the shore.

LANE of Water.--A narrow channel among the masses of ice, through
which a boat or ship may pass.

LEAD.--A channel through the ice. A ship is said to "take the
right lead" when she follows a channel conducting her into a more
navigable sea, and _vice versa_.

MAKING-OFF Blubber.--The operation of putting it into casks.

NIPPED.--The situation of a ship when forcibly pressed by ice.

PACK.--A large body of ice, consisting of separate masses, lying
close together, and whose extent cannot be seen.

PANCAKE-ICE.--Newly formed ice, assuming the peculiar conformation
of numberless patches of "sludge," and giving the surface of the
sea the appearance of a handsome pavement.

PATCH of Ice.--The same as a pack, but of small dimensions.

SAILING-ICE.--Ice of which the masses are so much separated as to
allow a ship to sail among them.

SALLYING a Ship.--The operation of causing her to roll, by the men
running in a body from side to side, so as to relieve her from the
adhesion and friction of the young ice around her.

SLUDGE.--Ice of the consistence of thick honey, offering little
impediment to a ship while in this state, but greatly favouring
the formation of a "bay-floe."

STREAM.--A long and narrow, but generally continuous, collection
of loose ice.

TONGUE.--A mass of ice projecting under water from an iceberg or
floe, and generally distinguishable at a considerable depth of
smooth water. It differs from a "calf" in being fixed to, or a
part of the larger body.

WATER-SKY.--A dark appearance in the sky, indicating "clear water"
in that direction, and forming a striking contrast with the
"blink" over land or ice.

YOUNG-ICE.--Nearly the same as "bay-ice," but generally applied to
ice more recently formed than the latter.

VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY OF A NORTHWEST PASSAGE

INTRODUCTION.

Lieutenant Parry was appointed to the command of his majesty's
ship the Hecla, a bomb of 375 tons, on the 16th of January, 1819;
and the Griper, gun brig, 180 tons, commissioned by Lieutenant
Matthew Liddon, was at the same time directed to put herself under
his orders. The object of the expedition was to attempt the
discovery of a Northwest Passage into the Pacific. The vessels
were rigged after the manner of a bark, as being the most
convenient among the ice, and requiring the smallest number of men
to work them. They were furnished with provisions an