r miles to the eastward of us, while to the westward nothing
but one extensive field of ice could be seen. It is impossible to
conceive a more helpless situation than that of a ship thus beset,
when all the power that can be applied will not alter the
direction of her head a single degree of the compass.

A large black whale, being the first, was seen near the ships. It
is usual for these animals to descend head foremost, displaying
the broad fork of their enormous tail above the surface of the
water; but, on this occasion, the ice was so close as not to admit
of this mode of descent, and the fish went down tail foremost, to
the great amusement of our Greenland sailors.

While in this state a large white bear came near the Griper, and
was killed by her people, but he sunk between the pieces of ice.
This animal had probably been attracted by the smell of some red
herrings which the men were frying at the time. It is a common
practice with the Greenland sailors to take advantage of the
strong sense of smelling which these creatures possess, by
enticing them near the ships in this manner.

The swell had somewhat subsided on the 29th, but the ships
remained firmly fixed in the ice as before. In the course of the
day we saw land bearing N. 69 deg. W. about thirteen leagues distant,
appearing from the masthead like a group of islands, and situated
near to the entrance of Cumberland Strait: the soundings were one
hundred and thirty-five fathoms; the temperature of the sea at
that depth 30 deg.; that of the surface being the same, and of the air
34 deg. On the 30th the ice began to slacken a little more about the
ships; and, after two hours' heaving with a hawser on each bow
brought to the capstan and windlass, we succeeded in moving the
Hecla about her own length to the eastward, where alone any clear
sea was visible. The ice continuing to open still more in the
course of the day, we were at length enabled to get both ships
into open water, after eight hours' incessant labour.

On the 1st and 2d of July, we continued to keep close to the edge
of the ice without perceiving any opening in it. Its outer margin
consisted of heavy detached masses, much washed by the sea, and
formed what is technically called "a pack," this name being given
to ice when so closely connected as not to admit the passage of a
ship between the masses. Within the margin of the pack, it
appeared to consist of heavy and extensive floes, having a bright