Page:Journal of a Voyage to Greenland, in the Year 1821.djvu/196

144 impenetrable barrier, with its boundary on each side presenting impediments wholly unconquerable. The ice forming this bay, from some cause, known only to Him who gives laws to the universe, indicated a general movement; and we lost no time in beating out; when this was accomplished, we sailed to the southward. In this proceeding a very rapid movement of the ice became evident, obstacles kept increasing that caused us much alarm, and prevented us from keeping our course; from prudence, as well as necessity, we were obliged to pay deference to these immense bodies of ice, by making room for them to pass, particularly, as a dense fog was coming on that soon prevented our seeing fifty yards from the ship. The fog continuing, the ship was moored to a floe piece of ice, on which was a fine pool of water, from whence several casks were filled for the ship's use: this water was of the finest quality possible, having been produced by the melted snow and ice, and from its not containing animalculæ, it had the property of keeping for any length of time.

Still wrapped in the thickest mist: just after evening prayers it was discovered that floes of ice were surrounding us in a manner which excited considerable alarm; every exertion was made to free ourselves, and happily, we found a space of water where the ship could for a time float in safety.

The weather was perfectly calm, with an extremely dense fog; and the sounds of crashing ice gave threatenings of the liability