Page:Journal of a Voyage to Greenland, in the Year 1821.djvu/44

26 these motives induce your particular attention to a branch of service, from which success will never fail to be derived, when the direction of it is skilfully executed."

At eight o'clock, we arrived at the ice, with an intention of entering it, if possible, and I was much struck with the massy pieces that formed the boundary of a deep bight, or bay; one immense hummock was towering above the rest, being in the form of an irregular building, with a considerable hole through it, like a window. On passing the point near this hummock, the appearance of the ice was curious from the irregularity of the pieces which were lying in all directions, in different forms, and of various sizes, like the ruins of some immense city, which had been overthrown by a convulsion of nature. To the westward of the point, another bay presented itself, of about two miles in depth, and four or five to the more distant points; and in the centre was an island with a hummock, at least thirty feet high, resembling a temple. The horizon had a most brilliant appearance from the rays of the sun; and I retired to rest about ten o'clock, leaving it shining about four degrees above the great line of distance.

I arose about three o'clock, with the expectation that we should enter the ice, but the wind changing again to the south-east, and blowing strong, it was considered not prudent to undertake it: so we sailed off for some hours, and about four o'clock, approached it again, when I was