usual in the centre of the stream, was quite smooth, but
we heard the waves beating violently against the outer edge of the ice.
There was some earthy matter on several of the pieces, and the whole
body bore the appearance of recent separation from the land. In the
space of two hours we again got into the open sea, but had left our two
consorts far behind; they followed our track by the guns we discharged.
The temperature of the surface water was 35 deg. when amongst the ice, 38 deg.
when just clear of it, and 41.5 deg. at two miles distant.

On the 4th of August, when in latitude 59 deg. 58' N., longitude 59 deg. 53' W.,
we first fell in with large icebergs; and in the evening were
encompassed by several of considerable magnitude, which obliged us to
tack the ship in order to prevent our getting entangled amongst them.
The estimated distance from the nearest part of the Labrador coast was
then eighty-eight miles; here we tried for soundings, without gaining
the bottom. The ship passed through some strong riplings, which
evidently indicated a current, but its direction was not ascertained. We
found, however, by the recent observations, that the ship had been set
daily to the southward, since we had opened Davis' Straits. The
variation of the compass was observed to be 52 deg. 41' W.

At nine P.M., brilliant coruscations of the Aurora Borealis appeared, of
a pale ochre colour, with a slight tinge of red, in an arched form,
crossing the zenith from N.W. to S.E., but afterwards they assumed
various shapes, and had a rapid motion.

On the 5th of August, a party of the officers endeavoured to get on one
of the larger icebergs, but ineffectually, owing to the steepness and
smoothness of its sides, and the swell produced by its undulating
motion. This was one of the largest we saw, and Mr. Hood ascertained its
height to be one hundred and forty-nine feet; but these masses of ice
are frequently magnified to an immense size, through the illusive medium
of a hazy atmosphere, and on this account their dimensions have often
been exaggerated by voyagers.

In the morning of the 7th, the Island of Resolution was indistinctly
seen through the haze, but was soon afterwards entirely hidden by a very
dense fog. The favourable breeze subsided into a perfect calm, and left
the ship surrounded by loose ice. At this time the Eddystone was
perceived to be driving with rapidity towards some of the larger masses;
the stern-boats of this ship