150 miles. They travelled in a sledge drawn by dogs, and another sledge
with Esquimaux joined them, the whole party consisting of five men, one
woman, and a child. The weather was remarkably fine, and the track over
the frozen sea was in the best order, so that they travelled at the
rate of six or seven miles an hour. All therefore were in good spirits,
hoping to reach Okkak in two or three days. Having passed the islands
in the bay, they kept at a considerable distance from the shore, both
to gain the smoothest part of the ice, and to avoid the high and rocky
promontory of Kiglapeit. About eight o'clock they met a sledge with
Esquimaux driving towards the land, who intimated that it might be well
not to proceed; but as the missionaries saw no reason for it, they paid
no regard to these hints, and went on. In a while, however, their own
Esquimaux remarked, that there was a swell under the ice. It was then
hardly perceptible, except on applying the ear close to the ice, when a
hollow grating and roaring noise was heard. The weather remained clear,
and no sudden change was expected. But the motion of the sea under the
ice had grown so perceptible as rather to alarm our travellers, and they
began to think it prudent to keep closer to the shore. The ice in many
places had fissures and cracks, some of which formed chasms of one or
two feet wide; but as they are not uncommon, and the dogs easily leap
over them, the sledge following without danger, they are terrible only
to new comers.

As soon as the sun declined, the wind increased and rose to a storm.
The snow was driven about by whirl winds, both on the ice and from off
the peaks of the high mountains, and filled the air. At the same time
the swell had increased so much, that its effects upon the ice became
very extraordinary and alarming. The sledges, instead of gliding along
smoothly upon an even surface, sometimes ran with violence after the
dogs, and shortly after seemed with difficulty to ascend the rising