time surrounded by them, and could not avoid striking against several,
notwithstanding we reefed the topsails, and stood under an easy sail.

On the 9th we had a fresh gale from the N.N.W., with heavy showers of snow
and sleet. The thermometer was in the night time 28°, and at noon 30°. We
continued to steer W.S.W., as before, keeping as near the large body of ice
as we could, and had the misfortune to rub off some of the sheathing from
the bows against the drift pieces, and to damage the cutwater. Indeed, the
shocks we could not avoid receiving, were frequently so severe, as to be
attended with considerable danger. At noon, the latitude, by account, was
69° 12',. and longitude 188° 5'. The variation in the afternoon was found
to be 29° 30' E.

As we had now sailed near forty leagues to the westward, along the edge of
the ice, without seeing any opening, or a clear sea to the northward beyond
it, and had therefore no prospect of advancing farther N. for the present,
Captain Clerke resolved to bear away to the S. by E. (the only quarter that
was clear), and to wait till the season was more advanced, before he made
any farther efforts to penetrate through the ice. The intermediate time he
proposed to spend in examining the bay of Saint Laurence, and the coast to
the southward of it; as a harbour so near, in case of future damage from
the ice, would be very desirable. We also wished to pay another visit to
our Tschutski friends; and particularly since the accounts we had heard of
them from the commander of Kamtschatka.

We therefore stood on to the southward, till the noon of the 10th, at which
time we passed great quantities of drift-ice, and the wind fell to a
perfect calm. The latitude, by observation, was 68° 1', longitude 188° 30'.
We passed several whales in the forenoon, and in the afternoon hoisted out
the boats, and sent them in pursuit of the sea-horses, which were in great