Uivak. But as it plainly appeared that the ice would break and
disperse in the open sea, Mark advised to push forward to the north of
Uivak, from whence he hoped the track to Okkak might still remain
entire. To this proposal the company agreed; but when the sledges
approached the coast, the prospect before them was truly terrific--the
ice having broken loose from the rocks, was forced up and down,
grinding and breaking into a thousand pieces against the precipices
with a tremendous noise, which, added to the raging of the wind, and
the snow driving about in the air, deprived the travellers almost of
the power of hearing and seeing any thing distinctly. To make the land
at any risk, was now the only hope left, but it was with the utmost
difficulty, that the frightened dogs could be forced forward--the
whole body of ice sinking frequently below the surface of the rocks,
then rising above it. As the only moment to land was that when it
gained the level of the coast, the attempt was extremely nice and
hazardous. However, by God's mercy, it succeeded; both sledges gained
the shore, and were drawn up the beach with much difficulty.

"The travellers had hardly time to reflect with gratitude to God on
their safety, when that part of the ice from which they had just made
good their landing, burst asunder, and the water, forcing itself from
below, covered and precipitated it into the sea. In an instant, as if
by a signal given, the whole mass of ice, extending for several miles
from the coast, and as far as the eye could reach, began to burst and
to be overwhelmed by the immense waves. The sight was tremendous, and
awfully grand--the large fields of ice, raising themselves out of the
water, striking against each other, and plunging into the deep with a
violence not to be described, and a noise like the discharge of
innumerable batteries of heavy guns. The darkness of the night, the
roaring of the wind and sea, and the dashing of the waves and ice