CHAPTER VI.

A MIDSHIPMAN'S NARRATIVE-(continued).

"WE had now entered on the month of July, to-day being the first of the month, and had a midnight observation, which proved us in latitude 78° 11′ N. This leads me to remark the erroneous account given us, when in England, respecting the time of year that we should have been here, for it was now made evident, and afterwards most clearly so, that if we had been here sooner, the ice would not have been at all separated, and our voyage would thus be delayed; in short we were almost in the very spot, the month considered, we would have wished to have been.

"We were in very variable winds and a number of intermissions of calm, till the 4th,

K

130

LOSS OF SEVEN WHALERS.

[CHAP.

when a little breeze, that seemed lasting, sprang up, and soon carried us abreast of Cape Cold. We had now ten sail in sight, two of which spoke us in the morning. One proved to be a Dutchman, and another an Englishman. These two had just left the ice, and were as much astonished as the Rockingham was, to hear of our place of destination!

"It was with the utmost difficulty we could persuade the Dutchman that it was not a war, as that was the only method by which they could account for seeing ships of war at Spitzbergen.

They both agreed in the accounts of the loss of seven ships, four Dutch and three English. The names of the English were the Springfield, Rebecca, and Lyon; those of the Dutch they did not know, but believed that none had been saved but the people of the Springfield. Ten, out of fifteen, Russians that had attempted to winter here perished; whether the remaining five meant to continue their experiments we could not learn.

VI.]

OBSERVATIONS INTERFERED WITH.

131

"We were in latitude 79° 20', when Magdalena Point, bore north-east by east, distant two leagues, with fifteen sail in sight, when our fine flattering breeze left us, and was succeeded by a dead calm. We therefore let the stream anchor drop under foot, and took the opportunity of sending the boat ashore for water, which ran in torrents down the steep ascent of the snow on the sides, or edges, of the mountains. Mathematical instruments were also sent on shore, but the appearance of a fog drove us all on board again, and prevented any accurate remarks being made.

"The Carcass was at some distance from us when the fog came on, and, from being in the offing, had met with a current setting her to the southward, so that when we weighed, which was about twelve at night, with a light air, we were obliged to look for her before we could make sail. Guns were fired on both sides, till the reports drew us near each other; directly we saw her we made sail.

1 The south point of Magdalena Bay.

132 NARROW ESCAPE FROM SHIPWRECK. [CHAP.

"Soon after, the weather clearing a little discovered to us our friend the Rockingham.

"As we were now entering on our discovering, we grasped at the only opportunity it was probable we should meet with, to send our letters to England by her. Before taking leave, the captain hailed us, to let us know that since he had seen us, he had spoke another ship who had been to the northward of Hakluyt Headland,1 and had met the ice at about six leagues distance from it.

"We thanked him for his information, and after asking him how the headland bore, parted company with him.

"The weather then became exceedingly thick, and we soon found that he was mistaken in his bearings, for though we steered N.N.E., which was two points to the northward of what he told us, at five in the morning we discovered rocks close under the starboard bow.

A large wind, and the ship having way enough to answer her helm, soon cleared us of them,

1 Hakluyt Headland is the N.W. extreme of Spitzbergen.

VI.]

SIGHT THE PACK.

133

when we steered north till we judged ourselves without the land, and then N.N.E. again, which, with the variation allowed, was a due north course. We had but an indifferent observation of the sun at noon, the latitude varying, according to the different observers, from 79° 50' to 80° 37′!

"July 5th, we had very thick foggy weather.

"At half an hour past noon we saw some pieces of ice floating by us.

"We heard from that time a great roaring, like the noise of a large surf beating on the shore, when Captain Lutwidge hailed, and asked us if we heard it. Captain Phipps answered him 'Yes,' and desired him to shorten sail; and told him that we had all hands upon deck ready to haul up which ever way it would be found necessary, and that he would lead, begging him to keep his eye on us and watch our motions. We hauled down our studding sails, and ran under the three topsails, keeping a good look out ahead. At half-past two, very providentially, the weather cleared up, and discovered to us