At ten o'clock,
after having had a clear view of the ice and of the land about
sunset, and finding that there was at present no passage to the
westward, we hauled off to the southeast, in the hope of finding
some opening in the ice to the southward, by which we might get
round in the desired direction. We were encouraged in this hope by
a dark "water-sky" to the southward; but, after running along the
ice till half past eleven without perceiving any opening, we again
bore up. There was in this neighbourhood a great deal of that
particular kind of ice called by the sailors "dirty ice," on the
surface of which were strewed sand, stones, and, in some
instances, moss: ice of this kind must, of course, at one time or
other, have been in close contact with the land.
At ten A.M. I despatched Captain Sabine and Mr. Ross to the
eastern point of the island, which we were about to round in the
ships, in order to make the necessary observations, and to examine
the natural productions of the shore. Our latitude at noon was 75 deg.
03' 12", long. 103 deg. 44' 37", and the depth of water forty fathoms.
The gentlemen reported, on their return, that they had landed on a
sandy beach, near the east point of the island, which they found
to be more productive, and altogether more interesting, than any
other part of the shores of the Polar regions which we had yet
visited.
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