On rounding the reef, on which a quantity of heavy ice was lying
aground, we found that a continuous floe, four or five inches in
thickness, was formed over the whole harbour, which in every other
respect appeared to be fit for our purpose; and that it would be
necessary to cut a canal of two miles in length through the ice,
in order to get the ships into a secure situation for the winter.
We sounded the channel into the harbour about three quarters of a
mile, by making holes in the ice and dropping the lead through,
and found the depth from five to six fathoms.
The ships weighed at six A.M. on the 24th. the wind being still at
north, and the weather moderate and fine. As soon as the Hecla was
under sail, I went ahead in a boat to sound, and to select an
anchorage for the ships. Near the southwestern point of this
harbour there is a remarkable block of sandstone, somewhat
resembling the roof of a house, on which the ships names were
subsequently engraved by Mr. Fisher. This stone is very
conspicuous in coming from the eastward, and, when kept open to
the southward of the grounded ice at the end of the reef, forms a
good landing mark for the channel into the harbour. Off the end of
the reef the water deepened to six fathoms, and the Hecla's anchor
was dropped in eight fathoms, half a mile within the reef, and
close to the edge of the ice through which the canal was to be
cut.
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