Having proceeded four miles over a level country, with much snow
upon it, we suddenly and unexpectedly came in sight of the sea or
a lake, at the distance of two or three miles before us, just
appearing between two high and steep hills, which terminated a
deep and broad ravine. We hastened forward to the point of the
nearest hill, from whence the prospect was extremely grand and
picturesque. We were looking down nearly perpendicular from a
height of eight or nine hundred feet, on an extensive plain of
ice, of which, to the westward, we could perceive no termination
for a distance of five or six leagues, the prospect to the
eastward being obstructed by other hills. A thick mist or vapour
was at times carried rapidly along by the wind over this ice, to
which it was entirely confined, occasionally covering the top of
the island with a dense cloud. The impression made upon our minds
at the time was, that it was a frozen lake on which we were now
looking; but this conjecture, as it afterward appeared, proved
erroneous. The ravine at which we had arrived discharges its
waters into a snug cove two or three miles deep, at the head of
which we now proposed resting, if a place could be found at which
our descent into the ravine could be effected.
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