But the case was now materially altered; for it
had become plain to every seaman in the ship, first, that the safety of
the Hecla, if thus left with less than half her working hands, could not
be reckoned upon for an hour; and, secondly, that no human foresight
could enable us to conjecture, should we set out while she was thus
situated, when or where we should find her on our return. In fact, it
appeared to us at this time, as indeed it was, a very providential
circumstance, that the impracticable nature of the ice for travelling
had offered no encouragement to persevere in my original intention of
setting out a week before this time.
For the two following days we continued closely beset, but still driving
to the eastward across the mouth of Weyde Bay, which is here six or
seven miles in breadth, and appeared to be very deep, the land in the
centre receding to a distance of full eight leagues. In the afternoon of
the 6th, we had driven within five miles of a point of land, beyond
which, to the eastward, it seemed to recede considerably; and this
appearing to answer tolerably to the situation of Muscle or Mussel Bay,
as laid down in most of the charts, I was very anxious to discover
whether we could here find shelter for the ship.
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