The land-ice, which still adhered to the Seven Islands, was very little
more broken off than when the Hecla had been here a week before; and we
rowed along its margin a part of the way to Little Table Island, where
we arrived at ten P.M. We here examined and re-secured the provisions
left on shore, having found our depot at Walden Island disturbed by the
bears. The prospect to the northward at this time was very favourable,
there being only a small quantity of loose ice in sight; and the weather
still continuing calm and clear, with the sea as smooth as a mirror, we
set off without delay, at half past ten, taking our final leave of the
Spitzbergen shores, as we hoped, for at least two months. Steering due
north, we made good progress, our latitude by the sun's meridian
altitude at midnight being 80 deg. 51' 13". A beautifully-coloured rainbow
appeared for some time, without any appearance of rain falling. We
observed that a considerable current was setting us to the eastward just
after leaving the land, so that we had made a N.N.E. course, distance
about ten miles, when we met with some ice, which soon becoming too
close for farther progress, we landed upon a high hummock to obtain a
better view. We here perceived that the ice was close to the northward,
but to the westward we discovered some open water, which we reached
after two or three hours' paddling, and found it a wide expanse, in
which we sailed to the northward without obstruction, a fresh breeze
having sprung up from the S.
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