The fog being very thick, and the wind easterly, I now hauled to the southward; and, at ten o’clock the next morning, the fog clearing away, we saw the continent of America, extending from S. by E. to E. by S., and at noon, from S.W. 1/2 S. to E., the nearest part five leagues distant.  At this time we were in the latitude of 69 deg. 32’, and in the longitude of 195 deg. 48’; and as the main ice was at no great distance from us, it is evident that it now covered a part of the sea, which, but a few days before, had been clear, and that it extended farther to the S., than where we first fell in with it.  It must not be understood, that I supposed any part of this ice which we had seen to be fixed; on the contrary, I am well assured, that the whole was a moveable mass.

Having but little wind in the afternoon, I sent the master in a boat, to try if there was any current, but he found none.  I continued to steer in for the American land, until eight o’clock, in order to get a nearer view of it, and to look for a harbour; but seeing nothing like one, I stood again to the N., with a light breeze westerly.  At this time, the coast, extended from S.W. to E., the nearest part four or five leagues distant.  The southern extreme seemed to form a point, which was named Cape Lisburne.  It lies in the latitude of 69 deg. 5’, and in the longitude of 194 deg. 42’, and appeared to be pretty high land, even down to the sea.  But there may be low land under it, which we might not see, being not less than ten leagues distant from it.  Every where else, as we advanced northward, we had found a low coast, from which the land rises to a middle height.  The coast now before us was without snow, except in one or two places, and had a greenish hue.  But we could not perceive any wood upon it.

On the 22d, the wind was southerly, and the weather mostly foggy, with some intervals of sunshine.  At eight in the evening it fell calm, which continued till midnight, when we heard the surge of the sea against the ice, and had several loose pieces about us.  A light breeze now sprung up at N.E., and as the fog was very thick, I steered to the southward to clear the ice.  At eight o’clock next morning, the fog dispersed, and I hauled to the westward.  For, finding that I could not get to the north near the coast, on account of the ice, I resolved to try what could be done at a distance from it; and as the wind seemed to be settled at north, I thought it a good opportunity.

As we advanced to the west, the water deepened gradually to twenty-eight fathoms, which was the most we had.  With the northerly wind the air was raw, sharp, and cold, and we had fogs, sunshine, showers of snow and sleet, by turns.  At ten in the morning of the 26th, we fell in with the ice.  At noon, it extended from N.W. to E. by N., and appeared to be thick and compact.  At this time, we were, by observation, in the latitude 69 deg. 36’, and in the longitude of 184 deg.; so that it now appeared we had no better prospect of getting to the north here, than nearer the shore.