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20 Letters written during the late Voyage of Discovery projecting beyond the perpendicular. The berg was besides rent in a multitude of places, presenting unquestionable indications of its being ready to split and overwhelm any vessel that should unfortunately be near it. ( n the 21st, Wednesday, the fog dispersing exhibited to us a tolerably distinct view of the Greenland coast to the eastward. The part we saw was supposed to be that called Hope Sanderson, with some of the Women’s Islands, mentioned by Davis. This land, distant probably about 40 miles, was the first we had seen for an extent of 10° of latitude since we entered the Strait. In this position, from 80 to 90 icebergs could be counted from the ships at one time, some of them of great size, and probably aground in very deep water. From these bergs streams of pure water generally proceed, and even on the plains and patches of ice pools of it were found. The masses are consequently in a state of gradual diminution. The sun being constantly above the horizon, must no doubt warm the air and promote the solution of the ice. Persons on board of our ship, however, who have res- peatedly visited the arctic regions, agree in the opinion of the illustrious Cook and Burney, that the sea is the great dissolver of the ice. One may, indeed, be convinced, without a voyage to the polar regions, that water in its fluid state piust be always at a higher temperature than when congealed, The bergs, therefore, which sink deep in the sea, or in general about seven times as much as they rise above the surface, must in the immersed part be ill a state of gradual decay. The base being thus diminished, the superstructure in the course of ages is undermined, crumbles down and mingles with the waters of the ocean. Dangerous to shipping as are the icebergs, still they are not without their advantages. When a ship is beset or inclosed in the floating ice, it is of great service to secure her to the largest berg or body of ice which can be obtained : she thus is less removed from her position, for the deeper the berg sinks in the water the less it is exposed to be driven from its place, even if afloat. Another advantage is this, that in proportion to the extent of the berg, the larger is the space of clear sea under its lee, or Opposite to that side on which the drift bears. Struggling in this manner with t,he ice, availing, ourselves of every favourable turn of the wind or of the currents, we at last* at, noon of Tuesday the 27th, with a fresh breeze from the south-east ward, managed to gain northward and westward into latitude 7 and longitude GO" The ice now assumed a different appear ance from that to the eastward and southward. It was chiefly, what is called bay or ypung ice, probably newly formed in the sheltered, spots among the great bodies. Through this thin iqe the ships forced their way* at. the rate