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and the white & green of the ice which the gently heaving surface of the sea kept in motion gave it & the surface of the water in gentle motion toward the shore which stood out dark blue from the shade in which it lay and bore a strange misty outline which seemed to recede as we drew near. We made our way several miles into the loose pack finding the ice very heavy as we got in an 3 small Polar Bears were seen but owing to the heavy ice all escaped. We were brought to a standstill 12 to 15 miles from shore by heavy pack and had a fine view of the shore. While in here two parties of female Sanatina V-nigra were seen sitting on ice fragments & flew when we were close to them. Two flocks of Black-headed Turnstones were flying about the ship and two young Xema sabini came flitting irregularly about and several Kotzbues Kittiwakes & Larus glaucus and L. brachyrhynchus were seen beside a very few murres and a pair of Pigeon Guillemots. The word was given to back and the "Corwin" refused to obey her rudder owing to some defect & it seemed like disgust at retreating [[strikethrough]] aff [[/strikethrough]] after being so near. We succeeded at last in reaching free water after some hard knocks and then followed a lead into the westward for a number of miles until we came [[strikethrough]] in the [[/strikethrough]] within about 50 miles of a cape making out from the land on the S. face 1/3 of the distance from the western cape. Before we reached within a mile of end of this lead the Capt decided it impracticable and we turned about & coasted along the margin of the ice which girdles the shore for a width of 20 to 35 miles until in the eve

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