I have already detailed the reasons which inclined me to believe, that there was little hope of making further progress to the westward in this latitude, and the grounds upon which I had determined to run along the edge of the ice to the eastward. Such, however, was the extreme difficulty with which we were enabled to navigate the ships in this, or any other direction, that it had for many days been equally out of our power to effect this object. Indeed, we had experienced, during the first half of the navigable season, such a continued series of vexations, disappointments and delays, accompanied by such a constant state of danger to the ships, that I felt it would no longer be deemed justifiable in me to persevere in a fruitless attempt to get to the westward. [Parry, pp. 255-256.]