As our navigators advanced to the north-east on the 24th, the ice islands increased so fast upon them, that, at noon, they could see nearly a hundred around them, besides an immense number of small pieces.

In this situation they spent Christmas-day, much in the same manner as they had done in the former year.

Happily our people had continual day-light, and clear weather for had it been as foggy as it was on some preceding days, nothing less than a miracle could have saved them from being dashed to pieces.
While the Resolution was in the high latitudes many of her company were attacked with a slight fever, occasioned by colds.

The disorder, however, yielded to the simplest remedies, and was generally removed in a few days.

On the 5th of January, 1774, the ship not being then in much more than fifty degrees of latitude, there were only one or two persons on the sick list.
After Captain Cook, agreeably to his late resolution, had traversed a large extent of ocean, without discovering land, he again directed his course to the southward.