About two o'clock
-- This letter will reach England by a merchantman now on its homeward voyage from Archangel ; more fortunate than I , who may not see my native land , perhaps for many years . We have already reached a very high latitude , and it is the height of summer ; but last Monday , July 31 , we were nearly surrounded by ice which closed in the ship on all sides . Our situation was somewhat dangerous , especially as we were compassed round by a very thick fog . About two o'clock the mist cleared away , and we beheld in every direction , vast and irregular plains of ice . A strange sight suddenly attracted our attention . We perceived a low carriage , fixed on a sledge and drawn by dogs , pass on towards the North : a being which had the shape of a man , but apparently of gigantic stature , sat in the sledge and guided the dogs . We watched the rapid progress of the traveller until he was lost among the distant inequalities of the ice .