The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-24 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 24, 1853.

TEE NORTH- WEST PASSAGE.

The following is the conclusion of Captain
McClure's dispatches :
The first indication of open water occurred to-day
(July 7th), extending some distance along the shore of
Prince Albert's Land, about a mile in width ; the ice in
every direction is so rapidly decaying, being much acce-
lerated by sleet and rain, with a thermometer standing
at 45 deg., so that by the 14th that which for the last
few days had been slightly in motion, with large spaces
of water intervening, suddenly and noiselessly opened
around the vessel, leaving her in a pond of 40 yards; but
seeing no possibility of getting without its limits, we
were compelled to secure to the floe which had for ten
months befriended us, and, with the whole of the pack,
gradually drifted to the southward, towards the Prin.
cess Royal Islands, which we passed on the eastern side
within half a mile. Upon the 17th, at 10 a.m., being
among loose ice, we cast off from the floe and made sail,
with the hope of getting upon the western shore, where
the water appeared to be making, but without slipping
the rudder, in consequence of
_being in the vicinity of
several large flees, and at 2 p.mL again secured to a floe,
between the. Princess Royal and Baring's Islands (we
passed over a shoal having 19 fathoms). On the 20th,
at 11,30 a.m., a light air from the S.W., which, slack-
ing the ice, gives hopes of making progress to the N.E.,
in which direction I was anxious to get for the purpose
of entering Barrow's Straits, that, according to circum-
stances, I might be enabled to carry out my original
intentions of proceeding to the northward of Melville
Island, as detailed in my letter to the Secretary o
the Admiralty of July 20, 1850 ; or, should such
not be practicable, return to England through
the Strait. The ship was cast off, and a mile
gained, when the wind died away, and we were again
beset. On the morning of the 22d open water appear.
ing in the N.E., the rudder was shipped in expectation
of a 'start, which was not, however, realised until the
afternoon of the 23rd, when a light S.W. wind set the
ice to the N.E., carrying us over a shoal upon which
there was much ice, and we grounded in 13 fathoms ;
the corner of the floe, to which we were attached, coming
in contact with some of these masses, gave way, throw-
ing pieces of 12 feet and 14 feet square completely out
of the water. It grazed the hard bottom with a sound
not unlike distant thunder, as it crushed, crumbled, and
upheaved, throwing an enormous mound up in its centre,
as if under the influence of volcanic agency, and then
rent asunder ; the part we were secured to remaining
firmly grounded, while the other and lighter portion,
being forced onwards with accelerated speed, came direct
for our unprotected stern. To let go warps and anchors
was but the work of a minute, and mast fortunate were
we in accomplishing it ; as, ere they could be got on
board, it struck the stern, forcing the ship ahead at the
rate of two knots. A small space of open water, occa-
sioned by the grounding of the floe, allowed of our ad- ,
vance ; when, by warping and towing, we speedily got
beyond its influence. Had our position been less fa-
vourable, nothing could have saved the vessel from
momentary destruction, and at 11.30 p.m., with a breeze
from the S.E., made sail through large leads of water
towards the eastern side of the straits, and by the after•
noon of the 24th had nearly reached Point Armstrong,
upon which the ice was resting, and our course checked.
There was much driftwood on the beech, mostly Ameri-
can pine. The cutter was consequently dispatched for
a load, and some of the pieces appeared so fresh, that
Mr. Ford, the carpenter, was of opinion that two years
is the extreme of their quitting the forest. The wind
verging to the westward during the night, set large
bodies of ice into the water we occupied, which was
filling rapidly. To prevent being forced on shore,
we were obliged at 8 a.m. of the 25th to run
into the pack, where we drifted, according to the
tide, about a mile and a half from the beach ; but
during the 24 hours made about two miles and a half to
the N.E., from which, I am of opinion, when taken with

the quantity of drift wood that is thiokly strewed along
the beach, that on this side of the strait there is a slight
current to the north-east, while upon the-opposite one

it sets to the southward, upon which there-
is scarcely
any wood, and our progress, while similarly situated,
was in a southern direction. We continued drifting in
the pack without meeting any obstruction, until 10 a.m.
of the Ist of August, when a sudden and most unex-
pected motion of the ice swept us with much velocity to
the north-east, towards a low point off which were
several shoals, having many heavy pieces of grounded
ice upon them, to which we were directly setting, de-
creasing the soundings from 24 to 9l- fathoms. Destruc-
tion was apparently not far distant, when, most oppor.
tunely, the ice eased a little, and, a fresh wind coming
from the land, sail was immediately made, which, as-
sisted by warps, enabled the ship to he forced ahead
about 200 yards, that shot us clear of ice into 161
fathoms, in which water we rounded the shoals ; the ice
then again closed, and the ship became fixed until the

14th, when the fog, which since yesterday had been very
dense, again cleared, and discovered open water about
half a mile from the vessel with the ice loose about her;
at noon commenced warping, and at 3 p.m. passed into
it with a light breeze from the north-east that carried us
some distance along the eastern shore. At 11 p.m., the
fog was so thick that we were compelled to make fast to
a floe, having, while standing in shore, stirred up the
mud while in stays, shooting from no soundings at 25
fathoms to a quarter less 3, which convinced me of the
impracticability of remaining under weigh, as, had we
been set on the beach, the ice, which came in before a
freshening north-easter' out of Barrow's Straits,
would most effectually have detained us there.
Previous to quitting the floe, I was desirous of
trying what effect blasting would have upon such
a mass. A jar, containing 361bs. of powder, was let
down 12 feet into the water near the centre, the
average thickness was 11 feet, and its diameter 400
yards. The result was most satisfactory, rendina- it in
every direction, so that with the greatest ease we could
effect a passage through any part of it. Aug. 15.—At
8 a.m. the fog cleared a little, which showed the base of
the cliffs very close, although we were in 42 fathoms.
Having water to the westward, we instantly made sail
in that quarter, and at 11 a.m. being unable to see in
any direction, again made fast, having carried away the
spankerboom in breaking through a neck of ice, which
forced the vessel from the wind, causing it to jibe. Our
soundings increased to 62 fathoms, and the ice was as-
certained to be setting bodily a mile and a half an hour
to the west-south-west, so that upon the weather clear-
ing, at 30 minutes a.m. of the 16th, we found the vessel
had been drifted 15 miles to the south-west. As there
was, however, water to the eastward, every exertion was
made to reach it by warping, and at 3 a.m. succeeded,
working along the eastern shore to ascertain what pro-
bability existed of being able to round the pack, and
thus get into Barrow's Straits, from which we were not
distant more than 25 miles. At nine a.m. all hopes
disappeared, as a clear view from the crow's nest dis-
covered the ice to be closely packed, resting upon Point
Lady Ross, extending in one unbroken line to the oppo-
site side of the strait. This determined me to give up
all idea of prosecuting our search in this direction.
Having been foiled in attempting this passage the latter
end of one season, and at the commencement of another,
I considered it not practicable, except under the favour-
able circumstance of a continuance of south-westerly
winds, which would drive the ice into Barrow's Strait, but I
imagine there would be little difficulty in coming from
the north-east, from which quarter we found the winds
prevail. Our greatest advance in that direction was
lat. 73 13 43 N., long. 115 32 30 W. Accordingly,
at 9.30 a.m., we bore up with the intention of run-
ing to the southward of Nelson's Head, and continue
our search along the western side of Baring's Island,
with the hope of reaching the entrance of Barrow Strait
by that route ; as, from the report of Lieutenant Cress-
well, I felt convinced that by Banks' Land there is a
passage from the Polar Sea. At 4 p.m., passed the
Princess Royal Islands with a fine breeze ; not a particle
of ice to be seen in any direction, which only a month
previous had presented enormous floes, and heavy
grounded masses lying against their base and upon the
shoal connecting them, which he considered had been
there for years, and likely to remain for many more ;
even the huge pieces which had been thrown upon the
eastern shore had vanished ; so that every vestige of
that formidable element had passed away, which for
nearly 11 months had held us in its trammels. Upon
the 17th, while near Nelson's Head, with a fine breeze
from the south-east, we experienced a heavy swell from
that direction, causing the vessel to pitch the hawse-
holes under, and send the sea as far aft as the fore-
hatchway. A circumstance so unusual was hailed as a
favourable omen, being a convincing proof that we were
in much open water ; and, at 11.30 p.m., rounded the
headed. The land, for about 25 miles to the westward,
is remarkably bold and lofty, where Cape Lambton,

jutting out and rising perpendicularly 1,000 feet, pre-
sents a grand termination to it in that direction, whence
it gradually recedes to the north-west where it loses this
bold character, partaking more of that remarked in the
Prince of Wales's Strait, being ranges of hills, gradually
sloping from the interior to the shores,having fine valleys
and extensive plains, several small and one considerable
river, the water from the latter discolouring the sea two
miles from its mouth, likewise many small lakes and har-
bours, which, however, would be only of utility for boats,
as a heavy surf was breaking across their entrances;
much driftwood strewed the beach, and the land was
well covered with verdure, upon which were large
flocks of geese feeding, while ducks were flying in great
numbers, and have little doubt that a walk a short dis-
tance inland would have discovered herds of deer and
musk oxen. Nothing that was on the coast could
escape observation, or could' anything be more favourable
for the object we had in view, as, with a fair wind and
fine clear weather, we ran along it from one to two miles
distant. At 4 p.m., of the 18th, being off a very low
spit of land (Point Kellett), which extended to the west-
ward for about 12 miles in the form of a horseshoe,
having its sea side thickly studded with grounded ice,
while its interior was exempt from. any, I sent Mr.
Court (second master) to examine, who reported an ex-
cellent and commodious harbour, Well sheltered from
N.W. to south, varying five fathoms within ten yards of
the beach, which was shingle and covered with drift-
wood. A set of sights were obtained, and a cask, con-
taining a notice was left there ; its position lat. 71.56
N., long. 125.29 W. From this the land turns abruptly.
N. by E., and a great change takes place in its general
aspect, gradually becoming low and flat, so that near
the beach it is scarcely discernible, resembling separate
sandbanks, but, upon closing it, a low spit, barely above
the level of the water, was remarked, connecting them.
The lead may be considered an infallible guide along the
whole of this coast, as the soundings are regular from 3
to 30 fathoms, at from one to four miles offshore. Upon
the morning of the 19th we left this low coast, and
passed between two small islands lying at the entrance
of what appeared a deep inlet, running E.S.E., and
then turning sharp to the N.E. It had a barrier of
ice extending across, which prevented any examina-
tion. Wishing to keep between the northernmost
of these islands and the mainland, to avoid the
pack, which was very near it, we narrowly escaped
getting on shore, as a reef extended from the latter
to within half a mile of the island. Fortunately, the
wind being light, we rounded to with all the
studding sails set, and let go the anchor in 2i fathoms,
having about four inches to spare under the keel, and
warped into four, while Mr. Court was sent to find a
channel, in which he succeeded, carrying three fathoms,
through which we ran for one mile, ancithen continued
our course in eight, having from three to four miles be-
tween the ice and land. At 8 p.m. were near two other
islands, the ice resting upon the westernmost, upon
which the pressure must have been excessive, as large
masses were forced nearly over its summit, which was
upwards of 40 feet. Between these and the main we
ran through a channel in from 9 to 15 fathoms, when an
immediate and marked change took place in the general
appearance and formation of the land ; it became high,
precipitous, sterile, and rugged, intersected with deep
ravines and water-courses, having 65 a quarter of a mile
and 15 fathoms 100 yards from the cliffs, which proved
exceedingly fortunate, as the whole pack, which had ap-
parently only just broken from the shore, was within
half a mile, and in many places so close to it that, to
avoid getting beset, we had nearly to touch the /and ;
indeed, upon several occasions, the boats were compelled
to be topped up, and poles used to keep the vessel from
off the grounded ice, which extends all along the coast ;
nor could we round to, fearful of carrying the jibboom
away against its cliffs, which here run nearly east and
west. The cape forming its western extreme I have
called Prince Alfred, in honour of his royal highness.
There wore two apparently good harbours about twenty
miles to the eastward of the Cape ; the westernmost had
a breakwater half a mile in length, 20 feet high, facing
the north, with entrance on its east and west sides about
60 yards in breadth ; the other was circular, about three
quarters of a mile in diameter, with its entrance on the
west side. Our critical position would not admit of any
detention, otherwise they would have been sounded,
being very anxious to find a secure retreat in the event
of having to winter on this coast. The weather, which
had been fine, with a S.E. wind, veered to the W.S. W.
bringing fog and rain, so that on the morning of the
20th our further progress was impeded by finding the
ice resting upon a point, which formed a slight indenta-
tion of the shore, and wasithe only place where water
could be seen. To prevent being carried away with the
pack, which was filling up its space, we secured to the
inshore side of a small but heavy piece of ice, grounded
in 12 fathoms, 74 yards from the beach ; the only pro-
tection against the tremendous Polar ice (setting a knot
per hour to the eastward before a fresh westerly wind),
which at 9 p.m. was placed in a very critical position,
by a large floe striking the piece we were fast to, and
caused it to oscillate so considerably, that a tongue,
which happened to be under our bottom, lifted the ves-
sel six feet, but, by great attention to the anchors and
warps, we succeeded in holding on during the conflict,
which was continued several minute; terminating by
the floe being rent in pieces, and our being driven nearer
the beach. From this until the 29th we lay perfectly
secure, but at 8 a.m. of that day the ice began suddenly
to move, when a large floe, that must have caught the
piece to which we were attached under one of its over-
hanging ledges, raising it perpendicular 30 feet, presented
to all on board a most frightful aspect. As it ascended
above the foreyard much apprehension was felt that it
might be thrown completely over, when the ship must
have been crushed beneath it. This suspense was but
for a few minutes, as the floe rent, carrying away with
it a large piece from the foundation of our asylum, when
it gave several fearful rolls and resumed its former posi-
tion ; but no longer capable of resisting the pressure, it
was hurried on with the drifting mass; our proximity to
the shore compelled, as our only hopes of safety, the
absolute necessity of holding to it ; we consequently se-
cured with a chain stream and hemp cable three six and
two five-inch hawsers, three of which were passed round
it. In this state we were forced along, sinking large pieces
beneath the bottom, and sustaining a heavy strain against
the stern and the rudder ; the latter was much damaged,
but to unship it at present was impossible. At 1 p.m.
the pressure eased, from the ice becoming stationary,
when it was unhung and laid upon a large floe piece,
where, by 8 a.m., owing to the activity of Mr. Ford,
the carpenter, who is always ready to meet any
emergency, it was repaired, just as the ice began again
to be in motion, but as the tackles were hooked, it was
run up to the davits without further damage. We were
now setting fast upon another large piece of broken floe,
grounded in nine fathoms upon the debris formed at the
mouth of a large river. Feeling confident that should
we be caught between this and what we were fist to the
ship must inevitably go to pieces, and yet being aware
that to cast off would certainly send us on the beach,
from which we were never distant 80 yards, upon which
the smaller ice was hurried as it came in contact with
these grounded masses, I sent John Kerr (gunner's mate),
under very difficult circumstances, to endeavour to reach
it, and effect its destruction by blasting. He could not,
however, find a sufficient space of water to sink the
charge, but remarking a large cavity upon the sea face
of the floe, he fixed it there, which so far succeeded that
it slightly fractured it in three places, which at the
moment was scarcely observable from the heavy pres-
sure it was sustaining. By this time the vessel was
within a few feet of it, every one was on deck in anxious
suspense, awaiting what was apparently the crisis of our
fate ; most fortunately the stern-post took it so fairly
that the pressure was fore and aft, bringing the whole
strength of the ship to bear ; a heavy grind which shook
every mast, and caused beams and desks to complain as
she trembled to the violence of the shock, plainly
indicated that the struggle would be but of short dura-
tion. At this moment, the stream cable was carried
away, and several anchors drew ; thinking that we had
now sufficiently risked the vessel, orders were given to
let go all the warps, and with that order I had made up
my mind that in a few minutes she would be on the
beach, but, as it was sloping, conceived she might still
prove an asylum for the winter, and possibly be again
got afloat, while, should she be crushed between those
large grounded pieces, she must inevitably go down in
10 fathom; which would be certain destruction to all,
but before the orders could be obeyed, a merciful
Providence interposed, causing the ice which had been
previously weakened, to separate into three pieces, and it
floated onwards with the mass, our stern tightly jammed
against, but now protected by it. The vessel, which had
been thrown over 15 degrees, and risen bodily one foot
eight inches, now righted, and settled in the water ; the
only damage sustained was several sheets of copper
ripped off and rolled up like a sheet of paper, but not a
fastening had given way, nor does any leakage indicate
the slightest defect. By midnight the ice was stationary
and everything quiet, which continued until the 10th of
September ; indeed, from the temperature having fallen
to 16 degrees, with all appearance of the setting in of
the winter, I considered our further progress stopped
until next year. The crew were employed collecting
ballast (of which they obtained 55 tons), and other
arrangements making for such an event. Shooting and
other parties made daily excursions inland, in which
rambles an exceedingly old Esquimaux encampment was
met with, and a most interesting discovery of a range of
hills, composed of one entire mass of wood in every
stage, from a petrefaction to a log fit for firewood ;
many large trees were among it, but, in endeavouring
to exhume them, they were found to be too much de-
cayed to stand removal ; the largest piece that we have
been able to bring away being 3 feet 10 inches in girth,
and 7 in length : these were found by Messrs. Swains-
bury and Piers, at an elevation of 300 feet above the
beach (in lat. 74 27 N., long. 122 13 15 W.), which is
strewed with chips and small bits of wood, as are the
water-courses and ravines as far as any person bas
walked inland, evidently washed down by the thaw from
those ligneous hills, The country has fine valleys, well

covered with verdure, and at some period of the year
must be frequented by large herds of animals, as the
heads of musk oxen and the well-picked carcasses of
deer are everywhere met with, many quite fresh. Two
large wolves were disturbed in the act of finishing a fawn
which they had just killed, but only two musk oxen
were seen, besides a few hares and ptarmigan shot by
our parties. To-day the temperature, from a change
of wind to the southward, rose to 29 degrees, ac-
companied by rain, which had the effect of so lessen-
ing the ice that the main pack separated from the
ship, opening a lane of water, about 16 miles to the east.
ward, varying in breadth from 50 to 200 yards, which,
however, did not promise any release to the vessel, until
11.50 a.m. (while the officer of the watch and quarter-
master were examining the tide pole fixed on the beach,
through a hole cat in the ice, about 40 yards from the
shore, which puzzled them both, to find that they could
not keep the guage erect, as it slipped from their hands
while endeavouring to do so), it noislessly opened, and
drifted towards the pack, which it was impossible to
avoid, and were carried to the N.E. a knot per hour, at
the distance of half a mile from the shore, in soundings
from 107 to 134 fathoms. All methods by warps and
saws to extricate the vessel from her perilous position
proving abortive, having masses of ice frozen to her bot-
tom, recourse was had to gunpowder, which fortunately
effected her release by the expenditure of 1501 b., in
charges of from 31b. to 201 b., according to the distance
from the vessel, which by any other means could not
haie been achieved, and saved us from being set against
the thick grounded ice, which was resting upon Point
Colquhoun (certain destruction), into which we should
have been hurried •by five minutes' longer detention,
having barely time to make sail and shoot the vessel,
without rudder, clear of the piece we had been so long
froze,, to, into the water, cutting the hawsers, which
canted us, just as it- entered the solid mass, upon the
weather edge of which we twice grazed as we worked
into the land, when at 7 p.m. of the 11th we again se-
cured to a large grounded floe, seventy yards from it,
in ten fathoms. At 10 p.m. our position was hazarded
by a portion of the main pack, which had extended itself
over the open water, coming in violent collision with
the corner of our floe, turning it partially round, while
the smaller ice pressed with so much strain upon the
ship that the anchors began to draw and hawsers
carry away ; the stream chain luckily held until the
pressure ceased by the pack giving way, aid our
being pushed a few fathoms nearer the shore. At
2.50 a.m. of the 13th a lane of water opened about
sixty yards from the vessel, and towards noon a rise
in the temperature of 45 deg., with heavy rain, created
hopes of liberation, an object of the highest import-
ance, not only with respect to the views with which the
expedition was fitted out, but for the safety of the ship,
at present in a most exposed position, being upon the
eastern side of a large bay, open to the whole pressure
of the polar pack, and surrounded with masses of ice 16
and 18 feet thick, while the grounded floes were from 30
to 67 feet in depth. To remove these impediments, or
at all events endeavour the formation 'of a dock, blasting
was had recourse to, with charges of from 161 b. to 651 b. ;
those made little impression, except near the explosion,
therefore a 26-gallon rum cask, containing 2551 b., was
now sunk five fathoms among these large masses, at 30
yards from the vessel. Its effect was most conclusive,
shivering them to atoms, rending that to which were
attached, and which was 67 feet thick on the outer base,
and 35 on its inshore edge, asunder, without the con-
cussion being very much felt on board. All hands were
employed in floating the loose ice into the water, having
vainly attempted to force the ship through, aided by a
strong wind, and a nine-inch hawser brought to the
patent capstan (such resistance from merely this sludge
is incredible), which work was continued until the after-
noon of the 14th, when all was drifted away, leaving a
snug harbour, 40 yards in width, flanked by heavy
grounded floes, forming an excellent protection. The
rudder was now hung, in anticipation of a start on the
following morning; but at 11 p.m. the wind freshened
from the W.N.W., bringing the whole pack down upon
this coast, filling our little harbour with loose and small
ice, its entrance being too narrow to admit the large
pieces ; an enormous floe, however, carried away one of
our flanks, but without disturbing the vessel in the
slightest. At daylight on the morning of the 15th these
expectations were sadly blighted, it blowing hard from
W.N.W., with sleet and snow ; nor was a drop of water
to be observed in any direction, and the ice apparently
was again unhung, which, with the thermometer at 14
degs. scarcely afforded any probability of its being reship-
ped this season. In the course of the day Messrs. Court
(second master) and Newton (ice mate) were sent to
examine the- coast and state of the ice to the eastward of
Point Colquhoun' distant about four miles. Their report
was such as to confirm the opinion previously entertained'
with this consolation that the position which we occu-
pied was better than any they had seen, .as the ice to the
eastward was much larger and more massive than that
we were encompassed by. The soil on the coast is com-
posed of gravel and limestone, and in the valleys near
the beach the quantity and richness of the moss is quite
surprising ; but on reaching the first range of hills, about
a mile distant, a more sterile landscape never met the
eye. The whole country appears nothing but one mass
of limestone, without the slightest vegetation ; the traces
of animals so numerous 15 miles further west, are not in
this barren ground to be met with. On the 17th the
westerly wind ceased, and was succeeded by one from
the eastward, with a rise of temperature from 11 to 21,
which, by daylight of the 29th, had increased to 32, with
water extending along the coast three miles in width.
We immediately cast off, and at 7 a.m. rounded the
point, whence the land falls back E.S.E. • our progress
was slow from many causes, the copper being torn and
projecting from four to twelve inches from the bottom,
light winds, and an ice-encumbered sea, so that at 3
p.m. our further advance was arrested by the pack
touching the land, and extending with unbroken line to
the northward as far as the eye could reach. Our day's
work did not exceed 15 miles, when we were compelled
to make fast to the land ice which along the whole of
this coast is of the most massive and terrific dimensions
I have ever witnessed ; there was little selection of
berth on a coast line nearly straight, but a slight inden-
tation, protected east and west by two large pieces of a
broken floe 30 feet above the water gave hopes of some
shelter, when at 6 p.m. the water and loose ice, which
was before perfectly still, suddenly rushed forward at the
rate of two knots an hour, and striking against the ves-
sel forced her from her anchors with such violence that
she was driven astern upon a hard point of the floe, which
rose her 12 inches ; but, fortunately held until the rush
was over, which swept our eastern bulwarks, but did no
other damage ; we then warped to the western side of the
floe, where a small space was blasted for the bow, in
which we quietly remained during the night ; at daylight
of the 20th, finding the ice loose and drifting though a
perfect calm a mile and a half an hour to the eastward
cast off, and, laying hold of a large floe piece, was dragged
along close by the grounded ice, which with some diffi-
culty was avoided by shifting round the floe as it canted
towards us. At noon, having a light air from the west-
ward, made sail, but soon had reason to regret it, as it
shortly failed, and the ice filling the land water it gra-
dually forced the vessel into this pack, which hitherto
we have been so anxious and careful to avoid, as the
only hope of navigating this sea consists in keeping close
to the shore, it now became evident that every exertion
must be made by warping to regain the land, which,
under the circumstances of the ice being in motion with
much that was small and loose filling up the intervals
between the larger pieces, which allowed a secure foot-
ing for the men, was difficult, laborious, and anxious in
the extreme, as with every precaution they frequently
fell in. After seven hours' incessant work we succeeded
as the night closed in reaching a huge and solid floe
that bad just been upturned, three of its sides being 25
feet perpendicular, grounded in 29 fathoms on the outer
edge, and having 10 and a half upon the inner one,
around which was scattered much debris part of its ori-
ginal self that had crumbled from the pressure against
a cliff, up which it had been been forced full 70 feet, and
where a large mass was still remaining about a mile to
the westward of a cape (Austen) 400 in height, which is
stratified, and of the same description as Nelson's Head,
where we secured for the night. At daylight of the 21st
a thick fog, with hail, permitted a very circumscribed
view ; but, as the ice appeared loose in the direction of
'the Cape, at 5 a.m. started, and grazing round it with-
in 15 yards found ourselves in a large bay, entirely
covered with ice, formed by another cape three miles
S.E., compelling us at 6.30 a.m. to make fast imme-
diately beneath the cliff, whose summit nearly plumb-
ing the hatchways rendered our position very safe,
many fragments appearing so loose from the action of
frost and water that a slight concussion would have
brought them down. At 11 a.m. the ice eased a little
from the land, when we again endeavoured to force to-
wards the S.E., aided by a westerly wind and warping,
but iu the afternoon the fog became so dense, with an
easterly breeze, that we made fast to the land floe, in
which a small dock was formed with the assistance of a
little powder about a mile from our forenoon's position,
remaining until the morning of the 22d, when a little
progress was made towards the S.E., our operations by
warping being brought to a termination. At 1 p.m.,
having reached the Cape (Crozier), upon the south-east-
ern side of which the ice was resting, therefore securing
to a ridge 20 feet in height, laying at its base, I pro-
ceeded with Mr. Court to its summit for the purpose of
examining the coast line towards the S.E., a deep bay
extending 30 miles in that direction filled with ice, which
was commencing to move bodily to the westward, and
of a much less formidable :character to that we had
been subjected to, while what was laying along the shore
f
was small and widely detached, well repaid the toil of
ascent ; indeed, since rounded Cape Austen, it
inference
that much of its terrible aspect, which led to thnedin
that the
that we were fairly in "Barrow's " Strait,
tmi
oani main d polaroapo tpack h take e
Es .a E. direct
and ltihnaset rem
whichtah
fills
t -m
theseen-
bays and is carried down " Barrows
com-
paratively small ice which drift
aeasswteerl
have
current, i invariably i a bwl yh remarked o
impels
thatrth theree iStostors.aoioisrutmati hsodeutrehsncei decidedly
floes on that course,
wind, is oftentimes
This cape (Crosier) is F2ewseitOnhtlai:nfleneegreistith:Pi
sandstone,
glisegtenhoodtn lighter, influenced
oppositelhclanaarflvi
iusPnpdergneierccseifeemcodntstiesoinibnnisygi
fermis shells imbedded,
dt.n,t la
wsoithVwecheastofhacsoableaenndmpeettrwifaitch-
tlaipmt°ol:i ssn gocofolthi "vse:drooesdbp:radiris tosienfnaolnifu lime
this large island, and upon the
u"-Prnincess Royal " Isles. At 130 a,m, of the 23il

The weather during the winter has been much more
boisterous, but in each month several degrees more mild
than was experienced in the Prince of Wales Strait,
nearly a degree and a half further south, last year,
which, in conjunction with the animals remaining in
numbers in this locality the entice winter, must, I sup-
pose, be taken as a proof of its mildness, although laying
exposed to the north-west winds, direct from the Polar
Sea, which, upon our first being frozen in, led to the
anticipation of having to encounter a severe season.
In consequence of our favoured position, the crew were
enabled to ramble over the hills almost daily in quest
of game, and their exertions happily supplied a fresh
meal of venison three times a fortnight, with the excep-
tion of about three weeks in January, when it was too
dark for shooting. The small game, such as ptarmigan
and hares, being scarce, were allowed to be retained
by the sportsmen as private property. This healthy
and exhilarating exercise kept us all well and in ex-
cellent spirits during another tedious winter, so that
on the Ist of April we had upwards of I,ooolb. of
venison hanging at the yard-arms. All wearing so
fair an aspect, and being desirous of visiting Winter
Harbour, Melville Island, with the hope of meeting an
officer there with whom arrangements might be made in
the event of any accident occurring which would render
it necessary to quit the ship, I proceeded on the 11th
with a Mr. Court (second master) and a sledge party for
that port, but in consequence of thick weather coining
on a few hours after leaving the vessel, and continuing
unintermittingly for several days, we did not reach until
the 28th. Upon the 15th we observed a very lofty cape
bearing N.E. by E. 30 miles, which I have called Queen
Victoria in honour of her most gracious Majesty (the
same which had been remarked last autumn from the
high land near the ship), the land to the north-east
forms the bottom of Syddon Gulf, while that upon its
western side stretched to the N.W. in one unbroken
mountain line as far as the eye could reach. At Winter
Harbour we obtained a set of sights for the purpose of
testing our chronometers, which were ascertained to be
going exceedingly well ; and having deposited a notice
of our visit under the same cairn that Lieutenant
M'Clintock left one last year, upon a large fragment of
sandstone, bearing this inscription, viz., " His Britannic
Majesty's ships Hecla and Griper, Commanders Parry
and Lyddon, wintered in the adjacent harbour during
the winter of 1819-20, A. Gisher, sculpsit," at 6 p.m.
commenced our return, travelling upon flat ice nearly
the entire way, accomplishing in 10 days what occupied
18 upon the outward trip, and reached the ship upon the
9th of May, when I had the gratification of receiving the
most satisfactory reports concerning our sanitary condi-
tion, and likewise that the supply of venison continued
abundant, having 20 head of deer on board. In conse-
quence, the ration of venison was increased to lilb•
thrice a week, as the crew were hard at work, clearing
the holds, collecting and bringing off ballast ; the latter
a very laborious occupation, from the large space they
had to search over in picking up a sufficiency of stone to
complete 100 tons, which was not accomplished until the
25th, after which we commenced watering, obtaining it
from a lake about a mile from the ship, by boring
through 7 feet 10 inches of ice, and cutting a reservoir
to receive it : this forming a species of Artesian well,
which gave a bountiful supply, enabling the water-
ing to be completed by the 13th of June, previous
to the commencement of the thaw, which was a
great advantage to the crew, as it kept them dry-
footed. About this time flocks 'of wild fowl, consisting
of swans, geese, and all descriptions of ducks, began to
arrive, but finding no water, merely took a flight round
the north-west extreme of the land and returned to the
southward, from which it would appear that the. season
is with snow
is late ; indeed, the land is as much coveredntil
the 25th of
as in the depth of winter, nor was it u
the month that any alteration took la
sunny e , when small
slopes of
streams commenced trickling
with one
theupon the ice. On
the ravines, and little ponds fodromwend
the 30th we had an entire day
of
;11l heavy
yr
snow,witn witnessed at so
of the most severe northerlyecolens
and upon the Ist of
advanced a period of thehads
increased its thickness four
inches found that the ice
inches during the last month, being seven feet two inches,
a t unusual circumstance, as. both at Port Leopold
most • of Wales Strait we found a very con-
siderableand in the Prince
during the month of June the decrease ;
tem-
perature likewise was very low, showing an average of
31-4- deg. The appearance of the crew at their monthly
inspection elicited a more unfavourable report from the
surgeon than I have hitherto received • evident
toms of debility among the generality o' f.them, asnydn3ll36-
having a decided scorbutic tendency, plainly the effect
of the late heavy labour in ballasting and watering ; but
as all our work is now on board, their gradual return to
perfect health may be anticipated without encumbering
the sick list. On the Bth of July, Sergeant Woon, of
the marines, while in pursuit of a wounded deer, unex-
pectedly met a couple of musk bulls, which he succeeded
in killing, evincing the most soldierlike coolness and
intrepidityduring the entire transaction ; having ex-
pended his ammunition as one of the wounded and in-
furiated monsters rushed towards him, he fired his worm
when at a few yards, but without much effect; as he
continued his advance, evidently, however, weak from
loss of blood, till he had reached within six feet, when
putting his head to the ground previous to his final rush,
the Sergeant, as his last resource, fired his iron ramrod,