The Sun.
London, England, 1825-01-21 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICE.

" A BRIEF NA BRATTY!: of an UNSUCCESSFUL
"ATTEMPT to reach REPULSE BAY, through Sir
" THOMAS ROWE'S WELCOME,' in his Majesty's
" Ship GRIPER; 'in caw- year •11124, by Captain G. F.
" 14vos, R.N.. with'nChart and Engravings. London,
" fivo. p. p. 193."
When we fttrticed a few months sit'. the very
entertaining atiti instructive -" Private Journal" of Captain
Lyon, during his residence with Captain Parry among the
Esquimaux, we did not inirtgi.:e our attention would so soon
be called to any work from 'the pen •of this intrepid naVigator
anti traveller. Such is, however, the fact, and seldom have we
perused more disasters, and which appear to have daily accu-
mulated, than those met with by this Officer, and his small but
adventurous crew. Captain Lyon details; in—a short Preface,
the reasoiw for this voyage being undertaken, together with a
list of the number of persons composing the officers and crew
of the (;riper, amounting in all to forty-one -individuals. The
vessel was burthen 148 tons, had been a gun-brig, and chosen
to accompany Captain Parry in his first voyage, in which
her dull sailing is noticed in that Officer's published account.
Every thing that could at all contribute to the health anti com-
fort of those employed in the undertaking was provided bath
in s!or,s, warm clothing, and provisions. There are also copies
of Captain Lyon's Instruetions front the Lolls Commis-
sinners of the Admiralty, and from Earl Bathurst, Secretary
of State for the Colonies. •

On the 10th June the Griper, Capt. Lyon, was towed from her
moorings otr Deptfind Dock ykrd by the Earl of Liverpool steam-
vessel, previous to which great part of the stores necessary for
such an undertaking as was then intended were put on board the
Snap. surveying vessel, Lieutenant Bullock. This measure
was deemed absolutely necessary' for the safety of the (;riper;
yet, notwithstanding this precautioa when Captain Lyon sailed
firm the Nore the vessel was feet one inch abaft, and 15 feet
0 incites forward deep in the water. In this state they reached
-Stromoess after having experienced a very narrow escape from
shipmerek just previously to arriving there. Here they received
their stock, as also two Shetland ponies, one 40 and the other 343
inches high, forcarryieg, stores front Repulse Bay across to the
Polar sea, and for their use eight sheep and a fat cow were put
on hoard Lieut. Bullock's vessel. From Stromness they sailed,
July 3d, in company .with the Snap, but it was soon discovered
that the sailing qualities of are Griper were of the worst de-
scription, anti that without being taken in tow would be unable
to proceed. This occurred very frequently, steering their
voyage across the Atlantic, when on the Ist August they fell
in with a small berg of about seventy feet, and in the evening
discovered the Labrador coast. On the 3d, all the stores were,
removed from the Snap, and the two vessels parted the follow-
hig day, under repeated cheering from the respective crews._
Some idea may be formed of the internal state of the Griper.
for Captain Lyon says (page 20)-6, When our stores were all
" on hoard, we found our narrow decks completely crowded by
" them. The gangways, forecastle, and abaft the mizen mast,
" were fille-1 with casks, hawsers, whale lines, and stream cal-
" hie', while on our straightened lower deck we were obliged
" to place casks and other stores in every part but that allotted
" to the ship's company's mess tables; and even my cabin
" had a Taantity of things stowed away in it. The launch
" was filled high above her gun whales with various articles,
and our chains and waist were lumbered with spars, plank,
sledges, wheels, &c. Our draft of water aft was now sixteen
" feet one inch, and forward, fifteen feet ten incites." On the
sth, they made (tape Resolution, the weather severe and un-
pleasant ; the following day is stated to have been the finest
since leaving England. On the Bth, abreast of Saddle-back,
and the Middle Savage Islands, and about five miles front the
land, the Griper struck twice, and heeled very notch, but fo,-
tunately did not sustain any damage. The deviation of the
canipaeses now became very great, notwithstanding one had
been fitted with Professor Barlow's plate. Rain had fallen in-
cessantly during the last two days, and on the 10th, continued
with fig until noon, when the sky cleared, and they made the
Upper Savage Island. and making first to a heavy piece of ice,
remained tonal the following neon—this proved of infinite ser-
vice, as from " the continued wet weather, the ship, and
every thing within her. had become very damp. The ponies,
" ducks, geese, and fowls, were put upon the is a which pre-
" seined a most novel apaearenc u." At day-light on the 12.11
the first Esquitnaux was seen, and battling his canoe on the
ice, began to barter. Front Captain Lyon's knowledge of the
language a conversation directly took place, and in about half an
hour sixty more natives made their appearance in 8 kayacks,
and three oomiaks, the latter with sails made of the intes-
tines of the walrus. As timed, they began to mike free
with many articles, and one fellow succeeded in picking the
Captain's pocket of his handkerchief far which he received it
box on the ear. The others " traded fairly each woman pm-
" (Wein?. her stores from a neat little skin-bag. which was dis-
" anguished by our men by the name of a ridicule.' A new
" variety of comb was was purchased, and Captain Lyon pro-
cured " a mirror composed of a broad plate of black mica, so
" fitted into a leathern case, as to be be seen on either side."---
Some of the natives were admitted on board the Griper to see
the ponies and pigs, at which they evinced signs of tear, par-
ticularly at the squeaking made by the latter, and considered
theta as" two new species of Tooktoo (rein-deer)." Captain
Lyon purchased for a knife the sail of a womans boat. " It
" was nine feet five inchea at the head, by only six feet at the
▪ foot, and having a dip,of 13 feet. The gut of which it was
" composed, was in 4 breadths, neatly sewed with thread
• Of the same material, and the whole sail only weighed three
▪ pounds three quarter ". Off the North Bluff another party
was met with, and a siniiliar intercourse took place. On the
13tii, their " progress was painfully slow," and they passed
much closely packed ice. The temp endure was *SO in the sit,rde,
and the fog froze thickly on the rig ;ion. On the 15th the com-
passes were extrenily sluggish, and the one fitted with tlnaplate
shewed as much deviation when the ship's head was to the
eastward as any other. This cause I much anxiety. The 17th
they unele Charles' island, and killed two walruses in shoal
water. Before the evening of the 19th they were within ten
miles of Cape Wolstenhohne, and the following afternoon off
Ifiggea island, the sea full of ice. The very dull and bad
sailing of the Griper continued ; add on the morning of the 22d
part of the mountains of Sonata Upton island were seen. On
the 24th Captain Lyon, accompanied by Mr Kendall, landed
for the purpose of making observations. They saw some (leer
and Esquitnaux summer circles moss grown and abandoned.
They returned on board in the afternoon, and the point on
w:•-ich they had landed was named after Mr. Leyson, the
assistant Surgeon, and the inl at between it and Cape Pent-
broke, named after 31. r. Evans, the Purser.of the ;riper. This
day is remarkable as being the commencement of constant la-
bour at the leads. On the 25th they made the high land at
Pembroke, and next dayapassed abreast of it. The computeses
had now become quite useless, with the ship's " brad south-
" erly, real that in particular to which the plate was fitted so
ss, that its north point stood wherever it was placed
" by the finger; but with the head northerly they all traversed
" again." This, however, bulletined but little, for Captain
Lyon says, " as our route lay to the south west, we were with-
'• out other guidance than celestial bearings. which could not
"always be obtained.'' On the 27th they fell in with a na-
tive who, as lie approached, was observed " seated on three,
" inflated seal skins, connected most ingeniously by blown
" intestines, so that his vessel was extremely buoyant. Ile
" was astride upon one skin, while another of a larger size was
• secured on either side of it, so that he was placed in a kind
" of hollow. His legs, well furnished with seal skin boots,
" were immersed nearly to the knee in water, and he rowed
" with a very slender soot stained paddle of whalebone, which
" was secured to his float • by a thong." He exhibited some
signs of•fear, but some beads being given to him he placed
them " with trembling fingers, across a large bunch of hair
which protruded front his forehead." Captain layout after-
wards larded with hint in hopes of obtaining sights for the in-
struments, and was then joined by six others, Who all appeared
twist miserable, havingnnly a piece of " dripped flint" for a
knife. They' afterwards visited " two tents, very small, and
full of holes," in which were five women and six children."
" One of fhe women by her appearance, Land,: have been
" scarcely fifteen years of age, yet carried her own child, a stout
boy at least twelvemonths old at her back." Her mother
was with 'ter, and Captain Lyon adds,, " she squinted abomin-
" ably," a defect he witnessed but ire one other instance amongst
these people. In one tent was a " little piece of deal, about
" three inches in length, planed and painted black on one
I".sideg" and with three bows, made of many pieces, was
all the wood in their possession. Knives, boarding pikes, and
many other articles were distributed among these wretched
beings. Each man was distinguished by " an immense
" mass of hair, as large as the head ofa child, rolled into a ball.
" and pi-ejecting front the rise of the forehead." Capt. Lyon.
caused one of these to be opened, and adds, it "consisted of
" six long savings of Iris own locks, originally plaited, but now
" so matted with dirt, (leers fur, &c., as to resemble -a rough
" hair tether. These extraordinary tresses were bound tightly
" together at their base, and measured above 4 feet." An en-
graving of one of these people on his seal skin forms the fron-
tispiece to the work. On the 211th they again landed to procure
water, and found some t:squimaux graves, of which a descrip-
tion and representation is given. In the afternoon it blew a
gale, and the ship was put under t4ose reefed topsails, Captain
Iryon adds, " A strong weather-tide rose so short, and a high
" sea, that fora hours the ship was unmanageable, and pitched
" bowsprit under every moment. We now found, that al-
" though with our head off' aus truly dangerous shore, we were,
" nearing it rapidly, and driving boldly down on the shoal."—
To add, if possible, to this distressing situation, "the masts were
" expected to go every moment, and all hands were kept on
" deck in readiness. 'l'lle tiller twice broke adrift, and two
• men were bruised." In the morning the wind came round
• seed moderated from soath-west, with a turbulent short sea.—

The deviation of the compasses now increased, and with the
lamentable sailing of the Griper, the strong tides, and bad
weather, caused dwir situation to be most perilous. In this
state they remained until the Ist September, when they ex-
perienced the most dreadful storm that can he conceived. It
would be injustice to Captain Lyon not to give his own ac-
count of this perilous days Ile says, page 75, " Throughout
" the night we steered N.W. by the pole-star, and ran under
" easy sail. Our soundings at ten- P.M. were thirty fathoms,
" between which and twenty-eight they varied continually until
" 30 minutes after two A. Mt. on the lit September, when we
"shoaled to 19. Fearing danger, I turned the hands up, but
" havieg shortly deepened to 27 and 25, again sent them below.
" A t SiZ A. m. having quickly shoaled to 19, running N. \. W.
" from midnight, 1 shortened sail, but came to 17 at dawn,
" when we discovered land bearing N.N.W.. and appa-
" rently not continuous to the tight, but a thick fog • which
" hung over the horiion limited our view. As our run had
" been about fifty miles N. N. W., and as I expected
"to find the American shore East of its position in the
" charts, I conceived that this would be Cape Fullarton of
Middleton, and theretbre kept it on our larboard hand, in-
" tending to run past it at five or six miles, which was its dis-
" tance at this time. We soon, however, came to 15 fathoms,
and I kept right away, but had then only ten ; when being
" tunable to see far around us, and observing from the white-
" ness of the water that we were on a bank, I rounded to at
" seven a.m., and tried to bring up with the starboard an-
" chor, and 7fl fathoms chain, but the stiff breeze and heavy
" sea caused this to part in half an hour, and we again made
" sail to the north-eastward ; ;nit finding we came Suddenly to
" seven fathoms, and the ship could not possibly work out
" again, as she would not face the sea, or keep steerage way
" on her, 1 most reluctantly brought her up with three bowers
" and a stream in succession, yet not befire we had shoaled to
five and a half. This was between eight and nine A.m.;
" the ship pitching bows under, and a tremendous sea running.
" At noon the starboard bower anchor parted, but the others
" held,
" As there was every reason to fear the falling of the
" tide, which we knew to be from twelve to fifteen feet
" on this coast, and in that case the total destruction
"of the ship, I caused the long-boat to be hoisted
" out, and with the four smaller ones, to be stored to a certain
" extent with arms and provisions. The officers drew lots for
" their respective boats, and the ship's company were stationed
"to them. The lon;e boat having been filled with stores which
" could not be Put trelow, it became requisite to throw them
" overboard, as there was no room for them on our very small
" and crowded decks, over which heavy seas were constantly
" sweeping. In making these preparations for taking to the
" boats it was evident to all, that the long boat was the only
" one which had the slightest chance of living under the lee of
" the ship, should she be wrecked, but every man drew his lot
" with the greatest composure, although two ()four boats would
" have been swamped t'oe instant they were lowered. Yet such
" was the noble leelirg of' those around me, that it was evident
that had I ordered the boats in question to he manned, their
" crews would have entered them without a murmur. In the
" afternoon, on the weather clearing a little, we discovered a
" low beach all around astern of us, on which the surf was
" running to an awful height, and it appeared evident that no
" human powers could save us. At 3 p. in. the tide-tad fallen to
" 21 feet (only six more than we drew) and the ship having been
"-lifted by a tremendoussea, struck with great violence the whole
" length of her keel. This we naturally conceived was the fore-
" limner of her total wreck, and we stood in readineis to take to
the boat., and endeavour to hang under her lee. She continued
" to strike with sufficient force to have burst any lesa-fortihed
" vessel, at intervals of a few minutes, whenever an usually
" heavy sea passed us ; and, as the water was so shallow, these
" might almost be called breakers rather than waves, for each
" in passing burst with great force over our gangways, and as
every sea topped,', our, decks were continually, and fre-
" 9uently deeply, flooded. •All hands took a little refreshment,
" tor some had scarcely been below for 24 hours, and I had not
" been in bed for three nights. Although few or none of us
" had any idea that we should survive the gale, we did not
think that our comforts should be entirely neglected, and an
" order was therefore given to the men to put on their best anti
" warniest clothing, to enable them to support life as long as
" possible. Every man, thetefore, brought his bag on deck
" and dressed hinis,:le; and, in die fine athletic forms which
" stood before me, I did not see one muscle quiver, nor
" the slightest sign of alarm. The officers each secured
" souse useful instrument about them for the purposes
"of observation, although it was acknowledged by
" all that not the slightest hope remained. And now that
" every thing in our power had been done, I called all hands
" aft, and to a merciful God offered prayers for our preserva-
" tion. I thanked every one for their excellent conduct, and
"cautioned them, as we should, in all probability, soon appear
" before due Maker, to enter his presence as men resigned to
" their fate. We then all sat down in groups, and sheltered
" fran the wash of the sea, by whatever we could find ; many
"of us endeavoured to obtain a little sleep. Never, perhaps,
" was witnessed a finer scene that on the deck of my little ship,
" when all hope of life had left us. Noble as ,the character of
" the British sailor is always allowed to he in cases of danger,
" yet I did not believe it to be possible, that amongst 41 person
" not one repining word should have been uttered. The officers
"sat about, whenever they could find shelter from the sea,
" and the men lay down conversing with each other with
" the most perfect calmness. Each was at peace
" wit's his neighbour and all the world, and 1
" am firmly persuaded that the resignation that was then
" shewn to the will of the Almighty, was the means of ob-
taining
" already= received some very heavy blows, rose, and broke up
' " the after lockers, and this was die last severe shock which
" the ship received. We Mond by the well that she made no
" water, and by dark she struck no more. God was merciful
"to us, artd the tide, almost miraculously, fell no lower. At
" dark, heavy rain tell, but was borne with patience, for it beat
" down the gale, and brought with it a light air from the
" northward. At nine p. in. the water had deepened to five
fathoms. The ship kept oft' the ground all night, and our
exhausted crew obtained some broken rest."

The next morning they weighed their anchors, and found
that the best bower had lost a flake, and that the others were
uninjured. This place, Captain Lyon adds, " in humble gra-
" thude tbr our delivery, I named the • Bay of God's "
The latitude of it is 83. 35. 41., longitude 8f). 32. Of the ap-
pearance of the Griper there is an -engraving' from a drawing,
by Air. Kendall.
They proceeded up The welcome, the compasses continuing
useless, and " convinced by experience, that ltetship would
" never work off a lee shore." On the lid, 4.bertvy gale front
the E.N.E. commenced, which contirtna•'all the next day, and
to add to their distressed situation, the allowance of water was
reduced to a quart per then-1661y half a ton being in the ship.
The two ponies were kingt; as they were reducing very fast
front continued expoktire to the wash of the sea on the fore-
castle. The gale remained with undiminished fury all the sth,
and they continued to ship very heavy seas. The nights be-
thn to. grow very long and dark, and in an unknown channel
eir situation must have been very perilous. " The morning
of the 6th was beautifully clear, bat the gale continued tin-
" diminished," anti at ihur p. in. on the following day, they
" brought up . with two bower anchors, and 70 fathoms
" chain, in fifteen fathoms from the land, of which the
" heavy gale blew down." The Bth was fine and clear,
the gale very strong, but moderating towards evening,
a party landed for water. On the 91h they weighed, and the
breeze " freshened to a southerly gale," with thick rain and a
heavy sea. Fm the first time 'a few Whales were seen. At I I
p.m. the moon rose and " not an angry cloud was to be seen."
The Aurora appeared beautifully Ibr a short period. On the
following morning the wind rather decreased, and a dry day
succeeded. The night of the Ilth was cloudy, " but the moon
" being occasionally seen was of great assistance, .the com-
e` passes having again changed their errors." The 12th the
breeze freshened at.day anti soon increased to -a gale
4 with cutting showeris of sleet:. The gale continued with the
greatest fury the whole of this day with heavy snow, and they
were in momentary expectation of losing thebowsprit and masts
front the heavy streams of ice that bore against them. Captain
Lyon says, " the hurricane blew with such violence as to be
" perklely deafening ; and the heavy wash of the sea made it
" difficult to reach the maimnast, where the officer of the watch
" tool his peoplessat shivering, completely cased in frozen snow,
" under a small tarpaulin, before which ropes were stretched to
" p•eserve them in their places. I never beheld a darker night,
'hand its gl out was increased by the rays of a small horn lan-
tern which was suspended front the mizen-stay chew where
" the people sat."
The gale contineud with terrific violence the next day, and
the found the best bower anchor had parted, and by six, a.m.
C.ty tAin Lyon says, 44 we were left helpless, without anchors,
" or any means of saving ourselves, should the shore, as we had
" every reason to expect, be close astern." it is impossible to
far man idea of the situation the Griper remained in the whole of
this day, which was the last they attempted proceeding up the
Welcome.. Captain Lyon's reasons for returning, it would be
improper not to give. He says. " In the afternoon, having
‘• well weighedtn my mind. all the circumstances of our dis-
• 4 tressed situation, I turned the hands up and informed them,
" that = having now lost all our bower anchors, and chains,
•" and being in consequence unable to bring up in any part of
44 the Welcome; being exposed to the sets of a tremendous
" tide-way and constant heavy gales, one of which was now
" 'sweeping us back to the southward, and being yet above 80
" miles front Repulse Bay, with the shores leading to which we
" were unacquainted ; our compasses useless,and it being im-
" possible to continue under sail with any degree of safety in
" 4 these dark 12 hour nights, with the too often experienced
-" certainty that the ship could not heat off a lee shore even in
A' moderate' weather, 1 had determined on making southing,

" to clear the narrows of the Welcome, after which I should
" decide on some plan for our future operations." '
From this period the voyage may he considered as at an end,
anti we regret that the return of Captain Lyon, occasioned by
circumstances of the most appalling descr►ption, as also the
bad sailing of the Griper, should hav,e lost the only means that
may possibly ever be afforded of obtaining any knowledge of
the country beyond Repulse [lay, and which there ix little
doubt forms the shores of the Polar Sea. To many it
will appear surprising, that the determination of returning
was not earlier put in practice ; and to those it will
prove, that the llritish sailor invariably pursues his
course so long as a hope remains of success. The narrative is
written in a plain and easy style, with a becoming and prai•c-
worthy gratitude to the Divine Power for the deliverance they
experienced.
fo the work is added an Appendix, by Professor Barlow,
relative to the variation of the Compasses; and also an Abstract
of the different day's work of the Latitudes and Longitudes,
by Captain Lyon, and Mr. Kendall, Assistant Surveyor and
Admiralty Midshipman ; and a Botanical Appendix, by Pro-
fessor Hooker; all of which, but particularly the frmer, are
highly interesting, being, as the Appendix says, " made in the
" ibctits of magnetic action."