The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-24 00:00:00

friendly. They all had their bows and quivers with
them.
Finding a line drawn on the sand so usefel as a
boundary for their approach at Wainwright's Inlet, I
again had recourse to it, which they respected as before.
I made them all presents, and returned to the ship in
the evening just before she was enveloped in a
dense fog.
August 24—Weighed, with a light air from the north-
east, and clear (hot) weather. Running for Point Hope,
where I intended to build another mark, if the Plover
had not already done it.
At one, P.M., sighted off the low land the Nancy
Dawson yacht and the Owen. Mr. Shedden came on
board, accompanied by Mr. Martin, the second master
of the Plover, who had been sent back by Mr. Pullen
in charge of the two large boats of the expedition. I
learned from Mr. Martin that he had arrived at the
anchorage off Point Hope on the 19th inst., in company
with the yacht, and was preparing to start again north
in the Owen, sending the other boats back in charge of
the yacht to Kotzebue Sound.
The boats, after !airing the Plover on the 25th of
July, were detained a day or two by the ice before
reaching Point Barrow; found the natives most friendly,
and anxious to assist them in every way. The boats
were accompaniei a 3 far as Point Barrow by the yacht.
This vessel bad many escapes. She was preseel on shore
mice; ran on shore on another occasion to the eastward
of Point Barrow, and was only got off by the assistance
of the native', who manned her capstan and hove with
great goodwill.
On another occasion she parted her bower cahe
from the pressure cf the ice that came suddenly down
on her, and had a narrow escape of a severe squeeze.
She recovered her anchor and cable. Mr. Sbedden
erected a mark in Refuge Inlet, where he also
intended to have left some provisions, but the natives
were too numerous to do so without their knowing. -
Ile found another small inlet a short distance south
of Merge Inlet, in latitude 71 deg. 5 min. where he
turned from his own store a large cask oeflour and a
Jorge cask of preserved meats. At Refuge Inlet he left
information as to the position of these casks.
Nothing could exceed the kindness of Mr. Shedden
to those in the boats, in supplying them with every-
thing his vessel could afford, and in following them
with considerable risk. His crew were, unfortunately,
a most disaffected set. He had too many of them, for so
small a vessel.
The boats all reached Dease's Inlet on the evening
of the 3d, but were detained until the sth, by strong
winds.
Their time, however, was well employed in stowing
their boats and a baidar Mr. Pullen bought at Point Bar-
row. They were fairly away on the afternoon of the
sth, having with them WO days' provisions, besides ten
cases of pemmican ; this little expedition then con-
sisted of two twenty-seven feet whale boats, and one
native baidar, manned with fourteen persons in all.
I have sent their Lordship? copies of Mr. Pullen's
letters both public and private, that have been received
since his departere. From them they will gain more
information than I could afford.
Through these letters their Lordships will also see
with what a noble and proper spirit Lieutenant Pullen
undertook his voyage, being nevertheless fully alive to
its dangers and exposures.
I am quite sure their Lordships, when they appointed
Mr. Pullen, were fully aware of his character and capa-
bilities. I trust, however, that they will not consider
the following comments out of plate:—
. I don't know any officer more capable of conducting
with success such an expedition. •He possesses health,
great bodily strength and endurance, ability and great
decision of character. Coupled with all these good
points in their leader, the boats had an open sea, and a
fair wind, so that I have no apprehensions as to their
reaching one of the Hudson's Bay establishments on the
Mackenzie early in the season, though not sufficiently
early to return to Kotzebue Sound this year.
Drase and Simpson certainly made their voyage from
the Mackenzie to Point Barrow and back, in one season,
but then they travelled west, at the commencement of
the season, and returned to the eastward at its close,
when the winds prevailed from the westward. Our boats
would have to return to the westward at the latter part
of the season, which I believe to be impossible from the
packing of the ice, the keenness of the westerly winds
and currents.
Mr. Pullea's letter says pre!ty plainly, that he will
not return ; he will therefore be awaiting their Lord-
chips' instructions at York Factory.
-August 24—We hove to off Point Hope towards
midnight in very dirty weather.
August 25—In the morning stood in ; sent a boat to
the yacht to tell her I thought she was in a very dan-
gerous anchorage, with the wind as it then was from
the S.S.E. Ordered the two longer boats out imme-
diately. Finding the weather still more threatening, I
hoisted the Plover's boat in, being handier for my
tackles than tlte Owen, determining to go myself north
in the ship.
Provisioned the Owen, and despatched her company
with the yacht to Kotzebue Sound, supposing the Plover
to have gone there. I desired Commander Moore to
employ her in the examination of the Buckland river.
We had a calm in the afternoon with heavy rollers
(without any apparent cause). We fortunately were
two or three miles off the land. Had the yacht- and
boats remained at their anchorage they certainly would
have be en driven on shore, without my being able to
assist them.
A fresh breeze from the southward released us from
this unreeasant .peeition. We just scraped clear of the
shoal off Point Hope, and bore up nottherly, parting
company with yacht and Owee.
August 27-13or.Coued to run to the northward until
six A.u. cf this day, had an increasing breeze from
smith south-east, with frequent snow-storms. Hove to
for flee weather. By nine A.M. we were re lucei to a
close-reefed maintopsail and staysail, having washed
away-one of our quarter hosts. I have never seen so
hollow or distressing a sea for a ship—no small-decked
boat could have Jived in it. It was, therefore, fortunate
• that I had arrived at Point Hope before the Owen
stir e I again north, and that I had decided on sending
her to Kotzebue Sound.
I kept the ship heading in for the land, hoping that
this ga'e like our former ones, would be of short dura-
tion, and that I might again look into Wainright's
Inlet. The only alteration, however, in the weather
was, that the gale from south south-east ceased in about
twelve hours, and shifted to north-west and west, from
which points it blew gales, bringing with them ex-
cessive cold weather, with strong squalls and heavy falls
of snow.
August 27=In standing to the westward we 'ob-
served at 10 P DI. the ice blink was very strong from
north to north-west, about 15 miles from us; wore,
hoping to weather Blossom shoal at least 40 miles.
August 28—Wore in 11 fathoms on the shoal this
`morning, having nine fathoms before we trimmed. Had
a current north 84 degrees east setting 36 miles in 18
hours. Wind west.
Finding it impassible to remain on the coast, I began
to work off with all the sail the ship :would carry. My
crew were necessarily much exposed in making and
shartening sail, and suffered a good deal from colds and
rheumatism. I was also shorthanded, having been
obliged to send ten men to the Plover, besides those I
dischargsd at Oahu.
On the morning of the 31st I again stood in for Point
Hope, but finding no landing there, I bore up for Kot-
z :bile Sound.
Passed Cape Krusentern on the morning of the Lt in
a gale from the north-west, under third reefs of topsails
and reefed courses.
Before passing Ilotham Sound we were under sail,
and anchored off Chanaissio Island it 9 30 P.M.
Found the Plover and the yacht at anchor under
Choris peninsula. The Owen was absent with Captain.
big )re up the Buckland river, but expected daily her
retusn on the 3d.
After completing our water from the springs in Cha-
misAo; my people were employed assisting the Plover in
preparing her winter quarters. The boatswain with a
party and the carpenters building a house.
Commander Moore having determined to winter in
the Soued, and being very desirous to visit some chiefs
who were reporte 1 to live in a considerable place up the
river, I It mined to go there with a party sufficient to
secure respect from noose people, although Captain
Moore told me they vvre most friendly. Accordingly,
on the 9th, I starteel with the Owen, the Plover's decked
hos", Herald cutter, and two gigs, their crews and seve-
ral i,fficers.
The first night we bivouacked at Elephant Point, and
had 'the whole crew roaming over the ice cliffs for fossils,
but could not find one of any importance.
The ascend night we stayed at a large native village
of 22 tents and abcut 150 people. We pitched our tents
close to one extreme of them, had our coppers, pots,
kettles, axes, saws, &c., on shore, but not an article was
lost, although at times we had a third of their numbers
about us. Even in their way they were not troublesome,
when we told them we wished them to go away.
They were all very fins men, but disfigured in appear-
ance by the labrets they all wean They brought us
wood and water, gave us fish and venison and offered us
whales' blubber and seals' flesh. '
Leaving a few of the men to take care of the boats,
the rest came on shore for an hour. - The natives were
highly amused, and joined in their sports of leaping and
running.
The sportsmen were always accompanied by some of
them ; they were greatly surprised to see some of the
young officers killing the birds right and left.
The moment the boats started (until we got far up)
WO were preceded by their little k'acks, sounding with
tadir paddles to the channel. 'We had pilots in each of
the large boats, who remained constantly with us, and
who experienced great concern when they unavoidably
got tie on shore.
I have teen the more particular in my remarks re-
lative to these interesting people, because their be-
haviour on the visits of Captain Beechey and myself
have bean so very opposite. It may be accounted for
in this way : we had an interpreter who could speak with
then', through which they found out what our object was
n going amongst them. .._
The Russian settlement has, also,t I . consider, been
very iostrumentsl in causing this a' ion in their con-
duct. We found many of them with shirts, handker-
chiefs cf gaudy colours, cottons with walrus,
reindeer, and ad the other animals that' theyk are. in the
Imes, and
habit c f catching ald representing in ivory,
kettles—all these came from the Russian settlement.
They were latterly very anxious to obtain muskets, and
evinced no fear in discharging them.

September I 1--We arri-ved. with the boats at a part
of tbe fiver, 30
ini:es Up. perfectly
barred across with
heavy rock, over which there was a fall of about thiz teen
fuches. Here the heavy boats were stopped, but by
-'lnritrdit4g the lighter ones, we were enabled to haul them
over.

Wising myself to.return to the ship, and Commander
M, ore being still anxious to go on, I directed Mr. M. A.
Qu.re (senior lieutenant to the Herald) to accompany
him in my gig, For the purpose cf mutual protection
(Laving one of the larger boats below the fall to wait
eir ret;Us), X 40004 WA 19 lake 11 trileing 91