Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-05-18

| On the kZd u June we descendeo toat lmpctuOus
stream Of the Bloody Fall, where remained until
the 18th. This interval was employed BY MI Stmp-
son exploring Richsrdsea River, discovered an
le3S, which discharges itseh, ~ we then supposed
INTO the bottom Of Backs Inlet IN latitude Oh o. "
North, Longitude BIS S. " est. A party of about
thirty Esqa,maux were encamped there, all OF whom
fled precipi!ately to the hills, exsept one family,
whose tent WAS placed island in this stream
With those last mmu nication ope through
eur intsrpretor OOligbuek bat the circle ef tbsfr
little lives being confined to BersDs Isles, and the
borders OF Richards MS River, they had no Informal
tion to impart Of any value
On TIE Sd Of July the first slight opening occurred
in the service, Of which took instant advantage;
but first weeks journey did not exceed twenty
miles, and il was the iSh after sad work, before we
could attain Cape Barrow. From its rocky heights
behed with equal surprise and delight, the wade
extent OF Coronation Gulph, partially open, whereas
| long after the date in 1888, the whole party
might have crossed it ON foot At midnight. ON the
20th we landed at Cape Franklin, inst one month
earlier than Alr Simpsons arrival there, on his pc
destrian journey Of the year before. violent east
erly gale arrested cur progress for the next tour
days; and on the 9th we encountered great perrin
doubling Cape Alexander, amidst very heavy driving
From Cape Alexander, situated in lat. IS Sc N,
long l06 10 w., to an~ther remarkable point in lat.
IS, 80 N. long. 9S 10 w :, the Arctic coast may be
comprsed in spacious bay. ssteching as farSosrh
lat. 81 40 before il turns oil abruptly northward to
the last mentioned position. This vast sweep. of
which but iHconsideraule portion was seen bv
Mr. Simps last year, iadented by an endless sac
CCselon OIL maor DAYS, separates one SuvtucF
long projecting points Of laud, enclosing an
ircalcrable number of islands
From this description il wiz be evident that our
route was an extremely intricate one and the cai'ss
of the survey most harsssins, bnt whilst pcrplsxed
beyond measure in finding eur way through these
aby we derived great advantage from the pro-
lection afforded by the islands from the crushing
force Of the seaward ices and the weather was gene
rally clear. In fact, the most serious deten'ion
caused by ice this part Of the voyage. was from
the list 10 the 9Th Of August, on point that jotted
49, y,L -
white Bear Point, az il was called, lies in g. Z.
g, N. l03 30 45 W.; variation 81 40 r. These
bays and masses OF islands present distinct success
sisn Of geological features, which can be best illus
trated by series Of specimens Of the rocks that
compose this wild and barren coast. Vest'ges oil
Esqnimanx, and mostly old, were met with wherever
we landed.
They appear to subsist in single families, or very
small PARTIES and TO travel inland for the deer hunt
in the month of June, not returning to tie sealing
islands till the ice sets fast in October river,
The sea in g. g N. long l04 Is. w. is much resorted
To by reindeer and musk oxen, in the summer sea
son. Finding the coast, already remarked, tend
ing norther Y from the bottom OF the Great Bay. we
expected nothing less than be carried round Cape
Felix Of Captain James Ross, contrary to the con-
lectures hazsrded by Mr. Simpson, in his narrative
OF last years journey On the evening oil he IOth q"
August, however Cat the point already given), we
suddenly opened strait running into the southwark
east, where the rapid rush Of the tide scarcely left
doubt Of the existence OF open sea leading tn the
ten miles wioe at either extremity, but contracts to
three in the centre. Even that narrow channel il
much encroached upon by nigh single islands, but
there is deep water in the middle throughout The
18th Of August was signalised by the most terrific
thunder-stor~ we have ever witnessed in these re-
gions. Next day it blew roughly fromthe westward,
with very dense cold fog bat we ran rapidly south
east, past Point Richards aud Point Ogie oil Sir
George Back, and continued till the darkness OF
night and the increasing gale drove ashore be
Point Pechsll The storm shifted to north cast, and
flags flying to the Montreal Island On its northern
side our people, guided bv Mackay, soon found a
deposit made among the rocks. by some OF Sir
George Backs parry, but, as Mackay seemed to
think, without that officers knowledge. 1t contain
ed two bags of pemican, and quantity OF cocoa or
chocolate all perfectly rotten, besides an old japan
ned tin vascuam, and two three other trivial ar
our having bro.hf..t.S che identical spot whore
the Of our gallant though less sucressui Pr.crr
stood, his return from Point Ogs tn the Great
Wish River that very day Eve years before. The
arduoas duty we had in 1886, undertaken to perform
was thus fully accomplished; and the length and
difficulty Of the route back to the Cooperating would
nave amply Justified our immediate return. We had
all suffered less from the want OF fuel and the
deprivation Of warm food. and the prospect grew
mere cherries as the cold fall weather stole on
apace. But having already ascertained the separa-
ten IT Bootha from the American continent on the
western eide Of the Great Fish River, Determined
not TO desist till had settled its relation thereto
on the eastern side also. A fog which bad come on
the pic uresque shores Of the estuary Far to the
sfouth victors Headland stood forth so clearly de-
fined, that instantly recognized IL BY Sr George
Backs exquisite drawing Cape Beaufort we almost
seemed to touch and with the telescope we were
able to discovers continuous line Of high land rs lar
rowad northeast, about two points mere norhery
than Cape Hay the extreme eastern point by Sir
George Back.
The traverse to the arthest visible land occupied
six hours unremitting labGnr at the and the
was rising the 18th, when we scaled the bluff
and singuary shaped rocky cape 10 which our course
had been directed. It stands in lat g. 3. %. ~,
long 81 IS. w. The azimuth compass by Jones set
tied exactly in th true meredian, agreed with two
others by the same maker, placed on the ground
From our proximity 10 the magnetic pole, the
compass had latterly been of little use; but
this OF the less consequence, as the astronomi-
cal observatisns were very frequent. The dip Of
the needle. which at Thunder Cove 9th August)
North. This bold promontory, where we lay wind
bound till the 10Th, named Cape Britannia, nre
membrance OF our glorious country. On the beet
ling rock that sheltered our ebcampment from the
sea, and formed the most conspicuous object all
this part Of the coast, we erected conical pile OF
ponderoos stones, fourteen feet high. that IL not
pulled down by the natives, may defy the rage Of
thousand storms. In IL was placed q sealed bottle
containing sketch Of our proceedings, and posses
sion taken Of our extensive discoveries in the
came Of Victoria the First, amidst the firing OF
guns, and the enthusiastlc cheers Of the whols
party. ... ~. IL. n. =
o. the 10th, the gale shifted from n f TO Y. 8 f
and after crossing fine bay, due east, with no small
toll and danger, the coast bent away northery.
which enabled us to effect Of forty miles Next
day the wind resumed its forme direction, aad after
pulling agaisst all the morning. amoag shoals and
bresksrs, and gaining only three miles, We were
obliged 10 take refuge IN the mouth Of small river