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

4 EOJ VIC Aauuco once more NJ Tape Dftoo01o4 anu
next morning recrossed the inlet direct TO Point He
| cheu, with heavy sea-. Go the I'D We explored .
long nosrow bay, on the west side Of Pbins Osle,
which extends TO the parallel Of latitude. The
north wind BILE roughly, with sharp frost, and next
day we got no farther than Point Rc hardson. From
thence we crossed over, on the Gath, to what had,
from the Continent, appeared like two Islasds but
which we rightly conjectured 10 form part of the
southern shore of Boothia or TO speak with greater
eois ion. OF that land which stands Cape Felix.
of Capt James Ross. This shore we had the salts
lion oil tracing for aDaut sixty miles, ill a turned
up TO the north, in lat So H. 10 N. long. gS. u.
w ,onIy SJ'niles from Rosss Pillow the dip VI the
needle 50. u 10 N, the magnetic pole bearing
N N H., distant ninety nail he variation is
shown by both the azimuth compass and the hori-
1ontal bar needle, A dear, east The okiso4s
this coast are easily enumerated. low, I'M
interesting limestone tract abaunding nevertheless
IN rel ndeeT, muskoXenasd old native encampIaests
To the westward good desl cf.ice appeared and
vast numbers Of snow geese passed high overhead,
in long triangular flight, bound for milder skies.
Whilst engaged in taking observations. our men
constructed another durable memorial Of our dis
ooverirs which saut,d in The usual manner
The" recrossing the strait enaha 25th, we resamed
for sonss time outward route, only keeping more
along tae seward verge of the isns so as TO shape
u straig alter course.
The weather, from being threatening and unsettled,
soon be came unequivocsily severe.
Onthe 18th Aug. severe snow storm began, that
lasted for days. during four Of which we
liked to single spot by the violence OF the nsrth-
west gales, while the frost that the pools
anon fnc rocks on Whic we lay became seu e2onSh
To bear up man. more moder interval eded
tins Rerce outbreak Outing The Continent again,
al the large river already mentioned. we styuok ~
n w. for an extensive island, % miles OIL whica
we esasted IN. w for 2tmiles; and shortly before
sunset on the 9th of stood out fro thence
due north, for the Arrest pc Mt Of Victoria land
which proved equally distant.
We have ever seen any thing more brilliant than
the phosphoric cleaning Of the waves when dark
nes set in. The boats seemed to cleave ao@d OF
molten silver and the spray dashed from their bows
before the fresh breeze fell back, light showers Of
diamonds, into the deep. II was cold night, and
when we at last made the land, cliffs, faced with
eternal ice, obliged us to run for couple OF
leagues before We coud take the shore with safe
for upwards Of hundred and fty miles, is moon
raraby the bodest have met in those seas. Often
near the shore bottom could be found with thirty
five athoms Of line, apdthe Cornelian blue color Of
the water everywhere Indicated IFS profound depth
There are several noble bays, the largest Of which
northwest Of Cape Alex aader is twenty miles wide,
and equally deep backet by snow-clad nosHtsins.
1t attans to % deg 40fnin morrill, the highest lati-
tude OF this voyage. At length we reached the ex-
| treme ront seen by Mr., Simpson from Cape Frank
lin in 1898, where the of this large country
begins again to bend northward Of west, Cape Ber-
ron Wing, by computations s s. w. distart 80 miles
Ga the 10th Of September crossed his maguif
cent strait, with strong f.. s. Il side. wind, and
rough sea, in which our gallant boats cd and worn
out as they were. acquitted themselves beyond our
most sanguine hopes. tes.r - 40 ~
Our return from Cape Barron miserably re-
| tarded by furious northwest winds and severe
| stress Of weather. Winter permanently set in on
the 18th Of September, and next day, to the undis-
euised JOY OF the whole party, we re-entered the
Coppermine River, after by far the longest voyage
ever performed in boats on the Polar Sea. Leaving
one OF our little craft together with the remains OF
the pemcan (Which, through age and long exposure,
was become quite mouldy.D and various other arti-
Giles, AZ prize for the first Esquimaux who may
visit the Bloody Fall, we assembled the river with
our double crew-;a four days, abandoned tents,
and every thing bat absolute necessaries; crossed
the barren ground, up to the knees in snow, having
unluckiy left our snow shoes on the coast and safe
ly reached st. Confidence Mt dusk the 2fth. The
| fisheries had failed worse than ever, and we had
good reason to congratulate ourselves not being
| doomed TO pass third winter within the arctic
| circle.
After settling with the Indians literally reward
ing the most deserving, and supplying all with am
munition gratuitoasly, we took our departure on
one belonging to the expedition, the other came
from Fort Simpson sixteen days previous to our ar
rival f' |...
Our passage Of Great Bear Lake was most bsis-
ferrous and inclement In crossing the body Of the
lake, and other considerable traverses, oar boats,
with every thing in them, and the very clothes
ON our backs, became converted into shaPeless
masses and concretions Of ice. Ii was high time for
to escape from Great Bear Lake, for the TEN
tsre, which Was at four degrees below zero when
we landed at the head Of the river, ON the evening
OF the 4tA October fell ten degrees below il in the
course OF the night; and next day descsnded the
rapid stream In the very midst Of the driving ice.
On entering the Mackenzie, we experienced . tenn
porary mitigation, Of this excessive cold; but we
should most assursdly have stuck fast above Fort
Norman, hal not the northern gales again arose in
their strength, and while they shattered and dis
Persed the rapidly forming ice, enabled ms to ste.
the current under close reefed sails. At noon, on
the l4th OF October, after forcing way with no
small risk through the torrent Of ice poured out by
the river OF the mountains, we reached this place,
aad were cordially welcomed by valuable frisnd,
chief trader MPhersou, who had Cor some time
| given up all hopes Of our arrival.
Most of our people are still afflicted with aeute
pains and swelngs In the limbs caused by the eold
| and exposure; and are assured by Mr. M'rherson
that he has never known heard of early and RI
gorous a commencement Of winter in Maekenxies
River. On the other hand, so fine spring ~ 1899
seldom visits these frozen regions; and to this IA
vsring circumstance, under Providence, ought our
signal success to be partially ascribed. an
Oct. 3.-The state Of the ice at length enables
TO despatch carriers TO Great Slave Lake. In the
mean time, Governor Simpsons highly valued let
ter Of 18th June, which unfortunately missed
| our way hither, has cast up overland.
We reieice in having anticipated the Russian ex-
pedition, and secured TO country and the Com
pany the indis putablc honor Of discovering the
North West Passage, which has been object Of
search to all maritime nations for three eenturss
House in 1895, il was confidently expected that SIR
George Back would have achieved the survey Of
the Gulf Of Boothia with the Tcrror's boats, and
that onr meeting at the mouth Of Great Fish River
would have left no blank in the geography OF North
ern America That officers failure, the exhaustion
wintering ground, render fresh expedition iAdis-
pensable for the examination Of the Calf Of Beethia,
the circuit OF which, TO the strait OF the Fan and
Heela, according TO the Esqnimaux accounts, can
not be less than 100 or 800 miles. WY. =
IL only remains for US to recommend to year hc-
Il. LII -