The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-05-23

ITO Wen, and from its mouth proceeding East
ward until they should arrive at the western.
most Posnt reached by explorers from the Allan
TIC. N both years they skirted along great
extent o. coast, though much impeded by ice,
but ialied to accomplish the grand object Of heiI
pursuit. Now at length their perseverance has
been rewarded. They have ascertained that
Booths Is an Island, and that il is separated
from the main land by strait from 3 to 10 miles
WIDE, which connects the Gulf Of Boothia, (par-
TALLY explored BY the Fury and Hecla,) with
Inc Arc.c Ocean, in about lat 6S 49, and long.
9S.l0 The entire passage from the mouth Of
CoppefmIne River TO the Atlantic, Extending
near % degrees Of longitude lies to the South
ward OF lat SO. But we will not detain our
readers from their narrative. After descending
CoPPermlne River, with their party they reach
ed Cape Franklin on the night of 29th July last
dong which, they encountered great peril from
a violent head wind and drifting ice The mar
rative proceeds as follows:
From Cape Alexander, situate in lat 6S deg
90 min. North, long 100 deg. 40 min w, to
anOiher remarkable point in lat. GO deg SO min
~, long, SO deg 10 min. w., the Arctic coast
may be comprised in one spacious bay, stretch
ing as far South as lat. 81 deg. 40 min before it
turns Oh abruptly northward TO the last mention
ed position. This vast sweep, Of which but an
uncomfortable portion was seen by Mr.. Simpson
last year, is indented BY an endless succession
OF minor bays, separated from one another by
long narrow projecting points of land, enclosing
an incalculable number of islands.
From this description il will be evident that
our route was an extremely intricate one, and
the duties OF the survey most harassing but,
whilst perplexed beyond measure in finding our
way through these labyrinths we derived great
advantage from the protection afforded by the
islands from the crushing force Of the seaward
ice, and the weather was generally clear. In
fact, the most serious detention caused by ice on
this part Of the voyage, was from the LIST to the
9th OF August, on point that jutted out beyond
the insular chain. White Bear Point, as il was
called, lies in lat. So deg min. IS sec NJ, long
1903 deg. 36 min. As sec. W., variation 81 deg.
As min. K. These bays and masses of islands
present distinct succession Of geological fea-
lures which can be best illustrated by our series
OF specimens of the rocks that compose this wild
and barren coast. Vestiges of Esquimaux most
ly 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
their sealing islands till the ice sets fast in Oc-
tober. A river twice the size of the Copper
mine, which falls into the lat. So deg. 2 min. NJ
by rein deer and musk oxen in the summer sea-
son.
Finding the coast, rs already remarked, tend
ing northerly from the bottom of the great bay,
we expected nothing less than TO be carried
round Cape Felix of Capt. James Ross, contra
ry to the conjecture hazarded by Mr.. Simpson
in his narrative of last years journey On the
evening of the 10th August, however, Cat the
point already given,) we suddenly opened a
strait running in to the southwark Of east,
where the rapid rush of the tide scarcely left a
doubt Of the existence of an open sea leading to
the mouth of Backs Great Fish River This
strait is ten miles wide at either extremity, but
to three in the centre. Even that mar
row channel is much encroached upon by high
single islands, but there is deep water in the
middle throughout.
The 18th of August was signalized BY the
most terrific thunder storm we have ever wit
messed in these regions Next day il blew
roughly from the westward, with very dense
cold fog but we ran rapidly southeast, passed
Back ana aa Pap 0gls If Sy George
night and the increasing gale drove us ashore
beyond Point Pechell The storm shifted to the
northeast, and lasted till the 10th, when we di-
rected our course with flags flying TO the Mon
lreal Island. On its northern side our people,
guided by Mackay, soon found a deposite made
among the rocks by some of Sir George Backs
party, but, as Mackay seemed to think without
that officers knowledge. Itcontained two bags
of pemican and quantity of cocoa and choco-
late, all perfectly rotten, besides an old tin vas
culum, and two or three other trivial articles, OF
which we took possession as memorials OF our
having breakfasted on the identical spot where
the tent of our gallant though less successful
stood on his return from Point Ogle TO
the Great Fish River that very day five years
before.
The arduous duty we had, in 1896, underta-
ken to perform, was thus fully accomplished ;
and the length and difficulty of the route back TO
the Coppermine would have amply justified our
immediate return. We had all suffered more or
less from the want OF fuel, and the deprivation
Of warm food, and the prospects grew more
cheerless as the cold weather stole on apace; but
having already ascertained the separation OF
Boothia from the American continent, on the
western side of the Great Fish River, we deter
mined not TO desist till we had settled its rela-
ton thereto on the eastern side also. A log
which had come on dispersed towards evening,
and unfolded a full view of the picturesque
shores of the estuary. Far to the southwark
Victoria Headand stood forth so clearly defined,
that we instantly, recognized it by Sir George
Backs exquisite drawing. Cape Beaufort we
almost seemed to touch and with the telescope
we were able TO discern continuous line AT
hiph land as far round as northeast, about two
points more northerly than Cape Hay, the ex-
IRENE eastern point seen by Sir George Back
The traverse to the furthest visible land occu-
ped six hours unremitting labor at the oar, and
The sun was rising on the 18th, when we scaled
the bluff and singularly shaped Rocky Cape, to
which our course had been directed. 1t stands
in lat. 6s deg min. 56 sec NJ, Ion "a deg Sc
min. W. The azimuth compass, by Jones, set
led exactly in the true meridian, and agreed
with two others, by the same maker, placed or
the ground From our proximity to the magne
tic pole, the compass had latterly been of little
or no use; but this was of the less consequence
as the astronomical observations were very fire
quent The dip of the needle, which at Thun