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

Zo) We ixnoeu once more at Cape BRITANNIA anu
next morning recrossed the inlet direct to Point be
chell, with q heavy Go the I'D we explored a
long nssrow bay, on the west side Of Point Osie,
which extends TO the parallel OF latitude. The
north wind bic roughly, with sharp frost and ne ut
day we get no farther than P6iat Richardson. From
thence we crossed over, On the oath, to what had,
from the Continent, appeared like two Islasds, but
which we rightly come ctured 10 form part of the
southern shore Of Bootha, OF Ia speak with greater
nrecis ION. OF that land which stands Cape Felix,
of Capt.. DANES Ross This shore we had the salts
i'"g oi tsae'ng for apaut sixty niles ill a turned
nn Ia the north, IN lat 6S IL 10 N. long. U.s. 2.
w only S1mileS from Ross's Pillow the dip ad the
needle was 50. ~ 10 N, the magnetic pole bearing
\. N r., distant ninety nal 4 he. varistion Is
shown by both the azimuth compass and the hori-
zontal bar needle, - dear. e5 The Objects.
seen on this cbast are easily enumerated. low
interesting, limestone tract abauuding vertheles
N reindeer nluskoyen,a and old native encampaeAs.
10 the westward good de~l ct ice appeared, and
vast unnSers o. snow geese passed high overhead,
in long triangular flight bound Cor milder skies.
Whilst engaged in taking observations, our men
constructed another durable memorial OF oar dis
ooverirs which salut, d IN Tie usual manner.
The, recrossng the strait en- the 18th, we resumed
tor soefs time outward route only keeping more
aOng tae seaward verge OF the isnGs as to shape
u straig alter
The weather, from being christening and unsettled,
soon became unequivocsily severe.
On the 18th Aug. severe snow storm bega that
lasted for seven days during four Of which We were
fixed to single spot by the violence OF tie narth-
west gales, while the frost cen that The pools
amor IN" rocks on winch we lay became seli enough
10 Dear AMMAN. Amore moderate interval suec<eded
tins Gerce outbreak Cutting the Continent again,
a. the large river already mentioned. we stJaok N.
n w. for extensive island, % miles oil whica
we esasted IN w for - miles; and shortly before
sunse, on the 9th Of eponber stood out r thence
due north, for the ,rest pc ut Of Victoria land
which proved equally distant.
We have ever seen thing more brilliant than
the phosphorc cleaning of the waves when dark
ness set in The boats seemed to cleave u foed OF
molten silver and the spray cashed from their bows,
h.GAr l. r. L. L.
diamonds, into the deep. II cold night, and
when we at last made the land, cliffs, faced with
eternal ice, obliged us 10 for u couple OF
leagues before we could take the shore with safe
~. The coast Of Vie oria Land, which We explored
forupwards OF one hundred and ty miles, is incom'
Parably the boldest we have met in those Often
near the shore no bottom could be found with thirty
i've athoms OF line and the Cornelian Blue color OF
the water everywhere indicated IFS profound depth.
There are several noble bays the largest Of which
northwest Of Cape Alexander, is twenty miles wide,
and equally deep, packet by snowclad mountains.
1t attains TO 50 deg 10 lain NORTH the highest Iati
tude oil this voyage. Al length reached the ex-
IRENE roint seen by Mr.. Simpson from Cape Frank
lin IN 1883 where the coast oi this large county
begins again to bend northward Of west, Cape Rer
ron Wing, by computation s. s. w. distant 80 miles
Ola the 10th OF September crossed his maguif
cen, strait with strong T.. s Il side. wind, and
a rough sea, in which our gallant boats, cd and worn
out as they were acquitted themselves beyond our
| most sangnine hopes.
| Our return from Cape Barron was miserably
stress of weather. Winter permanently set in on
the 18th Of September and next day, to the undis-
guised joy of the whole party, we re-entered the
Coppermine River, after by far the longest voyage
ever performed in boats the Polar Sea. Leaving
one of little craft, together with the remains of
the pemican (Which, through age and long exposure
was become quite moudy.) and various other arti-
Giles, a prize for the first EsquimauN who may
visit the Bloody Fall, we assembled the river with
our double crew-a four days, abandoned our tents,
and every thing bat absolute necessaries; crossed
the barren ground. up to the knees in snow, having
unuckiy left our snow shoes the coast. and safe
~ reached St Confidence at dusk on the 9th. The
fisheries had failed worse than ever, and had
good reason to congratulate ourselves not being
doomed 10 pass a third winter within the arctic
circle.
After settling with the Indians, literally reward
ing the most deserving and supplying all with am
munItion gratuitOusly, we took our departure
the evening of the 18TH to go into inland batteaus-
one belonging ia the expedition, the other came
from Fort Simpson sixteen days previous to our
rival.
Our passage Of Great Bear Lake was most beis-
ferrous and nclement. In crossing the body Of the
lake. and other cons derable traverses, our boats
with every thing IN them and even the very clothes
on our backs, became converted into shapeless
masses and concretions Of ice Ii high time for
to escape from Great Bear Lake, for the tcmpera
tare, which was at four degrees below zero when
we landed ut the head OF the river. the evening
OF the 4is October fell ten degrees below il in the
course OF the night; and next day descended the
rapid stream In the very midst of the driving ice
oh ehierinS 'he uackenzie, we experienced tenn
porary mitigation Of this excessive cold; but we
should most assuredly have stuck fast above Fort
Norman, hal net the northern gales again in
their strength, and while they shattered and dis
persed the rapidly forming ice, enabled to stem
the current under close reefed sails. At noon,
the 18th of October, after forcing way with
snail risk through the torrent of poured out by
the river OF the mountains, reached this place,
aad cordially welcomed by valuable friend,
chief trader MCPHERSON, who had Cor some time
given up all hopes of our arrival.
Most Of our people are still afflicted with acute
pains and sweings in the limbs, caused by the cold
| and exposure; and are assured BY Mr.. M 'Pherson
that he has known or heard Of so early and RI
gorous a commencement Of winter in Mackenzie's
River. On the other hand, fine a spring 1889
seldom visits these frozen regions; and to this ia
vering circumstance, under Providence, ought our
signal success to be partially ascribed.
Oct. 3-The state OF the ice at length enables
mean time, Governor Simpsons highly valued let
ter OF 18th June, which unfortunately missed on
our way hither, has cast up overland.
We reieice in having snticip ated the Russian
petition, and secured to our country and the Com
pany the indis putable honor of discovering the
North West Passage, which has been an object Of
search to all maritime nations for three centuries.
Whsn our expedition was planned at Norway
House in 1Sh, IL confidently expected that Sir
George Back would have achieved the survey of
the Gulf Of Boothia with the Tcrror's boats, and
that our 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
ct our men and means, and the necessity Of a new
wintcrng ground, render fresh expedition inds-
pensable for the examination of tho Gulf Of Boehs,
the circuit Of which, TO the strait Of the Fsry and
liecla, according TO the Esquimaux accounts, can
not be less than 100 or 800 miles.
II only remains for us to recommend to your ho-
nors' appreciation the plan propose ed by Mr. Smp-