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

On the I'D of June we descended that Impetuous
stream OF the Bloody Fall, where remained until
the 18th. This interval was employed by Nj Simp-
! son IN exploring Richardson River, discovered An
is5S, which discharges itself, a. we then supposed
INTO the bottom of Backs Inlet latitude 81, Oh "
North, longitude li5 SO " est. A party OF abost
thirty Esqa.mauN were encamped there, all OF WHOM
lied precipi.atey 10 the hills, eNsept one family,
whose tent was placed on AN island IN this stream
With those last e. pmuncatI0n was opt ned through
eur intsrPrrtor Ooligbuck bat the circle at thar
btte lives being confined to BereDs Isles, and the
borders oi Richards ms River, they had no ,norna-
tIon Ia impart OF any value
On tie Sd Of July the first slight opening occurred
IN the service OF which took instant advantage;
but our first weeks journey did not exceed twenty
miles, aud II was the lSth after sad work, before we
could attain Cape Barrow. From lis rocky heights
we beheid, 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 IL On foot. AT mdnight, on the
10th, we landed at Cape Franklin, inst one month
earlier than Dir. Simpsons arrival there, on his pc
destran journey Of the year before violent east
criy gale arrested cur progress Sor the next ioar
days; and the 9th encounte ed great peril In
doubling Cape Alexander amidst very heavy driving
From Cape Alexander, situated in lat. % 80 n,
long 100 80 W., to an-her remarkable point In lat.
6S, IS n long. 9S. 10 W, the Arctic coast may be
comprised in spacious bay. sseetching
lat 81 40 before it turns off abruptly northward to
the last mentioned position. This vast sweep, OF
which but an isconsideranle portion was seen by
Mr. Smps on last year, iadeutSd by an endless sac
ccssion of miaor bays separated from one another ny
long projecting points Of land, enclosing an
ircaeclabe number Of islands.
/ From tins description it VIA be evident that our
route extremely intricate one and the daiiss
of the survey most harassins but whilst pcrrlsNed
seyond measure in finding eur way through theee
!aby derived great advantage from the pro-
lection afforded by the islands from the crushing
force Of the seward ce and the weather was gene
rally clear. In fact, the most serious detention
caused by ice on this part Of the voyage was from
the LIST 20 the 9Th Of August, on point that lated
! out beyond the insul&r chain.
White Bear Point. as il was called lies IN o. -
3 N lO3 36 IS w; variation 81 40 +. These
bays and masses Of islands present distinct success
si~n Of geological features, which can be best Illus
traed by series Of specimens of the rocks that
compose this wild and barren coast. Vestiges of
Esqnimaux, aad mostly cid, were met with wherever
we landed.
They appear to subsist in single families, very
small parties and to travel inland for the deer hunt
| in the month of June, not returning to the sealing
island, TIL the ice sets fast in October A river,
twice the size Of the Coppermine win CHI falls into
The in o. n. long l04 ID. W., Is much fesorted
90 by reindeer and musk oxen in the summer sea
son. Finding the cnast, already remarked, tend.
ing noriher v from the bottom Of the Great Bay. we
expected nothing les, than to be carried round Cape
Felix of Captain Jane, Ross, contrary to the con-
lectures hazarded by Mr. Simpson, in his narrative
of last years journey On the evening OF he 10th OF
August, however Cat the point already given), we
suddenly opened strait running into the southwark
Of east, where the rush OF the tide scarcely LETT
doubt Of the existence Of open sea leading to the
mouth Of Backs Great Fish River This strait is
ten miles wIoe at either extremity but contracts 10
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 sigualsed by the most terrific
thunder-storr- we have ever witnessed In these re-
gons. Next day it blew roughly from the westward,
with very dense cold fog bat we ran rapidly south
east past Point Richards aRd Point OgIe oi Sir
George Back, and continued ON till the darkness OF
night and the Increasing gale drove ashore beyond
Point Pechell The storm shifted 60 north cast, and
lasted till the 10Th, when directed our course with
dag. n, ing TO the Montreal Island Or Its northern
side our people, guided bv Mackay, soon found
ceposit wade among the rocks. by some OF Sir
George Backs parry. but, as Naekay seemed To
think without that officers knowledge. II contain
Ell two bags al pemican, and quantity OF cocoa or
chocolate all perfectly rotten, besides IN old japan
ned tin vascslum and two or three other trivial ar.
tices, Of which took possession as memorials OF
the of our gallant though less successful pr.crr
stood his return from Point o lie 10 the Great
| Fish River that very day tive years before. The
arduous duty had IN 1885, unde rtaken 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
more cherries as the cold fall weather stole on
apsre. But having already ascertaned the sepsra-
ten IT Bootbia from the American continent ON the
eide Of the Great Fish River, deter mined
not to desst till we had settled its relation thereto
/ GA the eastern side also. fog which had come on
dispersed towards evening, and unioded full view
the pic uresque shores OF the estuary. Far to the
sfouth Victoria Heaoland stood forth clearly de-
hned that instantly recognized it by Sir George
Backs exquisite drawing. Cape Beaufort we almost
seemed TO touch and with the telescope we were
able to discovers continuous lne Of hign land lar
roHad northeast about tive points mere northery
than Cape Hay the extreme eastern point seen by SIR
George Back.
The traverse to the farthest visible land occupied
six hours unremtting labcnr at the and the
was rising on the 18th, when we sealed the blun
and singuary shaped rocky cape 10 which onr course
had been directed. IL stands In lat o.. 3 -. ~,
long ~ 50. w. The azimuth csmpass by Jones set
tied exactly in th true meridian, agreed with two
others by the same maker, placed on the ground
| From our proximity to the magnetic pole, the
compass had latterly been OF little or no use; but
this OF the less consequence, as the astronomi-
cal ob,ervatisns were very frequent. The dip Of
the needle. which at Thunder Cove 9th August)
was 81, % -. had here decreased to 30 10. 10.
North. This bold promontory, where we lay wind
bound till the 18th, was named Cape Britannia IN re
membrance OF our glorious country. On the beet
ling rock that sheltered our ebcampment from the
sea- and formed the most cons picuous object on all
this part Of the coast, erected conical pile OF
pulled down by the natives, NAV defy the rage Of
thousand storms. In IL was placed sealed bottle
containing sketch 81 our ceilings, and posses
sion taken Of our extensive discoveries in the
anne Of Victoria the First, amidst the firing OF
guns, and the enthusiastic cheers Of the whole
party.
On the 10th, the gale shifted from y. f. TOE. s +
and after crossing fine bay, due east with small
toll and DANGER, the coast bent away northeriy,
which enabled TO effect a of forty miles. Next
day the wind resumed its formt direction, asd after
pulling against II all the morning. among shoals and
breakers, and gaining only three miles, We were
obliged To take refuge in the mouth Of small river
a me