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':M«Ata«>..

JOURNAL

OF A

SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY OF A

NORTH-WEST PASSAGE .

FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC:

PERFORMED IN THE YEARS lS-21— 23— 23,
IN HIS MAJESTY S SHIPS

FURY AND HECLA,

UNDER THE ORDERS OF

CAPTAIN VVILLIAINI EDWARD PARRY, R.N., F.R.S.,

AXD COMMANDER OF THE EXPEDITION.

ILLUSTRATED BY NUMEROUS PLATES.

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS
OF THE ADMIRALTY.

LONDON

JOHN MURRAY,

PUBLISHER TO THE ADMIRALTY, AND BOARD OF LONGITUDE.

MDC(CXXIV.

LONDON :

PhlNTKD BV «■. CLOWES

NorihumbeTland-court.

-R

''6

TO

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE

LORD VISCOUNT MELVILLE,

FIRST LORIJ COMMISSION liR FOR EXECUTING THE OFFICE OF LOH;)
HIGH ADVIRAL OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, Ssc. SjC. ffc.

THIS VOLUME,

CONTAINING

THE JODUNAL OF A SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE
FROM THF, ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC,

UNDERTAKEN AND EXECUTED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF HIS LORDSHIP,

IS INSCRIBED
WITH THE GREATEST RESPECT AND ORATITLUE,

BY HIS OBLIGED AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.

WILLIAM EDWARD PARRY.

London, March, Ibii.

88^170

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Introduction . . . . . . . i

Explanation of Technical Terms . . . . . . xix

Official Instructions .... . . xxi

CHAPTER I.

Passage across the Atlantic — Removal of Stores from the Nautilus Transport, at the margin
of the Ice — Departure of the Nautilus for England — Enter the Ice in Hudson's Strait—
Perilous Situation of the Hecla, and loss of her Anchor— Meet with the Hudson' s-Bay
ships — Passage up the Strait, and communication with the Natives inhabiting the Northern
shores — Pass the Trinity Islands of Fox — Arrival off Southampton Island, where the
researches of the Expedition commence . . . . i

CHAPTER H.

Review of the geographical Information obtained by the Researches of former Navigators on the
coast of the American Continent, in the neighbourhood of Wager River — Discover and
enter The Duke of York's Bay, supposing it to be a Passage into the sea called The Welcome
—Leave The Duke of Fork's Bay, and proceed to the North- Westward— Passage of The
Frozen Strait and arrival in Repulse Bay — Continuity of Land there — Observations on
Shore — Remarks concerning the Geography, Tides, and Natural History of this part of
the Continental Coast ...... 26

CHAPTER in.

Return to the Eastward through the Frozen Strait— Discovery of /^wrd CAanne/- Examined
in a Boat— Loss of the Fury's Anchor— Providential Escape of the Fury from Shipwreck
—Anchor in Duckell Cove — Further Examination of the Coast by Boats and Walking-
Parties — Ships proceed through Hurd Channel — Are drifted by the Ice back to South-
ampton Island — Unobstructed Run to the Entrance of a large Inlet leading to the North-
westward—Ships made fast by Hawsers to the Rocks — Further Examination of the Inlet
commenced in the Boats . . . • • .56

CHAPTER IV.

Hoppner's Inlet entered and Surveyed by the Boats — Continuity of Land there determined —
Proceed to examine another opening leading to the Westward — Favourable Appearance
of a continued Passage in that Direction— Meet with some Esquimaux — Arrival in Bass
Bay, being the termination of Lyon Inlet — Discovery and Examination of various Creeks
— Return to the Ships, after finding the Land entirely continuous — Some account of the
Natural History of this part of the Coast .... 82

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER V. . PAGE

Further Examination in the Boats for the purpose of connecting the Shores of Lyon Inlet with
that of Gore Bay — Detained by the Ice — Reach Gore Bay — Continuity of the Land deter-
mined— Fresh detention by the Ice — Boats carried over-land — Return to the Ships —
Progress out of the Inlet prevented by the Ice — The Fury grounds upon a Rock — Anchor
in Safety Cove — Heavy Easterly Gales — Proceed out of the Inlet — Arrival in a Bay on the
South side of Winter Island — Ships secured in Winter-Quarters . 103

CHAPTER VI.

Precautions for the security of the Ships and their Stores— And for the Health and Comfort of
the Crews— ^Establishment of Theatrical Entertainments and Schools — Erection of an Ob-
servatory and House on Shore — State of Health at this period — Partial Disruption of the
Ice in the Bay — Anchors and Cables taken to the Shore — Gradual Increase of Cold,
appearance of the Aurora Borealis on several occasions, and various other Meteorological
Phenomena to the close of tha Year 18'21 . . . .119

CHAPTER VII.

Many Foxes caught — Continued Open Water in the Offing— Partial disruption of the Ice in the
Bay — Meteorological Phenomena and Temperature of Animals — Arrival of a Tribe of
Esquimaux — First Meeting and subsequent Intercourse with them— Esquimaux in want of
Provisions — Supplied with Bread-dust — Some account of a Sealing Excursion with them
— Fresh disruption of the Ice in the Bay— Closing of the Winter Theatre— Meteorological
Phenomena till the end of February 1822 . . . .150

CHAPTER VIII.

Charts drawn by the Esquimaux — Illness among them — A Journey performed across Winter
Island— Sufferings of the Party by Frost— Further notice of the Esquimaux Charts — De-
parture of some of these People, and a separate Village established on the Ice — Various
Meteorological Phenomena — Okotook and his Wife brought on board— Anecdotes relating
to them — Ships released from the Ice by sawing . . . .183

CHAPTER IX.

Increased extent of open Water In the Offing— A Travelling Party despatched to the North-
ward— Unsuccessful attempt to raise Vegetables on Shore- Decease of .James Pringle
— A party of Esquimaux build Huts near the Ships— Return of the Travellers, and
account of their Journey— First appearance of the Plants — Birds become numerous —
Commence cutting a Canal through the Ice for liberating the Ships — Illness and decease
of John Reid and William Souter— Breaking-up of the Ice in the Bay — Account of Winter-
Island — Abstract of Observations made there .... 223

CHAPTER X.

Departure from Winter Island — Meet with some Esquimaux travelling to the Northward —
Obstructions and danger from the Ice and Tides — Discovery of the Barrmv River, and its

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Fall — Favourable Passage to the Northward — Arrival off the Strait of the Fury and
Hecla — Progress opposed by a fixed barrier of Ice — Communicate with the Natives of
Igloolik — Unsuccessful attempts to get between the Ice and the Land — Land upon the
Calthorpe Islands — The Fury drifted by the Ice between two Islands — Account of a Jour-
ney performed in Sledges up an Inlet to the Westward .... 249

CHAPTER XI.

Remarkable instance of local Attraction on the Magnetic Needles — Occasional separation of
a portion of the fixed Ice — A Whale killed — Other Charts drawn by the Esquimaux —
Account of a Journey to the Narrows of the Strait — Discovery of the Sea to the West-
ward— Total disruption of the Ice at the Eastern entrance of the Strait — A second
instance of local Attraction on the Compasses — Sail through the Narrows, and again
stopped by fixed Ice — Account of several land Journeys and boat Excursions — Observa-
tions on the Tides — Continued obstacles from fixed Ice . . . . 296

CHAPTER XII.

A Journey performed along the South Shore of Cockburn Island — Confirmation of an Outlet
to the Polar Sea — Partial disruption of the old Ice, and formation of new — Return
through the Narrows to the Eastward — Proceed to examine the Coast to the North-east-
ward— Fury's Anchor broken — Stand over to Igloolik to look for Winter-quarters —
Excursion to the Head of Quilliam Creek — Ships forced to the AVestward by gales of
Wind — A Canal sawed through the Ice, and the Ships secured in their Winter Station —
Continued visits to the Esquimaux, and arrival of some of the Winter-Island Tribe — Pro-
posed plan of operations in the ensuing Spring .... 340

CHAPTER XIII.

Preparations for the Winter — Various Meteorological Phenomena to the close of tlie year 1822
— Sickness among the Esquimaux — A Hospital built near the Ships for their accommoda-
tion— Meteorological Phenomena to the end of March— Abstract of the comparative
mean Winter temperature at Melville Island, Winter Island, and Igloolik . . 376

CHAPTER XIV.

Various Journeys to the Esquimaux Stations — Illness and decease of Mr. Alexander Elder —
Preparations for the Hecla's return to England — Remarkable Halos, ^-c. — Shooting Parties
stationed at Arlagnuk— Journeys to Quilliam Creek — Arrival of Esquimaux from the
Northward — Account of a Journey to the Westward for the purpose of reaching the Polar
Sea — ^The Esquimaux report two Fishing Ships having been wrecked — A Journey per-
formed to Cockburn Island — Discovery of Murray Maxwell Inlet . . . 423

CHAPTER XV.

Extraordinary disruption of Ice in Quilliam Creek — Some appearance of Scurvy among the
Seamen and Marines — Account of a Journey with Sledges to Cockburn Island — Dis-
covery of Gifford River — Commence cutting the Ice outside the Ships to release them
from their Winter-Quarters — Considerations respecting the return of the Expedition to

CONTENTS.

PAGE

England— Unfavourable state of the Ice at the Eastern entrance of the Strait— Proceed to
the Southward— Ships beset and drifted up Lyon Inlet — Decease of Mr. George Fife —
Final release from the Ice, and arrival ia England — Remarks upon the practicability of a
North-West Passage . \ . . . . 459

Some further Account of the Esquimaux of Melville Peninsula and the adjoining Islands ;

more particularly Winter Island and Igloolik ...... 492

Vocabulary of Esquimaux Words, S^c.

. 561

DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER FOR INSERTING THE PLATES.

Situation of His Majesty's Ships Fury and Hecla

at Igloolik, 1822-23 . . Frontispiece

Canoe of the Savage Islands, Hudson's Strait, to
face pa^e ...... 14

Plan ofDnke of York Bay .... 48

Plan of Hurd Channel 74

Cutting into Winter Island, October, 1821 .118
Interior of an Esquimau.^ Snow-hut, Winter

Island, 1822 160

Grcupe of Esquimaux, 1822 .... 163
An Esquimaux watching a Seal . . .171
Manner of liolding the line wlien a Walrus is struck 172
Esquimaux listening at a Seal-hole, &c. . 173

An Esquimaux watching a Seal-hole . . 172
An Esquimaux creeping into the Passage of a

Snow-hut 187

Esquimaux Chart, No. I. . . . .197

Ditto ditto, No. 11. . ... 198

Arnaneelia, a native of Winter Island, 1822 . 207

Esquimaux Chart, No. HI 252

Fall of the Barrow 2GC

Summer Tents of the Esquimaux. Igloolik, IS22, 271
An Esquimaux of Igloolik, in a bird's-skin jac-
ket, IfC. ... ... 274

Sledges of the Esquimaux . . . 290

Western outlet of tlie Strait of the Fury and Hecla 351
Esquimaux House built of ice . . . 35S
Takkcelikkeeta, an Esquimaux of Igloolik, 1823 391
Groupe of Esquimaux at Igloolik . . . 403
Croupe of Esquimaux at Igloolik, 1823 . . 418
Nakahu and his Wife Oomna . . . 436"

Esquimaux building a Snow-hut . . . 49!)
Esquimaux killing Deer in a Lake . . .508

Esquimaux Children Dancing, Igloolik, 1823 530
Esquimaux Implements, Weapons, &c.(Fig. 1 to

12.) .548

Ditto ditto (Fig. 13 to 27.) . .550

The Charts, tfc, at the end of the hook to be placed
in the following order :

General Chart, shewing the track of the Fury and

Hecla, &c. &c.
Chart of the Northern Shore of Hudson's Strait, &r.&c.
Chart of the North-eastern Coast of America, &c. from

Lat. 64f to 67° W.
Ditto from Latitude 07° 40- to 70° 15'.
Appearances of Lands, No. 1.
Ditto, . . No. 2.

Ditto, . . No. 3.

Ditto, , . No. 4.

INTRODUCTION.

The discoveries made by the Expedition to the Xorth-west in the
years 1819-20, being such as to afford a strong presumption in favour of
the existence of a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific in that direc-
tion, while they served also to point out the most probable means of its
accomplishment. His INIajesty, on the representation of Lord "S'iscount
Melville, commanded another attempt to be made to effect that object ;
and the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty were pleased once
more to honour me with the command of an Expedition, to be ecjuipped
at Deptford for that pui-pose. The Hecla having been found well
adapted to this service, a second ship of precisely the same class was
now selected, and I received my conunission for His Majesty's ship the
Fury, of three hundred and seventy-seven tons burthen, on the 30th
of December 1820. The Hecla was re-commissioned by Captain
George Francis Lyon, on the 4th of January following.

The officers who accompanied the former Expeditions having volun-
teered their services, their Lordships Avere pleased to re-appoint such
as the present estabUshment would admit. The same preference was
likewise given to such of the former crews as were considered fit for
this service ; and a great number of other seamen also coming forward
to enter, the ships were speedily well manned. The Reverend George
Fisher, who had accompanied the Expedition to Sj^itzbergen in 1818,
was now, at the recommendation of the President and Council of the
Eoyal Society, appointed Astronomer ; and it being in every respect
desirable that a Chaplain should form a part of our establishment.

INTRODUCTION.

IVIr. Fisher also received an order to act in that capacity. A second
Lieutenant, two able seamen, and a corporid of marines, were added
to the former complement ; and the distribution of the whole on board
each ship will be seen in the annexed Table.

ON BOARD THE FURV.

ON BOARD THE HECLA.

Olbcers' Names.

No.

Oflicera* Names.

No.
1

Coniin^uder

William Edward Parry

1

George Francis Lyon

Cliapliiin and Astronomer .

George Fisher

1

.

Licuteaants . . -\'

Joseph Xias
Andrew Reid

■ 3

2

C Henry Parkyns Hoppner 5
(Charles Palmer . . )

2

Siirweon ....

John Edwards

1 :

Alexander Fisher

1

I'lirscr ....

William Harvey H<

Miper

1

John Jerm.iin

1

Assistant Surgeon

James Skeoch

.

1

Allan M'Laren

1

'"

John Henderson

N

/

Joseph Sherer

Midshipmen

Francis Rawdon M
James (^lark Ross

Cro7.icr

4.'

Charles Richards .
William Nelson Griffiths

4

Assistant Surveyor . V

(in Fury only) John

Bushnan

Edward Bird

Clerk ....

James Halse .

) i

William M.igg

1

Gunner ....

James Scallon

.

1 1

Joseph JIacklin

I

IJoatswain

William Smith

.

1

Joseph Lilley

1

Carpenter ....

George Fiddis

•

1

Charles P.^rfcr

1

Greenland Master

John Allison .

.

1

George Fife .

1

Greenland Mate

George Crawford

•

1

Alexander Elder .

1

Cook ....

...

.

1

1

Lead!n5-^^cn

...

.

4

, ,

• ■ •

4

Quarter-Master . ,

*

,

1

,

1

Gunncr's-Matc .

• . •

1

,

•

1

Boatswain's-Afate

.

■ •

1

,

•

1

Carpenter' s-Mate

.

.

1

.

" »

1

Annourcr's-Matc

.

.

1

,

•

1

Sa!!niaker ....

...

> • >

1

, ,

■ • •

1

AI)!e Seamen

•

.

24.

1

•

•

24

1

Marines.
Scrg-eant .

John Spackman

Charles Wise

C.irporal ....

1

.

1

Privates ....

5

5

Astronomer's Servant

1
00

T

otil .

.

5.S

INTRODUCTION. iu

Tlie mode of doubling and fortifying the ships differed in no material
circumstance from that before employed, which was found to have
afforded the greatest degree of strength, consistently with the requisite
attention to the stowage and saihng qualities, of which perhaps any
ship is capable. In the exterior equipment of the hulls, the only alte-
rations worthy of notice consisted in increasing the thickness of the
doubling to six inches, to give the sliips some additional stability ; and
in making the rudder-cases much larger, in order to allow the rudders
more room for shipping and unshipping, whereby that operation is
much facihtated. The ships were barque-rigged as before ; but in
order to increase our resources in stores of every kind, it was suggested
by my friend. Captain George Cheyne, that it would be advantageous to
adopt the plan of " equahzed" fore-masts and main-masts, Avhich had
of late been partially introduced into our naval service, at the recom-
mendation of Vice-Admiral Su' Thomas Byam ^Martin, Comptroller
of His Majesty's Navy. An advantage somewhat less obvious than
that just mentioned, was the appointment of two ships of exactly
the same size in every respect. The idea usually entertained of
the necessity of having one of the two vessels thus employed, a
small one for the purpose of going into shoaler water, is in my
opinion an erroneous one. The examination of shoal and uncertain
passages is best conducted in boats, which may be equipped and
despatched at five minutes' warning, wliile a small vessel intendeil
more expressly for this purpose will, after aU, draw as much water
as the larger one within two or three feet, which difference is in reaUty
but a trifling one. Allowing, however, that some benefit may be
derived in this way from the services of a smaller vessel, it is by no
means to be put into competition with the inevitable disadvantages

a 2

■,v INTRODUCTION.

arising from her confined stowage, and her incapacity to receive the
crew of the other vessel in case of serious and irreparable injury hap-
pening to the latter. Any vessel unable to carry every item of her
own resources, must at some period or other of the voyage become a
burthen, and, in case of separation, helpless and inefficient ; a contin-
gency which there is no necessity for risking. If to what has just
been stated be added the advantages, which every seaman will readily
appreciate, of each ship being enabled to furnish her consort, on any
occasion of loss or damage, with stores of a size and nature exactly
suited to her wants, no doubt can, I think, exist of the expediency of
having the two ships precisely similar.

So rigidly was this principle adhered to in the equipment of the
present Expedition, that, taking into consideration the improbability of
both ships sustaining losses in the same articles, our supply of stores
might almost be considered as doubled by this arrangement. Thus,
for instance, the fore-masts and main-masts were not only " equalized "
in each ship, but the dimensions of these, and of every thing belonging
to them, were precisely ahke in both, so that any article belonging to
either of these four masts might be transferred from ship to ship, and
at once applied to its proper use, without selection, trial, or alteration
of any kind. In the course of the foUo^ing Narrative, it wiU be seen
what essential service was derived from this plan in the indispensable
article of anchors, on which the safety of a ship so often and so entirely
depends. I have been thus expUcit in stating some of the advantages
of tliis arrangement, from a conviction of the absolute necessity of
resorting to it in the equipment of two ships that must necessarily be
dependent solely on their own resources, for a long and uncertain
period of time.

INTRODUCTION. ^

Some material alterations were made in the interior arrangements,
which experience suggested as necessary to the accommodation, health,
and comfort of the officers and men. One of the principal of these
consisted in applying a thick close hning of cork all round the ships'
sides, and on the under part of the upper decks, fore and aft. Shut-
ters and plugs of the same material were also fitted to every window,
sky-light, and illuminator, so as completely to surround the inhabited
parts of the ships, during the winter months, with this substance.
Care being thus taken to prevent the rapid escape of the warmth,
recourse was also had to the most effectual means of producing and
distributing it. With this view, an apparatus was fixed on the orlop
deck of each ship, between the sail-room and the main hatchwav, on a
plan proposed and executed by Mr. Sylvester, for conveying a current
of heated air into the several inhabited apartments. It is described
by Mr. Sylvester to " consist of a wTought-iron vessel, about twenty-
two inches square, placed upon pillars resting on a cast-iron frame
upon the beams of the orlop deck. This vessel, or cockle, was four
feet high, close at the top, having an opening in front for the ash-
pit and feeding-door, and another behind for the discharge of the
smoke into a perpendicular iron tube. The fire-place is v.ithin this
vessel, and the heat is given to its interior surface. On the outside
is an iron covering containing tubes, which approach, nearly at right
angles, to the surface of the cockle ; these are divided into two por-
tions, one below to receive the cold air, which impinges upon the
cockle; the other above, for the discharge of the warm air. These
two cavities are separated from each other by a second casing about
four feet square below, for the cold air, and terminating in two feet
square at the upper-deck, where a part of the warm air is dis-

v»

INTRODUCTION.

charged ; the rest is conveyed by flues on each side the ship to the
cabins of the commander and other oflicers. The velocity of the warm
air current through an aperture two feet square is about five or six
feet per second." This stove vv^as intended by the inventor to con-
sume only five pecks, or a bushel and a quarter of coals, by a constant
fire throughout the twenty-four hours; but even this quantity was
found more than sufficient, except during the most severe part of the
second winter. The galley-fire was turned with its face aft, which
served to impart much more warmth, as well as a more cheerful
appearance, to the lower deck. This plan had not been before adopted
because it was understood that the fire would not draw so well ; but
the reverse of tliis was, on trial, found to be the case.

I must not here omit to notice a simple, ingenious, and efiectual
contrivance, now first adopted, for melting snow for our consumption
as water, during the winter months, without any additional expense of
fuel. The smoke issuing from the galley-fire, and indeed its heat
generally, does little or no service beyond the ordinary purposes of
cooking to wliich it is appHed. It occurred to Messrs. Lambe and
Nicholson to occupy a portion of the aperture through which the
smoke ascends, by a metallic vessel or tank of considerable capacity,
allowing the smoke to pass freely up on each side of it, and thus to
communicate a constant heat to the vessel. In the top of the tank is
a large circular hole for supplying it with snow from the upper deck,
and in the lower part is inserted a cock for drawing oiF the water.
This apparatus, which was so httle in the way that it could not even
be seen, produced without any increase of fuel, and with the tempera-
ture of the external atmosphere nearly at zero, sixty-five gallons of
pure water from morning till night ; a quantity, pf course, more than

INTRODUCTION. '^

suflScient for our whole consumption, had there been any occasion to
limit the expense of an article so conducive to health and comfort.

In the account of the preceding voyage, it has been stated that a
serious annoyance arose, during the winter, from the accumulation of
moisture and ice produced by the condensation of the breath and other
vapours in the ships' companies' bed-places. It was determined, there-
fore, on the present occasion, to do away with these both for the
officers and men, substituting for the former cots, and hammocks for
the latter. This change proved extremely beneficial, by increasing the
ventilation, and promoting the more uniform circulation of warm air,
which had before been materially impeded by the number and close-
ness of the bulkheads.

In the victuaUing of the ships several alterations were hkewise made,
which the experience of the last voyage suggested. The principal
object being to stow as much as possible, a considerably larger supply
than before of the meat preserved in tin cases by Messrs. Gamble
and Co., was now furnished, amounting to two pounds per week a
man, together with a quart of vegetable or concentrated-meat soups,
for a period of three years. For the same reason, the spirits were
supphed at thirty-five per cent, above proof, to be reduced, when
issued, by means of a hydrometer, to the strength of that usually fur-
nished to the navy ; by which expedient the stowage was economized
in the proportion of an increase of forty gallons on every hundred.
For one-half of the proposed supply of biscuit, kiln-chied flour of the
best quaUty was substituted, to be baked into bread during tlie ^^^nters ;
three hundred-weight of flour occupying only the same space as one
hundred-weight of biscuit. A considerable portion of the fore-hold
was also partitioned off into two large binns or bread-rooms, for

viii INTRODUCTION.

the stowage of biscuit in bulk, which method would have been more
extensively adopted, but from the fear of thus incurring loss by
damage. The rest of the provisions were stowed in new water-tight
casks.

The whole of the vinegar was concentrated to one-seventh of the
ordinary bulk, as well for economy in stowage, as to avoid loss by
freezing. In this last respect, we had also before experienced a
serious loss in the stiU more important article of lemon-juice, in
consequence of the bottles bursting in the hold. To obviate this,
it was now stowed in small five-gallon kegs charrc^d within, not quite
filled, and sufficiently strong to resist the expansion of the acid in
freezing. The whole of the juice was squeezed from fresh lemons
for our use, and a small quantity of rum added to each keg to assist
in keeping it fluid at a low temperature. In addition to lemon-
juice and sugar, which form a part of the ordinary diet in His Majesty's
Navy, a number of other valuable anti-scorbutics were liberally sup-
plied, consisting of carrots preserved in tin cases by Messrs. Gamble
and Co., crystallized lemon acid, cranberries, lemon marmelade, tama-
rinds, pickled walnuts and cabbage, essence of malt and hops, essence
of spruce with molasses, dried herbs for tea, and a quantity of the seed
of mustard and cress to be grown as circumstances required. A large
supply of potatoes and beet-root was also furnished, which kept tolera-
bly v.eU for the first two or three months after leaving Englazid. As
we had found, after living on salt provisions for some time, that beef
became less palatable, and was also less digestible than pork, we now
dispensed with carrying any salt beef, except a few casks corned ex-
pressly for our use as soon as the fresh meat should be expended.

When these arrangements had been completed, for wlxich I am very

INTRODUCTION. b-

materially indebted to the suggestions of my friend Mr. Hooper, purser
of the Fury, the ships were effectually victualled and stored for a
period of three years. During the progiess of their equipment they
were occasionally visited by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
and the Comptroller of the Navy, and subsequently by Lord Viscount
Melville, who was pleased to express his approbation of the various
arrangements. As however the ships, when completely stowed, were
found to be very deep in the water, it was deemed advisable, to prevent
the possibiUty of risk, that the Expedition shoidd be accompanied by
a transport as far as the margin of the ice, in order to reheve them of
a part of their lading in crossing the Atlantic ; and the Nautilus, of
four hundred and five tons, Lieutenant William Scrymgour agent, was
appointed by the Navy-Board for this purpose. A portion of the
weight was accordingly removed on board the Nautilus till the ships
were considered to be in safe trim ; and some extra stores were also put
into the transport, to enable us to complete the Expedition to the time
of her leaving us. Of these perhaps, twenty hve bullocks and a quan-
tity of coals (making our whole supply in each sliip one hundied and
eighteen chaldions) were not the least important.

A number of valuable chronometers and instruments, of wliich a
list is here subjoined, were embarked on board each sliip ; and a variety
of useful experiments, for wliich the requisite materials were provided,
were suggested by the Council of the Royal Society, to be conducted
by Mr. Fisher as circumstances might permit in the course of the
voyage : —

INTRODUCTION.

List of Imtrnments, kc.,embarhc(l on board each Ship.

Fory.
1

Astronomical Clock, by Barrett, the property of Mr. Fisher

Chronometers ^'^

Of which, three of those on hoard the Fury were the property of !Mr. Fisher,

one belonging to Captain Parry, and four sent on trial by their respective

makers. (See Account of Chronometers in the Appendix "

Portable Observatory

Transit Instrument

Forty-inch, triple-object glass, achromatic Telescope, by Dollond
Repcating-circle .....

Circular Transit, the property of Mr. Fisher
Dipping-Ncedle, l\y Dollond

Do. do. by Troiighton

Do. do. by Jones . . . .

Variation Transit ....

Variation Needle .....

Instrument for determining the Magnetic Force, (Captain Eater's)
Azimuth Compasses • .... do

Do. do. (Walker

Magnets ......

Spirit-levels for Eater's compasses
Dip-Sectors, (Dr. Wollaston s)
Macrometer . do.

Altitude-Instruments (Captain Eater's)
Quadrant with level ....

Theodolite, large .....

Do. small .....

Anslometers .....

Circular Protractors ....

Station-Pointer

Beam-compasses .....

Tof^ether with every other requisite material for
Artificial Horizons, with mercury
Thermometers .....

Self-registering do. (Six's) with iron cases .
Pyrometer, by Carey ....

Hygrometers, (De Luc's)

Do. (Mr. Leslie's)

surveying

s)

and drawin

1
1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

4

1

2

6

2

1

o

1
1
o
o
0

1
1

4
24
6
1
1
1

Hfcla.

2

1

2
o

2

2
1

2

16

o

INTRODUCTION.

Photometers (Mr. Leslie's,) ....;... 2

Hydrometers .......... 3

Hydrostatic Balances, one being the property of Mr. Fisher . . 2

Water-bottles, (Dr. Marcefs) 2

Two-feet telescopes ......... 2

Electrometers, with copper-chains ..*.... 2 sets

Air-Pump ........... 1

A case of chemical materials for Mr. Fisher's Experiments

Ftiry. Hecla.

2

2
2

I cannot conclude this account of our preparations without expressing
my sincere thanks to Sir Thomas Byam Martin, Comptroller of the Navy,
Commissioner Cunningham, and Captain Hill, Comptroller of the Vic-
tualhng Dep6t at Deptford, for the readiness with which they acceded
to and even anticipated my wishes in every thing relating to our com-
plete equipment. To the Navy and Victualling-Boards generally I also
feel most highly indebted for the very obliging manner in which they
were pleased, on various occasions, to refer to me with a view at once
most effectually to execute the commands of the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty, and at the same time to consult, whenever it lay in
their power, the wishes of the Officer commanding the ExpecUtion. Nor
can I omit to offer, on my own part, as well as that of the Officers under
my command, our best acknowledgments, once more so justly due, to
the Officers of Deptford Dock- Yard for the kind assistance received
from them in those numberless minor points belonging to their seve-
ral departments, on which the comfort and accommodation of persons
employed on this service so materially depend.

On the return of the Expedition to England the journals, charts, and
drawings furnished by every individual in the course of the voyage were

b 2

3iii INTRODUCTION.

put into my hands, with directions to pubhsh, under the authority of
the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, an official narrative of our
late proceedings. To prevent the delay before occasioned by waiting
for the publication of the details relating to geography and natural
history, I determined on reserving the whole of these for an Appendix,
to form a separate volume. The following account is principally taken
from my own journal; but I am indebted to the other officers, and
especially to Captain Lyon, for numerous interesting extracts which
are distinguished by inverted commas.

The charts accompanying this Narrative were carefully constructed
under my inspection on board the Fury by Mr. Bushnan, assistant-
surveyor. The original charts, which are on a much larger scale, and
on which the angles used in their construction are laid down, have been
deposited in the Hydrographical Office at the Admiralty, together ^\dth
the surveying-books and other documents of that kind containing more
in detail the materials used in the survey.

The survey of the coast was entirely carried on as before by astro-
nomical bearings, the geographical position of the various stations being
fixed by the mean of the observations of several individuals. From the
number and excellence of the chronometers embarked on board the
Fury, and the variety of observations used in the occasional correction of
their rates, it is hoped that the geography of that portion of the North-
Eastern Coast of America, wliich has been discovered and surveyed
by tliis Expedition, will be found to be fixed with considerable accu-
racy. For a more detailed statement of the methods employed, in the
performance of this essential part of my duty, as well as for some notices
respecting the geography of this hitherto unknown corner of the
globe, I must refer to the account of the going of the chronometers,

INTRODUCTION. xiu

the tables of the several observations, and the memorandum relating
to the charts in the Appendix. With the hope of making the charts
in some degree interesting to the geologist, as well as to the sea-
man and geographer, I have inserted in them a brief notice of the
geological character of the lands we had an opportunity of examining ;
and some pains have been taken to deduce and dehneate, from the
numerous Esquimaux sketches, such parts of the coast as those people
are acquainted with, but to which our own efforts have not hitherto
enabled us to obtain access. It having been suggested that the deline-
ation of ice upon a chart gives it a confused appearance, while it con-
veys the idea of a fixed rather than of a constantly moving body, it
has now been altogether omitted, except in one or two instances, where
the description given of its position in the Narrative may by this
means be illustrated and explained.

The sketches of lands were principally made by Mr. Bushnan, such
views being selected by myself as appeared most striking, or best cal-
culated to elucidate the descriptions given of the coast. Some were,
ho\^ever, taken by Captain Lyon, to whom the Public is indebted for
all the other drawings of every description. Of the merit of these
interesting performances it would be presumptuous in me to offer an
opinion ; but I cannot deny myself the pleasure of bearing testimony
to the obhging readiness with which Captain Lyon has always attended
to my suggestions on this subject, as well as to the eagerness and assi-
duity with which he seized on every opportunity of exercising his
pencil, which so monotonous and unpicturesque a voyage presented.
The drawings were soon after our arrival put into the hands of
Mr. Edward Finden, with whose abiUties as an artist the Pubhc is
already well acquainted ; it is hoped that the manner in which they

xiv IxNTRODUCTION.

have been engraved will sufficiently shew the care which has been taken
in their execution.

No opportunity has been omitted of procuring and preserving spe-
cimens in the several departments of Natural History, of which a con-
siderable collection has been made in each ship, and which will be
described in their proper places in the Appendix. The necessary
smallness of our establishment rendering it expedient to dispense with
the appointment of a professional Naturalist, who has usually formed a
part of expeditions of this nature, the sole responsibiUty in this de-
partment of science naturally devolved upon myself As however I
can lay no claim to any of the qualifications requisite in a naturalist,
and yet have hopes that our collections AviU not be altogether wanting
in interest, I consider it incumbent upon me, wdth a view to do justice to
the individuals who have assisted me in this way, to give some account
of the manner in which that part of my instructions has been executed.

The collections made on board each ship were purposely kept sepa-
rate, with the intention of providing against accidents happening to
either ; except on one or two occasions, where only a single specimen of
any animal was obtained, in which case it was transferred to the Fury.
The collection of the animal kingdom formed by Captain Lyon has
afforded additional interest from the drawings that accompanied them,
wherein the colours most Hable to fade were faithfully deUneated from
specimens just killed. For the specimens obtained on board the Fury
I am necessarily indebted to the zeal and industry of the several
Officers of that ship, who have at all times rendered me their best
assistance in promoting this object . I must however particularly ex-
press the acknowledgments which I consider due to Mr. Eoss who, from
the commencement of the voyage, undertook in addition to his other

INTRODUCTION.

XV

duties, to superintend the preservation of stuffed specimens of birds
and other animals ; a task requiring a degree of taste as well as of skill
and attention, which perhaps persons accustomed to these matters can
alone duly appreciate. The public collection of plants and minerals
on board the Fury has been in great part made and entirely arranged
by Mr. Halse, to whose industry and attention in these departments
for several years past I am particularly desirous to do justice. So
general however have the taste for collecting and the skill in pre-
serving become, among the individuals employed on these Expeditions,
that much additional interest has been derived from an examination
of the distinct collections of plants and minerals made by several of
the officers, and particularly from that of Mr. Edwards, whose notes on
the Natural History of these regions have added much valuable infor-
mation on this subject. Some skeletons of animals have been prepared
for the Museum of the College of Surgeons by Mr. Skeoch, among
which those of a wolf and an Esquimaux dog will perhaps not be
considered the least interesting, as shewing the comparative anatomy
of those two animals. Soon after the arrival of the ships in the river
Thames, the pubUc Collections of Subjects of Xatural History were
put into the hands of three gentlemen well quahfied to describe them.
I need only mention the names of Professor Jameson, Professor Hooker,
and Dr. Richardson, to assure the pubhc how much justice will be
done to their description ; but I cannot omit this opportunity of offer-
ing my wannest thanks to these gentlemen for the kind and handsome
manner in which they did me the favour to undertake this task.

A monthly Abstract of the Meteorological Register is inserted in its
proper order in the course of the narrative, that method having been
considered most convenient for reference, on a subject necessarily

xvi INTRODUCTION.

forming so large and constant a portion of the interest of a polar
voyage. In the journal from which these abstracts were made, the
temperature of the air and of the sea-water was noted every two hours,
and the height of the mercury in the barometer every four hours,
throughout tlie voyage ; and the abstracts were carefully and separately
arranged by Lieutenant Nias and Mr. Koss*. The whole of the tem-
peratures were registered by Fahrenlieit's thermometer, and the signs +
and — signify above or below zero of that scale. ^\lien neither of chese
signs is attached, the temperature is to be understood as positive, or
above zero, except in those columns of the abstracts where a continued
series of low temperatures occurs. To avoid needless repetition also
in the covu-se of the Narrative, it may here be added that the whole
of the bearings are the true ones, the Dips of the IMagnetic Xeedle
North, the Latitudes North, and the Longitudes West of the meridian
of Greenwich, unless otherwise expressly noticed at the time.

The temperature of the sea below the surface was sometimes ob-
tained by Six's self-registering thermometer attached to the deep-sea
lead ; but more commonly (in consequence of the frequent failure of
that instrument when exposed to sudden changes) by bringing up
some water in the bottle contrived by Dr. JNIarcet, and already de-
scribed in the Introduction to the Narrative of the former Voyage.
This simple and useful apparatus was now somewhat improved by a
strong spring enclosed within the box, and obliging the bolt, in M'hat-
ever position it might be placed, to close the apertures as soon as the
catch was released, instead of trusting to its own weight as before.

* I omitted to mention, in my account of the Voyage of 1819-20, that the Meteorolo-
gical Register was then kept in a similar manner.

INTRODUCTION. xvii

In describing the Esquimaux inhabiting the sequestered and hitherto
unknown corner of the American Continent, which we have recently
visited, I have aimed rather at faithfulness of dchneation than at
height of colouring, studiously avoiding the mention of any fact of
whose accuracy the slightest doubt remained upon my mind. Of the
latter class are numerous pieces of information obtained in a cursory
way from the Esquimaux, which, however, our imperfect knowledge
of their language did not enable us thoroughly to understand, and
which almost daily experience of our former misapprehensions subse-
quently taught us to receive with greater caution and distrust. In
attempting a description of the manners, disposition, and general cha-
racter of these people, it has been my anxious desire " nothing to
extenuate, nor set down avight in malice," but to present, as far as it
goes, a faithful and impartial sketch ; divested on the one hand of the
too flattering impression at first received from the extreme quietness
of their demeanour, and on the other, of the feelings of annoyance
occasioned by our subsecpient acquaintance with the less favourable
features in their character. In the more important, though less diffi-
cult task of relating the proceedings of the Expedition, with reference
to its primary objects, my endeavours have been exclusively directed to
the attainment of accuracy and plainness, omitting nothing, however,
which appeared to me Ukely to afford interest or information, and
avoiding every minute detail but what seemed absolutely necessary for
explaining my views, or otherwise elucidating the subjects under con-
sideration.

That our efforts have not hitherto been crowned with greater suc-
cess, cannot fail to be a matter of extreme disappointment, as well as
of sincere though unavailing regret ; but I feel it a duty to state, that

c

xTiii INTRODUCTION.

had our progress been in any degree proportionate to the exertions of
those under my command, there would ere this have been nothing
left to regret, and but httle to accomplish ; and I am hapjjy therefore
thus publicly to express the high sense I entertain of the laudable
zeal and strenuous exertions luiiformly displayed by Captain Lyon,
the officers, seamen, and marines, of both the ships engaged in this
service. Of the exemplary condvict of the men it has been my good
fortune to command on this occasion, I cannot indeed speak too
highly ; it has been a happiness to their officers and a credit to them-
selves. It was highly gratifying to observe the eager assiduity with
which, during two successive winters of long and tedious confinement,
they followed up the more sedentaiy occupations of learning to read
and ^\Tite, with which they were furnished ; and it is, I confess, with
no ordinary feelings of pleasure that I record the fact, that on the
return of the Expedition to England, there was not an individual
belonging to it who could not read his Bible.

Of the value of jNIr. Fisher's labours in those departments of science
to which his attention was particularly directed, I cannot pretend to
form a competent opinion, and his account of them now preparing in
the Appendix will, I doubt not, speak for itself ; but I have the most
sincere pleasure in offering my testimony to the unabated zeal and
perseverance with A\hich, under circumstances of no ordinary diffi-
culty from climate, and in spite of frequent ill health, he continued
to pursue every object which could tend to the improvement of Astro-
nomy and Navigation, and to the interests of Science in general.

EXPLANATION OF TECHNICAL TERMS

PECULIAR TO THE NAVIGATION AMONG ICE;

And occasioyially made use of in the course of the following Narrative, where they are distinguished

by inicrted commas.

Bay-ice. — Ice newly-formed upon the surface of the sea.

Beset. — Th; situation of the ship when closely surrounded by ice.

Bight. — An indentation in a floe of ice, liiie a bay, by which name it is sometimes called.

Blisk. — A peculiar brightness in the atmosphere, often assuming an arch-like form , which
is generally perceptible over ice or land covered with snow. The blink of land, as
well as that over large quantities of ice, is usually of a yellowish cast.

Bore. — The operation of " boring" through loose ice consists in entering it under a press of
sail, and forcing the sliip througli by separating the masses.

Calf. — A mass of ice lying under a floe near its margin, and when disengaged from that

position, rising with violence to the surface of the water. See ToNG UE.
Vlear Water. — Any part of the sea unincumbered with ice.
Crow\s-]<Iest. — A small circular house like a cask, fixed at the mast-head , in which the

look-out man sits, cither to guide the ship through the ice, or to give notice of

wliales.

Dock. — In a floe may be natural or artificial; the former being simpl)- a small "bight, m
which a ship is placed to secure her from the danger of external pressure, and the
latter, a square space cut out with saws for a similar purpose.

Field. — A slieet of ice generally of great thickness, and of too great extent to be seen over
from a ship's mast-head.

Flinching. — The operation of stripping a sea-animal of its skin and blubber.

Floe. — The same as a field, except that its extent can be distinguished from a ship's mast-
iitad. A " bay-floe" is a floe of ice newly formed.

A HoiB or Pool of water. — A small space of "clear water," when the rest of the sea is
covered with ice.

Land-ice.— Ice attached to the land, either in floes or in hea^-j- grounded masses lying near
the shore.

c a

XX EXPLANATION OF TECHNICAL TERMS.

Lead. — Acliannol througli the ice. A ship is said to " take the right lead" when she fol-
lows a eliannel conducting her into a more navigable sea, and vice versa.
MakisG-OFF blubhcr.— The operation of putting it into casks.
NiPPF.D. — The situation of a ship when forcibly pressed by ice.

Pack. — A large body of ice consisting of separate masses lying close together, and whose
extent cannot be seen.

Pascake-ice. — Newly formed ice, assuming the peculiar I'onfonnation of numberless
patches of " sludge," and giving the surface of the sea the appearance of a hand-
some pavement.

Patch of Ice. — The same as a pack, but of small dimensions.

Sailing-ICE. — Ice of which the masses are so much separated as to allow a ship to sail among
them.

Sallvixg a ship. — The operation of cau.sing her to roll, by tiie men running in a body from
side to side, so as to relieve her from the adhesion and friction of the young ice
around her.

Sludge. — Ice of the consistence of thick honey, offering little impediment to a ship while

in this state, but greatly favouring the formation of a " bay -floe."
Stream. — A long and narrow, but generally continuous collection of loose ice.

Tongue. — A mass of ice projecting under water, from an iceberg or floe, and generally dis-
tinguishable at a considerable depth in smooth water. It differs from a " calf" in
being fixed to, or a part of, the larger body.

Wa TER-SK I'. — A dark appearance in the sky, indicating " clear water" in that direction, and
forminc; a strikiiiir contrast with the " blink" over land or ice.

YousG-ICE. — Nearly the same as " bay-ice," l)ut generally applied to ice more recently
formed than the latter.

OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS.

Bi/ the Commissioners for execiding the OJfice of Lord High
Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, <$-c. ^-c.

Lord viscount ^MelviUe having communicated to the King the
proceedings of the late Expedition into the Arctic Seas, and His
Majesty having been graciously pleased to express his commands that
a further Expedition should be fitted out, for the purpose of renewing
the attempt to discover a passage by sea between the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans, and of ascertaining the geography of the Northern
boundaries of the American Continent, we have thought proper to
appoint you to the command of the Expedition ; and you are hereby
required and directed to put to sea in His Majesty's ship Fury
under your command, together with His Majesty's ship Hecla, whose
commander has been placed under your orders, and taking also with
you the Nautilus Transport, Avhich we have directed the Navy Board
to place at your disposal (for the purpose of carrying a proportion of
your provisions and stores across the Atlantic and Davis' Strait,) you
are to proceed as quickly as may be consistent ^^■ith every precaution to
avoid any risk of your parting company from cither the one ship or the
other, towards, or into, Hudson's Strait, until you shall meet with the

xxii OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS.

ice, when you are to take the first favourable opportunity of clearing
the Nautilus Transport of the provisions and stores she is charged with
for the Fury and Hecla ; and having so done you are to send the said
transport back to England, so as to prevent her incurring any risk of
receiving injury amongst the ice, reporting by that opportunity your
proceedings to our Secretary for our information.

After having so cleared and despatched the Transport you are, with the
two ships of His Majesty under your orders, to penetrate to the westward
through Hudson's Strait, until you reach, either in Kepulse Bay or on
other part of the shores of Hudson's Bay, to the north of Wager River,
some part of the coast wliich you may feel convinced to be a portion of
the Continent of America. You are then to keep along the line of this
coast to the northward, always examining every bend or inlet which
may appear to you likely to afford a practicable passage to the westward,
in which direction it is the principal object of your voyage to endea-
vour to find your way from the Atlantic into the Pacific Ocean.

In the event of your having consumed the open weather in the exa-
mination of the northern boundaries of Hudson's or Cumberland's
Straits, and of your having, at the close of the season, returned into
Davis' Strait or Baffin's Bay; or if you should have made no consider-
able progress to the westward or northward in any inlet you may have
found, it will be for you to consider, under all the circumstances of
the case, whether it may not be expedient that you should return to
England to replenish, refit, and refresh, rather than winter on a part
of the coast which you might reach again next season as early as
would be necessary for prosecuting your further inquiries. The judg-
ment Avhich you have she^\u in the conduct of the late Expedition
and the experience wliich you have acquired, induce us to trust this

OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. xxiii

point to your own discretion, on a view of all the different circum-
stances which mav exist at the time when vour determination is to be
formed.

Should you be so successfid as to find a practicable passage from the
one sea to the other, you are to make the best of your way in accom-
plishing that object without stopping to examine the north coast of
America, or for any other object not of imperious importance ; but
when the ships are checked in their progress by ice, or other una-
voidable circumstances, you will take every opportunity of examining
the coasts you may be near, and making aU useful observations relating
thereto.

Should you happily reach the Pacific you are to proceed to Kams-
chatka, (if you think you can do so ^\-ithout risk of being shut up by
the ice on that coast,) for the purpose of delivering to the Russian
Gk)vernor duplicates of the journals and other documents which the
passage may have supplied, with a request that they may be forwarded
over land to St. Petersburg!!, to be conveyed from thence to London.

From Kamschatka you will proceed to the Sandwich Islands or
Canton, or such other place as you may think proper, to refit the
ships and refresh the crews ; and if during your stay at such place a
safe opportunity should occur of sending papers to England, you
should send duplicates by such conveyance. And after having refitted
and refreshed, you are to lose no time in returning to England by such
route as you may deem most convenient.

It may happen that your progress along the north coast of the
American Continent may be so slow as to render it desirable that, if
you should not be able to accomplish your passage into the Pacific
earlier than the autumn of 1824, you should be assured of finding a

xxiv OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS.

depAt of provisions at that period in the most advanced situation to
which they can safely be conveyed. In the event then of our not
receiving from you such intelHgence as may render the measure unne-
cessary, Mc shall, about the close of the year 1823, direct the Com-
mander-in-Chief on the South American station to despatch a vessel
with a supply of provisions and stores, so as to be at Bchring's Strait
about August or September, 1824. The commander of this vessel
will be directed to make the best of his way round Cape Prince of
Wales, where he may expect, as we are informed, to find an inlet in
latitude 68° 30', in which Captain Kotzebue is stated to have found
anchorage a few years since. PTe will be directed to lie in that ancho-
rage, or ,in the nearest good anchorage he may find to that latitude ;
and he will be ordered to erect, in the most prominent and visible
situation, a flagstaff for your direction. As it is possible that you
may touch at the Sandwich Islands, this Officer will be directed to call
at Owhyhee, in order that if you should have passed to the southward,
he may not be put to the inconvenience of going on to Cape Prince of
^Vales.

Whenever the season shall be so far advanced as to make it unsafe
to navigate the ships, on account of the long nights having set in, and
the sea being impassable on account of ice, you are, if you should not
return to England, to use your best endeavours to discover a sheltered
and safe harbour, where the ships may be placed in security for the
winter, taking such measures for the health and comfort of the people
under your command, as the materials with which you are supphed for
housing in the ships, or hutting the men on shore, may enable you to
do. And when you find it expedient to resort to this measure, if you
•should meet with any inhabitants, either Esquimaux or Indians, near

OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. xxv

the place where you winter, you are to endeavour, by every means in
your power, to cultivate a friendship with them, by making them pre-
sents of such articles as you may be supplied with, and which may be
useful or agreeable to them. You Avill, however, take care not to suffer
yourself to be surprised by them, but use every precaution, and be
constantly on your guard against any hostility.

You will endeavour to prevail on them by such reward, and to be
paid in such manner as you may think best to answer the purpose, to
carry to any of the settlements of the Hudson's Bay or Nortli-'\\'est
Companies, an account of your situation and proceedings, with an
urgent request that it may be forwarded to England with tlie utmost
possible despatch.

We deem it right to caution you against suffering the two vessels
placed under your orders to separate, except in the event of accident
or unavoidable necessity ; and we desire you to keep up the most
unreserved communications with the Commander of the Hecla, placing
in him every proper confidence, and acquainting him with the general
tenor of your orders, and with your views and intentions, from time to
time, in the execution of them ; that the service }nay have the fuU
benefit of your united efforts in the prosecution of such a service, and
that, in the event of unavoidable separation, or of any accident to
yourself, Captain Lyon may have the advantage of knowing, up to the
latest practicable period, all your ideas and intentions relative to a
satisfactory completion of the undertaking.

^ye also recommend that as frequent an exchange take place as con-
veniently may be, of the observations made in the two ships ; that any
scientific discovery made by the one be as quickl} as possible communi-
cated for the advantage and guidance of the other, in making their

d

xxvi OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS.

future observations, and to increase the chance of the observations of
both being preserved.

We have caused a great variety of vakiable instruments to be put on
board the ships under your orders, of wliich you will be furnished with
a list, and for the return of which you will be held responsible ; and
we liave also, at the recommendation of the President and Council of
the Koyal Society, ordered to be received on board the Fury the Rev.
Mr. Fisher, who is represented to us as a gentleman well skilled in
Astronomy, Mathematics, and various branches of knowledge, to assist
you in making such observations as may tend to the improvement
of Geography and Navigation, and the advancement of science in
general.

Amongst other subjects of scientific inquiry, you 'snll particularly
direct your attention to the variation and inclination of the magnetic
needle, and the intensity of the magnetic force ; you will endeavour to
ascertain how far the needle may be affected by the atmospherical
electricity, and what effect may be produced on the electrometic and
magnetic needles on the appearance of the Aurora Boreahs. You wiU
keep a correct register of the temperature of the air, and of the sea at
the surface, and at different depths. You will cause frequent observa-
tions to be made for ascertaining the refraction, and what effect may
be produced by observing an object, either celestial or terrestrial, over
a field of ice, as compared with objects observed over a sm'face of
water : together with such other meteorological remarks as you may
have opportunities of making. You are also to attend particu-
larfy to the height, direction, and strength of the tides, and to the set
and velocity of the currents ; the depth and soundings of the sea, and
the nature of the bottom, for which purpose you are suppHed with an

OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. xxvii

instrument better calculated to bring up substances than the lead
usually employed for this purpose.

And you are to understand, that although the finding a passage
from the Atlantic to the Pacific is the main object of this Expedition,
and that the ascertaining the Northern boimdary of the American
Continent is the next, yet that the different observations you may be
enabled to make, with regard to the magnetic influence, as well as such
other observations as you may have opportunities of making in Natu-
ral History, Geography, ^c. in parts of the globe so little known,
must prove most valuable and interesting to science ; and we therefore
desire you to give yoiu- unremitting attention, and to call that of all the
Officers under your command, to these points, as being objects of the
highest importance. And you are to direct ]Mr. Fisher to be particu-
larly careful to keep an accurate register of all the observations that
shall be made, precisely in the same' forms, and according to the same
arrangement, that were followed by Captain Sabine on the late voyage ;
— into whose charge are also to be given the several chronometers with
which you have been supphed.

And although, as already specified, you are not to be drawn aside
from the main object of the service on which you are employed, as long
as you may be enabled to make any progress, yet, whenever you may
be impeded by the ice, or find it necessary to approach the coasts of the
continent or islands, you are to cause views of bays, harbours, head-
lands, (^'c. to be carefiiUy taken, the better to illustrate the charts you
may make, and the places you may discover, on wliich duty you will be
more particularly assisted by Captain Lyon and Mr. Bushnan, Assistant
Siu:veyor.

You are to make use of all the means in your power to collect and

ds

xxviii OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS.

preserve such specimens of the Animal, INIineral, and Vegetable King-
doms, as you can conveniently stow on board the ships ; salting in
casks the skins of the larger animals, as well as causing accvirate draw-
ings to be made to accompany and elucidate the descriptions of them ;
in this, as well as in every other part of your scientific duty. We trust
that you will receive material assistance from ]Mr. Fisher, and the other
Officers under your command.

In the event of any irreparable accident happening to either of the two
ships, you are to cause the Officers and Crew of the disabled ship to be re-
moved into the other, and with her singly to proceed in prosecution of the
voyage, or return to England, according as circumstances shall appear to
require ; understanding that the Officers and Crews of both sliips are
hereby authorized and required to continue to perform their duties
according to their respective ranks and stations, on board either ship to
wliich they may be so removed, in the event of an occurrence of this na-
ture. Should unfortunately your own ship be the one disabled, you are
in that case to take the command of the Hecla ; and in the event of any
fatal accident happening to yourself, Captain Lyon is hereby authorized
to take the command of the Expedition, either oil board the Fury or
Hecla, as he may prefer, placing the Officer who may then be next in
seniority to him, in command of the second ship ; also in the event of
your inability, by sickness or otherwise, to continue to carry these In-
structions into execution, you are to transfer them to Captain Lyon, or
to the surviving Officer then next in command to you, employed on
the Expedition, mIio is hereby required to execute them in the best
manner he can for the attainment of the several objects in view.

His ]\fajesty's Government having appointed Captain Frankhn to
the command of an Expedition to explore the northern coast of North

OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. xxix

America, from the mouth of the Coppemiine Eiver of Hearne, east-
ward, it would be desirable, if you should reach that coast, that you
shoiUd mark yoiu- progress by erecting a flagstaff in a few of the most
convenient and distinguishable points which you may successively visit,
and you are to bury at the foot of each staff a bottle, containing such
information as may be useful to Captain Frankhn, and such further
particiUars respecting your own proceedings as you may think proper
to add ; corresponding instructions having been given to Captain Frank-
lin to leave a similar notice at any convenient part of the coast wliich
he may discover between the mouth of the said river and the eastern
part of Xorth America. And in the event of your getting to the
westward of Hearne's river, you shoidd occasionally do the same Avith
a view to multiply the chances of our hearing of your progress. In
the event of your finding Captain Frankhn and his party on any part
of the coasts of America, (which being possible, you should look out
for and attend to any signals that may be cUsplayed on the shores,) you
are, if he should wish it, to receive him and his party into His Majesty's
ships under your command, bearing them as supernumeraries for vic-
tuals until your return, or you have other means of forwarding them to
England.

You are, whilst executing the service pointed out in these instruc-
tions, to take every opportunity that may offer of acquainting our
Secretary, for our information, with yom* progress : and on your arrival
in England, you are immediately to repair to this office, in order to
lay before us a full accotmt of yoiu* proceedings in the whole course of
your voyage ; taking care, before you leave the ship, to demand from
the Officers, Petty Officers, and all other persons on board, the logs and
jovu-nals they may have kept, together with any drawings or cliarts

XXX

OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS.

they may have made, which are all to be sealed up ; and you will issue
similar orders to Captain Lyon and his Officers, (^c. ; the said logs,
journals, or other documents to be thereafter disposed of as we may
think proper.

Given under our hands tliis 27th of April, 1821.

(Signed)

G. COCKBURN,
H. HOTHAM,

G. Clerk.

Bj/ Command of their Lordships,

(Signed) J. W. Croker.

To

William Echcard Parri/, Esq., Com-
mander of His Majesty's Vessel the
Fury, at Deptford.

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

SECOND
VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

OF A

NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.

CHAPTER I.

PASSAGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC REMOVAL OF STORES FROM THE XAl.TILr.> TRANSPORT,

AT THE M.VRGIN OF THE ICE DEPARTURE OF THE NAUTILrS FOR ENGLAND ENTER

THE ICE IN HVDSOyS STR.ilT — PERILOUS SITUATION OF THE HECLA, AND LOSS OF HER
ANCHOR MEET WITH THE HUDSON'S-BAY SHIPS — PASSAGE TTP THE STRAIT. AND COM-
MUNICATION WITH THE NATIVES INH.\BITING THE NORTHERN SHORES PASS THE

TRIMTY ISLAyDS OP FOX ARRIVAL OFF SOUTHAMPTON ISLAND, WHERE THE RE-
SEARCHES OF THE EXPEDITION COMMENCE.

J. HE FuRV, Hecla, and Nautilus Transport, were completed for sea towards 1S21.
the latter part of the month of April, and, on the 29th, at 10 A.M., the wind k^^^
being from the eastward, with every appearance of its continuing, the Fury ^""' "°*
was taken in tow by the Eclipse steam-boat, which vessel had before taken
us down the river on a similar occasion. At two P.M., the Fury was moored
to the buoy atNorthflcct, and the Eclipse returned to Dcptford fur the other
ships. The Hecla reached the moorings on the following day, and the Nau- Mon. 30.
tiluson the 1st of May. The guns and ordnance-stores were here received Xues.'l.
on board, after which the ships immediately proceeded to the Little Nore
where they anchored on the 3d. I received my final instructions from the
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty on the 4tli, and set out for Sheerness
on the following day. On the 7th, the ships were visited by Rear- Admiral ^'<'"- "•
Sir John Gore, from whom we had, on this, as on the former occasion, re-
ceived every attention and assistance, which the greatest personal kindness,

B

2 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

|,j~^* and the most lively interest in our success, could suggest. On the same day,
^^v>^ the ships' companies received their arrears of rivcr-i)ay, and three months'
■wages in advance ; after which they |)rovided themselves with a large stock
of warm clothing, according to a list jjrcviously given out. The crews were,
however, so well acquainted witli tlic nature of the sci'vice on which they
were about to be employed, that they took good care to provide an abundant
supply of every thing of that kind.

Previously to leaving the Nore, I furnished Captain Lyon Avith a complete
copy of my Instructions from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,
accompanied by an order containing some general regulations ; and I also
appointed certain places of rendezvous, to ensure the meeting of the three
ships at the margin of the ice, in case of unavoidable separation in crossing
the Atlantic.
Tues. 8. On the 8th, at half-past three A.M., we weighed from the Little Nore, and,
being favoured with a fresh breeze from the soutliward and westward, passed
through Hoseley Bay at noon, when, the weather becoming thick, I was
induced to run out at the back of the sands, lest we should not be able
to distinguish the lights clearly at night. The wind soon after backing
more to the westward, prevented our getting in with the land, for the pur-
Wed. 16. pose of sending away our pilots, till the 16th when, being off Buchaness,
they were put into a sloop bound to Leith, and our despatches and let-
ters forwarded by the same opportunity.
Frid. 18. On the morning of the 18th, being off Copinsha, one of the Orkney
I.slands, and the wind continuing fresh from the northward, which prevented
our getting round them in that direction, pilots were taken on board to run
the ships through the Pcntland Firth. In the course of the afternoon,
however, while standing through, the wind backed to the westward of
north, with heavy squalls, which would not have allowed us to clear the
land widi the ebb-tide. I determined, therefore, on anchoring in Widewall
harbour, which we did at four P.M., in six fathoms, and immediately set
Sat. 19. about completing our water. On the following day, I addressed a letter to
tlie Secretary of the Admiralty, acquainting him with the j)roceedings of the
Expedition up to this date.
Tues. 22. The wind remaining nearly in the same quarter for several days after
our arrival, it was not until the 22d that we were enabled to weigh and
stand to the westward, through the Firth. As we proceeded, however, the
wind gradually veered to the N.W., with a considerable head-swell, which

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 3

prevented our clearing tlie land ; we accordingly bore up and reached the 1821.
harbour of Long-Hope about midnight. We were here once more detained

by strong and unfavourable wind.s, which continued with little intermission
till the morning of the 30th, when a light air springing up from the east-
ward, we weighed, at 8.20 A.M., and ran between the islands to the north-
ward. At one, P.M., the pilots left us off Hoy Head, Avhen all sail was
made to the westward.

The latitude of the Martello Tower upon Hackness Point, at the entrance
of Long-Hope harbour, is, by our observations, 58° 48' 51"; its longitude,
by chronometers, 3° 00' 09" W. ; and the variation of the magnetic needle,
20" 58' 30', westerly. The holding-ground is here excellent : this indeed
is one of the best harbours in the Orkneys, and perhaps in the world, being
capable of containing a very large fleet of ships in perfect security. In
Widewall harbour, which is small and affords less shelter, we found the
ground more loose ; it is probably in some parts rocky, as our anchors
came up so covered with weeds, that we could with difficulty (ish them.
The latitude of the south point of the entrance, by a single obsenation, is
58° 48' 25"; the longitude by chronometers, 2° 55' 27"; and the variation,
27° 32' 08", westerly.

At ten P.M., we passed two miles to the southward of the remarkable

islets called the Stack and Skerry, having steered N.W. by W., by compass,

(or N. 88° W. true,) from Hoy Head, from which headland they are certainly

distant fourteen or fifteen leagues, instead of ten, as laid down in most of

the charts. Passing in sight of the islands of Bara and Rona, we continued

our course, with a fresh and favourable breeze, to the westward.

. On the 7th of June, being in lat. 57° 30', long. 34° 29', we tried the June.

Thurs 7
current, by a boat moored in the usual manner with an iron pot, but none

was perceptible. On this and the preceding day we saw, for the first
time, large flocks of Shearwaters, Cprocdlariu puffim(s,J called by the Green-
land sailors Cape hens, as being usually met with only in the neighbour-
hood of Cape Farewell. The birds we met with about the Cape were,
besides shearwaters which disappeared immediately after passing it, the
fulmar petrels, Cprocdlarict glacialisj kittiwakes, (lams rissa,) looms, (uria
brunichii,) dovekies, (coli/mbiis grylle,) rotges, (alca allej a few terns,
(skrna hinindo,) and a flock or two of ducks, of which the species was
uncertain.
On the 8th at noon, being in lat. 57° 33', long. 37° 48', the tempera- Frid. 8.

B S

4 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

18-21. turc of the sca->vatcr, at four hundird and sixty fathoms beloAV the sur-
""^' face, was found, by Six's tlicrmomctcr, to be 40°.7, that of the surface

being 453°, and of the air, 4()l°. A number of bottle-nose whales Avcrc
about the ships.
Sat. 9. On the 9th, we saw a bird miieh resembling a fulmar petrel in shape, but
differing in plumage from any we had before remarked, its general colour
being a dark-brown, with a white stripe extending completely across the
wings, along the tips of the wing-covers, both above and below.

After entering Davis' Straits, we had for several days variable and un-
settled weather, the wind blowing principally from the southward, with a

Thur. 14. heavy swell from the same quarter. On the 14th, we met with the first ice-
berg, being in lat. 60° 48', long. 53° 13'. On the following day, the tem-
perature of the sea, at the depth of four hundred and sixty fathoms, was
found, by Six's thermometer, to be 40°, that of the surface being 401°, jmd of
the air 41^°. While in the entrance of Davis' Strait, we met with two or three
small pieces of drift-wood on different days ; they appeared to be of fir,
and to have been a considerable time in the water, though not at all worm-
eaten.

Mon. 18. Soon after daylight, on the 18th, we passed a quantity of loose ice, such as
usually occurs at a little distance from the main body. We came to the edge
of the " pack" in the course of the forenoon and, finding here a consider-
able swell, tacked off and on till the water should become smoother, being
at noon in lat. 60° 50' 12", long. 62° 08' 30". On the day before we made
the ice, we had observed a great number of looms as well as fulmar petrels
about the ships. On reaching its margin, we found, besides these, large
Hocks of phalaropes, (phcdaroints pluUjrinchus,) rotgcs, dovekies, and one or
two of snow-buntings, (emberiza niruUs,) the latter attended by their enemy
the hawk, ffalco peregriniisj. The temperature of the sea-water had de-
creased pretty gradually from 40° on the morning of the 17th, to 34° on that
of the 18th, previously to our making the ice ; after which it soon fell to 32°
and 30°, being its usual standard in the neighbourhood of a body of ice,
<luring the summer months.

Having now reached the situation in which I was directed, by my instruc-
tions, to clear the Nautilus of ourj stores, I was desirous immediately to
commence this work, in order to be ready for the opening of the ice in
Hudson's Strait, which might be expected to occur in a few days. There
being a number of bergs in sight, I determined to anchor the ships to

ABSTRACT of the

METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept

on board His Majesty's Ship

Fury, at Sea, during the Month of June, 1821.

Day

Place.

Temperatiire of Air
in sliade.

Sea Water at
surface.

Barometer.

Prevailing
Winds.

Prevailing
AVeather.

muiD.

Mini-
mum.

Mean.

Mean
Temp.

Sperific
Gr.i\ ity

Temp.

nheo

weighed

Maxi-
muDi.

Mini-
mum.

Mean.

Directicn.

VelocJIr

1

-,

+5°3

O

+49

+51.50

O

49.33

1.0262

O
+62

SO .'Si

iiirhps inphrs

29.90 30.068

SE

modt.

6ne

2

o

53

50

51.25

49.04

1 .0270

62

29.91 29.78'29.837

1

SSE

modt.

hazy and rain

3

i

53

49

51.08

49.71

1.0280

m

29.75 29.70 29.717

1 1

EbS

modt.

ditto

4

■a

o

53|

50

50.96

50.50

1.0279

59.7

29.67

29.40 29. .535

EiS

modt.

ditto

5

s .

52

49

50.92

49.54

1.0280

59

29.45

29.37

29.398

EbN

modt.

ditto

C

^'3

50

49

49.33

43.00

1.0275

591

29.93

29.48'29.710

North

modt.

hazy

7

51

48i

49.37

47.29

1.0279

59.4

30.03

29.90 29.983

AM. NbE
PJI. SE

light

foggy

8

i

48

44

46.12

44.79

1.0280

58

30.00

29.0829.813

South

modt.

hazy and rain

9

tB

45

40

42.58

41.83

1 .0-274

57

29.68

29.5929.627

SSW

fresh

rain in squalls

10

43i

41

41.92

39.96

29.98

29.7829.887

SW-

modt.

cloudy

11

O

42

38

40.33

40.00

1.0273

55

29.48

28.97 29.130

AM. SE
PM. SSW

strong

rain in squalls

12

m

38

40.42

39.92

1.0273

541

29.72

29.3129.558

SWbW

fresh

rain in squalls

13

o

41i

39

40.75

40.42

10275

53

29.20

28.9629.035

AM. SE
PM. SSW

light

hazy and rain

14

39

36

38.25

39.58

1.0271

53

29.66

28.98 29.320

NWbW

strong

hazy and rain

15

a; .2

42

37

39.42

39.58

29.84

29.72 29.775

SSW

light

cloudy

10

J <

45

39

40.96

40.25

I .0271

53

29.71

29,01 29. fiR4

SWhW

light

fine

U

40i

35

3«.25

38.71

29.54

29.13 29.302

SEbE

fre.sh

rain in squalls

18

35

31

33.50

31.40

29.74

29.23 29.570

AM. NNE
PM. NW

fresh

hazy, rain & snovp

19

V

u

s

35

31

32.75

32.04

29.87

29.78 29.832

West

modt.

fine

20

2

38

30

32.83

31.79

30.03

29.88 29.982

West

light

fine

21

«

39

33

35.42

32.00

30.10

30.03 30.053

West

modt.

clondy

22

^ *

36

31

33.17

31.96

30.21

30.11 30.167

WSW

modt-

hazy

23

36

32

34.33

33.12

30.00

29.11 29. «3

SE

strong

hazy, snow, rain
and h.iil

24

-1

37

32

34.33

32.79

29.67

29.20 29.522

WSW

fresh

fine

25

^•3

37

33

34.87

34.50

29.92

29.50 29.070

sw

strong

fine and clear

20

a o

30

33

34.46

33.54

30.16

30.00 30.105

SSW

light

fine and clear

27

aj

38

34

35.71

33.33

30.12

29.92 29.973

1

SSE

.'modt.

foggy

28

38i

36

37.33

34.71

29.95

29.89i;9.908

SSE

fresh

foggy and rain

29

o

3

39

33

37.12

35.3.S

30.15

29.95 30.070

WNW

light

cloudy

30

38

30

34.21

35.62

30.23

30.17

30.192

NNW

modt.

cloudy

53i

30

40.45

39.36

30.23

28.96

29.729

6 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. one of them for this purpose, Avhcncvcr the wind and weather would permit.

■d^,\u So unfavourable, however, did these prove, and so often were we interrupted
by the closing of the ice ni)i)n the ships, that little progress could be made in
our work for several days. The difficulty of accomplishing this was consider-
ably increased by the attention necessary to keep the Nautilus from injury,
Avhich, however, the strenuous exertions of Lieutenant Scrymgour and his
people hai)pily effected, and the removal of the stores was completed by the
evening of the 30th ; when, having sent our despatches and letters on board
the Nautilus, and made every other arrangement, I gave Lieutenant Scrym-

Sun. 1. gour his instructions to return to England ; and at one A.M. on the 1st of
July, he parted company, while the Fury and Hecla stood in towards the
ice. A whaler, deeply laden, and apparently homeward bound, was at this
time in sight to the eastward.

Towards noon we made the ice, being in lat. G2° 08' 37", long. 62° 22' 49",
and ran along its edge, keeping as much to the westward as the trending
of it would allow. We thus continued to run through " sailing ice " all

Mon. 2. night, till, having by the chronometers nearly reached the longitude as-
signed to Resolution Island, and the weather becoming thick, we hove to
on the morning of the 2d, to await the fog's clearing away, that we might
see the land. Finding soon afterwards that the ships drifted considerably,
the wind being fresh from the eastward, or directly towards the shore, we
made fast to an iceberg for better security. On the weather clearing up about
noon, we found ourselves close to Resolution Island, which bore from S. 2F E.
to S. 77° \V. a very remarkable piece of land called by our fishermen, on
account of its peculiar a])pcarance, the " Black Bluff," being distant from us
five or six miles. Our latitude by account, at this time, was 61° 59' 49",
and long. 64° 47' 50", the soundings being one hundred and sixty-four
fathoms, on a rocky bottom. The greater part of this land was now clear
of snow, which, however, still filled many of the valleys, and, together with
the fog that hung over it, rendered the scene before us indescribably dreary
and disagreeable. It requires a few days to be passed amidst scenes of this
natiue, to erase, in a certain degree, the impressions left by more animated
landscapes; and not till then, perhaps, does the eye become familiarized,
and the mind reconciled, to prospects of utter barrenness and desolation such
as these rugged shores present.

Some clear water appearing to the southward, we made sail along the
island in that direction, passing a great many icc-bcrgs, of which Captain

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 7

Lyon counted fifty-four in sight at one time. Some of these were of large
dimensions, their height above the sea being not less than two hundred
feet. In passing one of them, Avhich was aground, at three P.M., we ob-
served the flood running past it to the W. S.W., at the rate of two or two
and a half knots. At six o'clock the ice became so close that we could no
longer make any progress, and the tide carrying us soon after towards a
large berg aground in ninety fathoms, while the drift ice threatened to
enclose us betwixt them, we ran under the lee of the berg and, by great
exertion in the boats, succeeded in getting a line fast to it. The eddies and
whirlpools, hoAvcver, caused by the tide mnning at the rate of four or five
knots, rendered the ships perfectly unmanageable, and the ice closing round
us before a hawser could be run out, the line was soon snapped, and the ships
carried towards the land, the boats having with difficulty been got on board
and hoisted up.

We lay closely beset, though drifting rapidly about with the tides, during Taes. 3.
the night ; and, early on the morning of the 3d, the ice gradually slack-
ing about us, we succeeded in getting into clear water, and continued our
progress without obstruction, at the distance of ten or twelve miles from
the laud. Within this the ice was closely packed in one impenetrable body
the whole way to the shore, and the same to the southw'ard and eastward,
leaving a navigable channel, four or five miles in breadth, leading towards
the entrance of Hudson's Strait.

These favourable appearances, however, continued only till seven P.I\I., when
the ice opposed our further progress to the westward, covering the whole
sea as far as the eye could reach in that direction ; the ships were, there-
fore, of necessity hove to, in order to aw^ait some change in our favour. The
tide appeared to have been setting to the eastward from noon till six P.M.,
about which time it turned in the opposite direction, and, soon after we had
hove to, the ships were carried by it into the ice which formed their present
impediment, at the rate of more than three miles an hour, and were quickly
beset by other pieces of ice drifting in upon them from the eastward. The
ice here consisted principally of large, though loose, masses of broken floes,
none covering more than a quarter of an acre, and few so much, but
having many high hummocks, and drawing a great deal of water. We
counted also above thirty bergs in sight at one time, and observed that
many of them were carried about by the tides wnth great rapidity.

At a quarter past midnight the westerly tide slackened ; and the ice, soon

8 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. after, began to drift back in an E.N.E. direction at the same rate as before.
,^l^ We remained beset the whole of this day, driving very near some bergs which
lay in onr way, but unable to move the ships in any direction. We were, at
noon, in lat. 61° 13' 05", longitude by chronometers 64° 05' 10". The wea-
ther being foggy, no land was in sight. Besides the above observations, some
were also obtained for the dip of the magnetic needle, which was 83° 58' 51",
and for the irregularities occasioned by local attraction ; these arc inserted in
the Appendix. Abundance of fine fresh water was found upon the large pieces
of floe-ice to which the ships were fast, and this opportunity was, as usual,
taken to fill as much as we required, as well as to wash the ships' com-
panies' clothes.
Tliurs. 5. A fresh breeze from the W.S.W. springing up on the morning of the 5th,
accompanied by clearer weather, we cast off to try what could be done, and
succeeded in pushing the ships in-shore, where we found a " lane" of tolerably
open water, owing to the ebb-tide having set the ice off in a body. As this
tide was now a lee one, however, avc could with dilficully keep the ships to
windward under a press of sail ; and, as soon as we had come to the end of
the lane, were under the necessity of driving back to the eastward, the
little distance we had gained. We had now only advanced within five or six
miles of the south point of Resolution Tsbind, which, by our observations,
lies in lat. 61° 20' 40", long. 64° 55' 15". The former of these, which
is the result of several meridian altitudes, is eight miles to the southward of
the position usually assigned to this headland in the charts. A league or
two to the eastward of this, we observed two openings having the appear-
ance of harbours, which I should have been glad to examine, but that I had
found the flood-tide always set directly in towards the land for the first or
second quarter. As this was now about to make, it became necessary to
the safety of the sliips to gain an offing, in order to interpose some ice be-
tween them and the shore. We accordingly stood off for a few miles, and
then made fast to a floe-piece, just as the ice came crowding back from the
eastward with the flood-tide. The stream of the ebb ran, in the ofiing, till
seven o'clock this evening, and we could perceive that it remained slack for
a very short time.
Frid. G. The wind shifted to the south-eastward in the course of the night, with a
strong breeze and heavy rain ; and, on the following morning, when the
ebb-tide opened the ice a little, a considerable swell was admitted from the
sea, causing the ships to strike violently and almost constantly on the

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 9

masses of ice alongside of them. In this situation they continued for seve- ^^"~^-
ral hours so completely beset as to render it impossible to extricate them.

and drifting about at random with the tides. The Hecla was, by a different
set of the stream, separated five or six miles from tlie Fury, while both
ships were equally hampered.

The effects to be apprehended from exposure to the swell of the main
ocean constitute the peculiar danger of first entering the ice about the
mouth of Hudson's Strait, which is completely open to the influence of the
whole Atlantic. A very inconsiderable quantity of loose ice is sufficient to
shelter a ship from the sea, provided it be closely packed ; but when the
masses are separated by wind or tide, so as to admit the svvcU, the concus-
sions soon become too violent for a ship, strengthened in the ordinary way,
to withstand for any length of time. On this account, it is prudent not to
enter the ice without a fair prospect of getting seven or eight leagues within
the margin. For the same reason, also, when likely to be beset near the sea,
it is better to make a ship fast to small than to large pieces, in order to avoid
the heavier concussions occasioned by the latter.

A thick fog prevailed during most of the day, with only occasional
intervals of clear weather. Soon after noon, we suddenly found ourselves
close to a large berg, of which there were many about us, and which are
dangerous neighbours in so rapid a tide-way. The ice near us being fortu-
nately slack at this time, a light air of wind, with the boats a-head, enabled
us to get clear of it. Those bergs which were not aground we observed to
drift to and fro with each tide, fully twice as fast and, consequently, twice
as far as the masses of field-ice ; which circumstance seems to shew that the
stream must extend very far below the surface, many of these immense
bodies being from fifty to ninety feet above the surface of the sea and
reaching, probably, almost as many fathoms below it. The bergs which thus
drive about are, however, less dangerous to aj)proach than those aground,
against which a ship is liable to be carried with the whole force of the tide.

The fog suddenly clearing away, at 6 P.M., we found ourselves close
under Resolution Island, though we could obtain no soundings with one
hundred and ten fathoms of line. In standing oft" we Avere soon again en-
veloped in fog and, being once more beset as soon as the tlood-tide made,
were drifted about during the night, without knowing in what direction we
went. The weather again clearing up for a short time, on the evening of
the 7th, we found, to our great surprise, that the Ilecla had drifted eleven Sat. 7.

c

10 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

18-21. or twelve miles to the westward of us, tliough still beset in the ice. This
' ^' circmnstancc appeared the more extraordinary, as the ships had been close
together only a few hours before, and shews in a very striking manner
the irregularity of the tides in this neighbourhood. In the afternoon an
attempt was made to join the Hcda ; but a gale coming on from the south-
Avard and westward, with the same thick weather as before, we were soon
set fast again among heavy masses of floe-ice. The soundings were from
one hundred and forty to one hundred and fifty-five fathoms, upon a hard
rocky bottom, at the distance of about three leagues from the land. Some
water brought up, in the course of the day, from one hundred and ninety
fathoms, was at the temperature of 32°, that of the surface being 31°, and of
the air 331°.
Sun. 8. Early on the morning of the 8th, an opportunity offered of getting into a
lane of clear water, which here, from the rapidity of the tides, often forms
and disappears again with astonishing quickness. On standing towards the
Hecla, which was still beset, I was informed by telegraph that she had
suffered no material injury, except in the loss of a bower anchor, which was
broken off in the shank by a heavy blow from a mass of ice. In the course of
this day, however, she narrowly escaped a mueh more serious disaster, being
carried by the ice within two hundred yards of the shore, and close to
several rocks lying ofi" it, and nearly swept into a dangerous inlet. In
this situation, all that could be done was to endeavour to warp round the
large floe piece to which she Avas attached; but this attempt was completely
fnistrated by the floe always turning as soon as any stz'ain was thus put upon
it. In this perilous situation she remained for several hours, after which,
by great exertions, she succeeded in getting out of the ice, and rejoined us
in the evening. The weather was beautifully clear during the whole of this
day, though the wind Avas from the soutliAvard, and sometimes a point or
tAvo to the eastward of south. For the first time, also, since avc came
off Hudson's Strait, for Ave had scarcely yet entered it, a large space of
Avater remained open during the Avhole of the flood-tide, so that avc Averc
enabled to advance a league or two farther to the AvestAvard than before.
Mon. 9. Early on the morning of the 9th, hoAACVcr, the ice again closed in upon
us, and avc remained immoveably beset for a week, during Avhich time,
to prevent separation, the ships were made fast to the same floc-piece,
and Avere found to drift from one to four or five miles to the southward
daily, and rather to the AvestAvard. It Avas, hoAvever, a matter of agreeable

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 11

surprise to us to find the masses of ice so quiet among tliemsclves as to give us 1821.
no disturbance ; a circumstance tliat seemed to indicate a greater regularity " ^'
in the set of the tides near the centre of Hudson's Strait, carrying the
whole of the ice along in one body, instead of producing the violent
cross-sets which we had experienced in-shore. In the middle of the strait
we could obtain no soundings with three hundred fathoms of line. The
sea-water was frequently brought up in Dr. Marcet's bottle from different
depths below the surface, when its temperature was found to be as follows :

DAY.

Time.

Depth

ill
Fatliuins.

Temp.

Sarface
Water.

Air

in

Shade.

Air
in
Sen

July 9

8 A.iM.

253

32 8

o

31

34

„ 10

Noon.

243

34

32i

37

69

„ 12

Noon.

320

33

30.7

401

44

„ 13

4 P. M.

310

33

31

42

82

„ 14

8 P. M.

313

31

31

35

—

„ 17

8 A.M.

315

32.8

31

35

—

„ 19

11.30 A.M.

118

32

34

45

—

» 21

4 P.M.

106

3U

34

44

—

On the 13th, both ships' companies were exercised in firing at a target Frid. 13.
on the ice, as well for the purpose of giving them occupation, as of
finding out who w^ere our best shots. On the same afternoon, we saw
two ships beset to the northward, which we supposed to be those bound
to the Hudson's Bay factories. They were joined the next day by a Sat. 14.
third ship, which afterwards proved to be, as we conjectured, the Lord
Wellington, having on board settlers for the Red River. The ice being
somewhat more slack about the ships on the 15th, we cast off and made Sun. 15.
sail at nine P.M.; but after running with difficulty about a mile to the
W. bN., we were obliged to make fast to a small berg near us. Here we
remained till eleven P.M., the wind blowing a gale from the N. E., when
the ice closing in suddenly and violently to leeward of the berg, forced
the ships against it, and was near carrying away the Hccla's bowsprit by
the pressure. The Fury also received a heavy " nip," which, lifting her
abaft, made her timbers crack a good deal about the quarters, but no material
injury was sustained. To avoid, however, a repetition of this occurrence,
we cast off, and allowed the ships to take their chance among the loose
ice for the rest of the night, which was dusky about midnight.

The ice being rather less close on the morning of the IGth, we made sail

c 2

12 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. to the wcstAvard, at 7.45 A.M., and continued "boiin"^" in that direction
^^Ijjy^ the whole day, which enabled us to join the three strange ships. They
Mod. 1G. proved to be, as we had supposed, tlu' Prince of Wales, Eddystone, and
Lord Wellington, bound to Hudson's Bay. 1 sent a boat to the i'onuer, to
request Mr. Davidson, the master, to come on board, which he immediately
did. From him we learned that the Lord Wellington, having on board
one hundred and sixty settlers for the Red River, principally foreigners,
of both sexes and every age, had now been twenty days among the ice,
and had Ijcen drifted about in various directions at no small risk to the
ship. Mr. Davidson considered that he had arrived here rather too early
for advancing to the westward, and strongly insisted on the necessity
of first getting to the northward, or in-shore, before we could hope to make
any progress ; — a measure, the expediency of which is well known to all
those accustomed to the navigation of icy seas. By the Prince of Wales
we sent our last letters for our friends in England ; and I took the same
opportunity to acquaint the Secretary of the Admiralty with the proceedings
of the Expedition iq) to this date.
Tues. 17. On the 17th, the weather was beautifully fine and warm with very little
wind. A thermometer exposed to the sun's rays on board stood, at noon,
as high as 81°; on a pole on the ice it was at 60°; and in the shade from
41° to 43°. The horizon was very much distorted by refraction in all direc-
tions, causing the ice to assume a great variety of fantastic shapes, but
generally appearing like a high wall, consisting of innumerable perpendicu-
lar columns, and completely surrounding us. Our latitude observed at
noon was Gl° 09' 17"; the longitude, by chronometers, being G7° 11' 10";
and we had soimdings in three hundred and forty fathoms on a rocky bottom.
Grass or Green Island time, bore from S. 27° W., to S. 46° W., its distance
being from three to five leagues, but uncertain, on account of the extra-
ordinary appearance given to it by refraction. The state of the ice being
rather more favourable in the afternoon, we made sail to the northward
Wed. 18. in company with the Hudson's Bay ships, and had, on the following day,
made some progress towards a remarkable headland called the East Bluff.
A few leagues to the westward of this is a smooth part of the land, rather
higher than that in its neighbourhood and, for an extent of one or two
miles, completely covered with snow. The snow remains upon it, as Mr.
Davidson informed us, the whole summer, as they find the land presenting
the same appearance on their return through the strait in the autumn.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 13

This circumstance, which has obtained for it the name of "Terra Nivea" 1821.
upon the charts, I do not know how to account for, as the heij^ht of the land ^JA^
above the level of the sea cannot certainly much exceed a thousand feet.

At eight A.M., on the 20th, we cast off and made sail, the ice consisting Frid. 20.
of heavy loose masses, generally open enough to allow a ship to sail be-
tween them, if favoured by a commanding breeze. The tides here gave us
no sort of disturbance, nor could we perceive exactly in what direction
they set. The weather was extremely clear and the atmosphere warm and
comfortable. A thermometer, freely suspended in the sun, at two P.IVI.,
stood at 74°; when placed upon some black-painted lead, on deck, at 11G°;
and in the shade, at 45°.

Proceeding slowly to the westward, we had reached at noon on the Slst Sat. 21.
the lat. of 61° 50' 13", long., by chronometers 67° 07' 35". In this situation
several islands were in sight to the northward and westward, and, among the
rest, a remarkable one called Saddle-back on account of its shape. The wind
backing to the westward in the afternoon, we anchored the ships to the
largest floe-piece we could find, there not being room to beat to windward.
While thus employed we heard voices in-shore, which Ave soon knew to be
those of some Esquimaux coming off to us. Shortly after, several canoes made
their appearance ; and seventeen of these people came alongside the Fury.
Having hauled their kayaks (canoes) upon the floe, they began to barter
their commodities, consisting of seal and whale blubber, whale-bone, spears,
lines, and the skins of the seal, bear, fox, deer, and dog. Our first endea-
vour was to procure as much oil as possible, of which, as we had been in-
formed by the Hudson's Bay ships, several tons are thus almost annually
obtained from these people. We soon found that they had been well
accustomed to bargain-making, for it was with some <lifficulty that we
could prevail upon them to sell the oil for any thing of reasonable value.
They frequently gave us to understand that they wanted saws and har-
poons in exchange for it, and as these were articles which we could not
spare, it w£is not without trouble that we obtained, in the course of the even-
ing, two barrels of blubber in exchange for several knives, large nails, and
pieces of iron hoop, which was certainly a dear bargain on our side. If they
saw more than one of these at a time, they would try hard to get the whole
for the commodity they were offering, though, when we had for some time
persisted in refusing, they would not only accept what was oflercd, but jumj)
for joy at having obtained it. They always licked the articles given them,

14 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. and in one instance only did we notice any inclination to break the contract
vj^^ after this process had been gone through.

Sliortly after these men had arrived, a largo oomicik, or women's boat, made
its appearance, containing six or seven females and four men, the oldest of
the latter, as seemed usual among them, steering the boat with a rude oar
of wood. The women could not be induced to laufl upon the floe, but held
up skins and small narrow strips of well-tanned leather to exchange, loudly
vociferating pilletai/ (give me) the whole time. There were in this boat seve-
ral skins of oil and blubber, which I tried hard to purchase, but nothing
could induce the old man to ])art with more than one skin of it ; for what
reason I could not tell, except that he hoped, by perseverance, to obtain a
higher price. On my desiring our men to hand out a second skin of oil, as
an equivalent for which I j)ut into the old man's hand a second knife, he re-
sisted most vehemently, pushing our men aside in the boat with a violence I
have never seen the Esquimaux use on any other occasion. One of the
yoinigcr men then came forward and was lifting up the stretcher of their
boat to strike our people, who were good-humouredly laughing at the old
man's violence ; when I thought it high time to interpose, and, raising a boat-
hook over the head of the Esquimaux, as if about to strike them, soon brouglit
them into a cooler mood ; after which, to prevent further altercation, I or-
dered our people out of the boat. We had, by this time, succeeded in pur-
chasing all the oil brought by the first canoes, and as the old fellow, wlio was
commanding officer of the oomiak, obstinately persisted in liis refusal to sell
his, I ordered him away, when he immediately rowed to the Hecla and, as
I was after^vards informed by Captain Lyon, sold his oil for less than he
niicht have obtained at first, Four other oomictks afterwards came from the
shore, from which we were distant five or six miles. Each of these contained
from fourteen to twenty-six persons, the majority being females and young
children. Upon the whole, not less than one hundred of the natives visited
the ships in the course of the evening.

These people possessed in an eminent degree the disposition to steal all
they could lay their hands on, which has almost universally been imjmted
to every tribe of Esquimaux hitherto visited by Europeans. They tried, more
than once, the art of picking our pockets, and were as bold and unembar-
rassed as ever, immediately after detection. It is impossible to describe the
horribly disgusting manner in which they sat down, as soon as they felt
hungry, to eat their vayv blubber, and to suck the oil remaining on the skins

7 IkV

1^"- if -^g
H^i

4

■Xr.

)^<'' b-g- J^iUai

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 15

we had just emptied, the very smell of which, as Avell as the appearance, 1821.
was to us almost insufferable. The disgust which our seamen could not

help expressing at this sight seemed to create in the Esquimaux the most
malicious amusement ; and when our people turned away literally unable
to bear the sight without being sick, they would, as a good joke among
themselves, run after them holding out a piece of blubber or raw seal's
flesh, dripping with oil and filth, as if inviting them to partake of it. Botli
the men and women were guilty of still more disgusting indecencies, which
seemed to afford them amazing diversion. A worse trait even than all
these was displayed by two women alongside the Hecla, who, in a manner
too unequivocal to be misunderstood, offered to barter their children for
some article of trifling value, beginning very deliberately to strip them of
their clothes, Avhich they did not choose to consider as included in the in-
tended bargain.

Upon the whole, it was impossible for us not to receive a very unfavourable
impression of the general behaviour, and moral cliaracter, of the natives of
this part of Hudson's Strait, who seem to have acquired, by an annual inter-
course with our ships for nearly a hundred years, many of the vices which
unhappily attend a first intercourse with the civilized Avorld, without having
imbibed any of the virtues or refinements which adorn and render it happy.

Early on the morning of the 22d, a number of canoes repeated their visit Sund.22.
to us, the Esquimaux having hauled them upon a piece of ice to lodge for the
night. In the forenoon, an oomia/c also came from the shore, and as no in-
tercourse Avith them Avas permitted till after divine service, they became Aery
impatient to barter their commodities, and Avalked on the ice alongside the
ship, Avith a number of trifling things in their hands, Aocifcrating " pilletay"
to such a degree that Ave could hardly hear oursehes speak. Some more oil
Avas obtained in exchange for pieces of iron hoop, and, at a quarter before
noon, the wind coming more to the soutliAvard and the ice being somcAvhat
less close than before, Ave cast off* and made sail up (he strait.

The Avind and ice combined to favour us more and more as Ave proceeded,
the former both in strength and direction, and the latter by opening into
loose streams ; so that, for the first time since Ave entered Hudson's Strait,
Ave Avere noAv enabled to set all the studding-sails, Avith some prospect
of deriving advantage from them. The Hudson's Bay ships remained at
anchor some time after Ave made sail, and in the course of the evening Ave
finally lost sight of them. From this circumstance, as well as from the

16 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

uninipcdcd progress we had just began to make to the westward, it was now
only that we considered our voyage as liaving fairly commenced.

At five P.M., we were abreast of Saddleback, which we make in hit. 62° 11',
long. 67° 43'; but, having no observations when in its immediate neighbour-
hood, it is tlius laid down by our dead-reckoning only. Tlu' small cluster
of islands to which this belongs is called in the charts the middle Savage
Islands ; a name by which Mr. David.son did not know them, nor can I find
any authority for it, b\it which may serve to distinguish them as well as any
other. Though there appeared to be several small o])enings as if between
islands along this coast, yet we saw none of any magnitude like that marked
" Jack\nan's Sound," in Mr. Arrowsmith's chart, wliich we must have plainly-
noticed had it existed as there laid down. The fact is, that the inlet, so
called by Sir Martin Frobisher in the year 1576, has its only k)ww7i entrance
on the south shore of the strait bearing the name of that navigator, its com-
munication with Hudson's Strait being a matter of very doubtful conjecture.
I believe, indeed, we may safely consider the laufl, by whatever name it may
be designated, as continuous the whole way from the East Bluff, as far west-
ward as North Bay. When abreast of Saddleback, at the di^stance of five or
six miles, we had from fifty to sixty fathoms' water. At half-past four P.M.,
the tide mark u])on the grounded ice-bergs was about ten feet, and the
stream, being that of ebb, was setting strong to the eastward.

On the morning of the 24th, we found, on standing in-shore, that we were
off the great opening called North Bay, the largest and highest of the Upper
Savage Islands*, forming the western point of its entrance. The North
Bluff, a remarkable promontory, being the eastern point of the large portion
of nameless land lying immediately above the Savage Islands, apj)ears very
conspicuous when standing in from the S.S.E. From this headland the
Hudson's Bay ships not unfrequcntly take their departure, and strike off
more to the westward towards the entrance of the bay ; though this depends,
in some measure, on the situation of the ice, which is somewhat different at
the same period of different seasons. It is, hoAvever, a general rule with
them to keep close along the northern shores of the strait, till the openness

* Under these Islands (" the easternmost saving one") Baflin ancliored A. D. 1615,
and named them the Savage Islands. He describes them as " having a great sound or
indraught between the north shore and them," and lays down his anchorage in latitude
62° 30', long., " near 72°." Our observations place it 2^ miles to the northward, and
1° 52' to the eastward of that position.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 17

of the sea offers a prospect of making a fair run to the westward. Mr. Da- ^J'^'-
vidson informed me that, after leaving this shore, they seldom meet with any >.*-r>.
very serious obstruction, except from a body of ice which they usually have
to penetrate near Charles's Island, and which, from the frequency of its oc-
currence in that situation, has obtained the name of " Charles's Patch."
Long experience has brought those who frequent this navigation to the con-
clusion that, in most seasons, no advantage is to be gained by attemj)ting to
enter Hudson's Strait earlier than the iirst week in July, the annual disruption
of the ice which occupies the upper and middle parts of the strait being sup-
posed not to take place till about this time. In the course of our single year's
experience in these parts, we have seen nothing to recommend a practice dif-
ferent from that at present pursued by the ships of the Hudson's Bay Company.
In the afternoon, having a contrary wind, against which little progress could
be made, I landed, at half-past four, upon the easternmost of the Savage
Islands, accompanied by several of the officers, and was shortly after joined
by Captain Lyon. The lower parts of this island are composed of gneiss and
granite, and the upper part of mica slate in thin laminae, and containing gar-
nets in some specimens. At the foot of the clifis, which rise from four to five
hundred feet above the level of the sea, many huge separate masses of granite
occurred, in which the red feldspar, Avhite quartz, and plates of dark-coloured
mica were large and distinct. Veins also of white quartz, eight or ten inches
wide, and nearly in a vertical position, traverse the rocks in some parts of the
island. After making the usual observations for the longitude and variation,
we ascended to the highest part of the island, which is from six to eight hun-
dred feet above the sea, in order to take an eye-sketch and angles of the
surrounding lands. We here counted eleven islands, which may properly
be considered as belonging to the group called the Upper Savage Islands,
occupying nearly the whole space between that on which we stood, the
largest and highest of the whole, and the western shore. The south point
of this island is comparatively low, and appeared to have shoal water off' it
to the distance of half a mile. Captain Lyon here noticed the remains of
some Esquimaux habitations, consisting, as usual, of small rude circles of
rough stones* ; and one human skull was also found there. We met with a

* These circles are, in the Narrative of the former Voyage, erroneously called *' huts,"
as we then took them to be the remains of the winter habitations of the Esquimaux ;
•whereas, they are exclusively used for extending the skins composing their summer tents.

D

18 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

18-21. fg^y nieces of drift fir-wood, some of which havin? been sawed and others
'^-.-w chipped, shewed that these people were not in want of wood, since they
couUl thus afford to leave it behind them in no inconsiderable quantity. The
only animals seen were one hare, which was very dark on the back, a single
grouse, a bird like a snipe, and some Hocks of snow buntings ; but the dung
of hares was abundant. There wiis in some places a good deal of vegeta-
tion, and among the specimens collected, were several of those wc had be-
fore met Avith in the polar regions, especially the sorrel, (riimex digynns),
scurvy-grass, poppy, fpapavcr lUKlicaiih,) saxifrage, (sax\fi-aga oppotitifoliaj,
dwarf willow, and andromcda (ctragona, the latter being in flower, and growing
in great abundance on the higher parts of the island. On the hills were
some large ponds of water, which poured their streams down the cliffs into
the sea, through arches formed under the snow Avith which the sides of the
hills were still covered.

The latitude of our place of observation is G2° 31' 30", its longitude, by
chronometers, G9° 57' 17", and the variation of the magnetic needle 52° 37' 04"
westerly. When we landed, at forty minutes after four, P.M., the tide had.
ebbed about two feet and a half ; and at twenty minutes after seven when we
left the island, it had fallen thirteen feet more ; from which the whole fall of
this tide, though at the dead of the neaps, may be considered as above twenty-
nine feet. We had hauled our boats up on a smooth inclined rock, but, on
our return from the hills, had to lower them down ten or twelve feet perpen-
dicular. By these observations it was concluded that the time of high water at
full and change, was about thirty-five minutes past seven o'clock. The current,
by a boat moored in the offing, was found to set S.S.E. | E., three quarters of a
mile per hour, and as it appears to have been running in the same direction
during the whole time that we were on shore, it may be presumed that the
ebb tide comes down the bay, or from the northward and westAvard. The time
of high water, deduced from our observations, is about two hours earlier than
that usually marked in the charts. This discrepancy may partly arise from an
actual difterencc to that amount, between the time of high water on shore,
and that of the change of tide in the offing, where it is most common, as well
as most useful, for seamen in general to observe it.

From the top of the hill Ave could see land nearly all round the bay ; but
in the middle it Avas so distant as by no means to give us an idea of its entire
continuity. Had it been our business to explore it, the further examination

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 19

would have been attended with no great difficulty, as it was entirely free from ^^-^
ice, as far as the eye coidd reach, except one or two bergs, and those of no

very large dimensions. These bodies of ice became less and less numerous
as we advanced up the strait from Resolution Island, and none were seen after
we had proceeded a few leagues beyond our present station.

As soon as we returned on board, all sail Avas made to windward, the
breeze being still from the westward and the sea almost free from ice. On
the 25th we had fog occasionally which, however, cleared away in the after- Wed. 25.
noon, and at eight P.M., in stretching to the southward, we saw the hills on
the Labrador coast, from which our estimated distance was eight leagues.
Having then tacked and stood to the northward fifteen miles and a half by
the patent log, we considered ourselves eight or nine miles from the nortli
shore ; so that the distance across the strait in this part, which is the nar-
rowest, appears to be very correctly laid down at about sixteen leagues in
Mr. Arrowsmith's chart.

We continued to stand off and on, according to the tides, during the night, Thur. 26,
which was clear and fine ; and found in the morning that we had gained a
great deal of ground to the westward, which we continued to do throughout
the day, though the wind blev\^ steadily against us. The latitude, by observa-
tion at noon, was G2° 32' 27", the longitude, by chronometers, being 71" 36' 30".
In the afternoon we stood well in to the land, in order to obtain good
angles for the survey. There are, on this part of the coast, several islands
and small inlets, one of the latter appearing like a harbour, a little to the
eastward of whicli we had ninety-four fathoms at the distance of two miles
and a half from the shore. A few miles to the westward of this inlet lies a
high and craggy island, remarkable on account of its yellow sand-like colour,
by vv'hich it may be distinguished from any of tlie rest of the numerous
islands. We saw no ice this day, except a few streams here and there, but
the smoothness of the water indicated our near approach to a larger body
of it.

On the 27th, we continued to gain a great deal of ground, the ebb-tides Frid. 2".
appearing to obstruct us very little. Indeed, from the very entrance of
Hudson's Strait, but more especially to the westward of the Lower Savage
Islands, it was a matter of constant surprise to find our dull-sailing ships
make so much progress, when beating against a fresh wind from the west-
ward ; and I have no doubt of the accuracy of the remark made by our

D 2

20' SECOND VOYACxE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. early navifrators, tluit the flood-tides ran stronger than the ebbs on this

July. JO o

\.*-,^vy coast*.

A light air at l(Mi£rth springing up from the south-eastward enabled us to
make waj' through the ice, which now once more occurred in great quantities
in every direction, but the pieces were so loose as easily to allow the passage
of a ship with a free wind. This ice, much of which was covered with sand,
was so honey-combed and " rotten," that it appeared in a fair way of being
entirely dissolved in the course of a few weeks. The current was found to
run S. E. 1). E., three quarters of a mile per hour, at nine A.M., or about the
middle of the ebb-tide. For the last week, we had scarcely seen a living
animal ; a glaucous gull, a boatswain, and a few looms, constituting the
whole that are mentioned in our journals. At two P.M., a thermometer
in the sun stood at 87°, and in the shade at 50°. In the evening, the
land abreast of ,us, in lat. 685°, long. 7-2°, became much lower than
before, and without snow upon any part of it. The unevenness of its gene-
ral outline gave to it, at times, the appearance of islands, of which there
are, in reality, a great number hereabouts, though I have little doubt of the
continuity of the land at the back. We continued to ran all night through
Sat. 28. the same kind of ice as before, and, at forty minutes A.M. on the 2Sth,
M'ere abreast of five remarkable hillocks or undulations of the land, of which
the appearance Avas sketched by Mr. Bushnan. We sounded frequently at
the depth of eighty to one hundred and fifty fathoms, the bottom being
extremely irregular. It rained hard for several hours, after which the wea-
ther cleared uj), and the Avind came from the northward. The ice being
now too close to sail through with any but a leading wind, the ships were
made fast to a floe-piece. For two days past, we had observed consider-
able ripplings on the water, as if occasioned by a strong tide, and the
masses of ice Avcre frequently set in motion on a sudden, without any apparent
cause.

* This fact was noticed as early as the time of Luke Fox, who, in the journal of his
voyage of 1G31, frcipicntly and particularly alludes to it. His account is confirmed in a
highly valuable manuscript journal kept by a person of the name of Yourin, who served,
it seems, as " one of the officers on board the Charles, Captain Luke Fox," on that
voyage. This journal, which is no less remarkable for its perspicuity and accuracy than
for the neatness with which it is penned, is in the possession of Lord Mountnorris. By
his Lordship's permission a copy of this journal was obtained by Captain Sabine, to whom
I am indebted for it.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 21

On the 29th Ave were off a point of land, having several islands near it, 1821.
and exactly answering the description of that called by Baffin, in the year ^[Xj
1615, Broken Point, " it being, indeed, a point of broken isles." This head- Sun. 29.
land is memorable on account of a lunar observation made off it by this able
and indefatigable navigator, giving the long. 74° 05', which is not a degree to
the westward of the truth. Here the land turns more to the northward, leav-
ing a considerable opening in that direction.

A very light wind, from the wrong quarter, rendered all our exertions
to get in shore fruitless, a close barrier still intervening between us and
the open sea. During the first part of the forenoon, we observed the ships
to be carried with the whole body of ice considerably towards the land, but at
noon, having moored the small boat to the bottom in one hundred and tliirty
fathoms, the tide was found to run S. b. E., one mile per hour. Our latitude
observed was 63° 51' 44", longitude, by chronometers, 74° 02' 10'. In
the evening, our prospect of an immediate release appearing more and more
hopeless, we were under the necessity of making fast, when we obtained azi-
muths on the ice, which gave the variation 54° 51' 58" westerly*. The ice
was found to have too much motion in azimuth for obtaining the dip, which
phenomenon now began to acquire great interest. At eight P. M., we once more
made sail and, after four hours' labour, the harassing nature of which cannot
well be described or imagined, succeeded in getting into good sailing ice at
midnight. The weather being now fine, and the wind becoming more eas-
terly as well as freshening, we steered under all sail to the W. N. W.

On the morning of the 30th, however, a fog came on, so thick that, Mon. 30.
independently of the danger of continuing to run upon a coast, little if at
all explored before, we also incurred the frequent risk of taking the wrong
" leads" among the ice ; which becoming closer obliged us to heave to, soon
after six o'clock, and make the ships fast to a floe-piece. At nine A.M.
the fog clearing off sufficiently to allow us to see a mile or two around,
we cast off with a fresh breeze from the S.E. b. S., and ran to the north-

* This result, however, which is deduced from several observations made bj' different
observers, is probably about three degrees more than the truth, an error having been
occasioned by the attraction of the ship, at the distance of 132 yards from the compasses.
The observations are given in the Appendix, merely to shew the regularity with which
an alteration took place in this error, occasioned by the motion of the floe to which the
ship was attached, and the consequent change of the angle at which the ship's attrac-
tion acted on the needles.

22 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY

1821, ward and westward, steering towards the land last seen, which again hove
v^-^'^ in sight at half-past ten A. M., consisting of several islands, though the
thickness of tlic weather might l)ave prevented our seeing any continuovis
line of coast at the back of them. Being at noon in lat. G4°07', and longitude,
by account, 75° 11', we hauled more to the westward, along the land, as
soon as the ice would allow. In pa.ssing the westernmost of the islands,
all of which are quite low, we carried a depth of from forty-nine to thirty-
nine fathoms, at the distance of six or seven miles. In standing out to
the southward, the water deepened, though very irregularly, to eighty-four
fathoms, at the distance of four leagues from the land, where it was necessary
for us to heave to, the fog coming on again thicker than before, and
continuing throughout the night. A number of seals and one sea-horse were
seen in the course of the day, as well as some tish jumping out of the Avater,
whicii the look-out man in the crow's-nest took to be salmon.
Tues. 31. The weather gradually clearing, on tlio morning of the 31st, we again saw
the land to the northward, which still appeared to consist principally of
islands, along which our course was now directed. At noon, being in latitude,
by account, 64° 01' 30", and long. 75° 48' 50", we had a near and distinct view
of several of these, at the back of which there still ran a continuous line of
coast. The islands seemed to form several line inlets, and the tide in the
offing was extremely strong, as appeared by the numerous ripplings on the
surface of the water, and by our making very little progress for some hours
with a favourable breeze. As the fog cleared away from the south-western
horizon, we obtained the first glimpse of Salisbury Island in that quarter. In
the afternoon. Captain Lyon discovered and made the signal for an Esquimaux
oomicik coming off from the shore under sail, accon^panied by eight canoes.
We tacked to meet them, and lay to for half an hour, for the purpose of adding
to our stock of oil. In this boat were sixteen persons, of which number two
only were men, an old and a young one, and the rest women and children.
In the features, dress, and implements of these people, we saw nothing
different from those of tlic Es(juimaux last described; but they were better
behaved than the others, with whom our ships have had more frequent in-
tercourse.
August, We continued, on the 1st of August, to beat to the westward, between

■Mr J 1 ^

^ ■ ■ Nottingham Island and the North Shore, the distance between which is
about four leagues, and the latter fringed with numerous islands. In the
course of the morning, several canoes and one oomiak came off from the

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His

Majesty's Ship

Fury, at Sea, during the Month o{ July, 182L

Day

Place.

Temperature of Air
in Shade.

1 I.

= '■" ^

= fid.
S2

Barometer.

Prevailing
Winds.

Prevailing
Weather.

'1

Maxl.

mum.

Mini-
mum.

Mia.i.

M.i\\.

Mmi.
aiuio.

Mean.

Direction. iVeiocilf

1

-,

+ui

+2?,

+30.50

0

32.58

iiichrs.

30.11

inches.

29.83

inches.

29.980

North

modt

hazy anil snow at
times

3

32

29i

30.71

30.01

29.80

29.70

29.717

North

light

hazy

3

34

30

30.08

30.21

29.09

20.62

29.670

North

light

hazy

4

35

30

32.87

30.71

29.. 56

29.36

29.463

AM. NbE
PM. SSW

light

hazy

5

36

32

33.46

30.25

29.72

29.39

29.582

SWbW

modt.

hazy

6

37

33

35.18

30.71

29..58

29.30

29.460

AM. S.SE
PM. AVbS

light

thick fug and rain

7

S

37

31

34.58

30.40

29.60

29.33

29.440

AM. NE
PM. WbS

modt.

thick fog and rain

8

36

31

33.42

33.71

29.91

29.69

29.827

AM. .SSW
PM. SSE

modt.

fine and clear

9

•S

40

32

35.42

30.90

29.91

29.85

29.880

Southerly

light

cloudy

10

3

s

38

31

35.58

31.71

30.00

29.92

29.978

SWhS

light

fine and clear

11

42

33

35.17

30.75

29. 95

29.7S

29.867

EbN

light

fine and clear

12

1

401

32

35.96

30.92

29.95

29.70

29.848

AM. East
PM. SW

modt.

hazy and rain

13

48

30

35.96

30.62

30.21

30.00

30.102

SbW

light

fine and clear

14

3S

30

34.46

30.42

30.21

30.10

30.177

Easterly

light

fine and clear

15

t6

z

30

33

34. H3

30.54

30.08

29.91

3'). 000

NE

fresh

cloudy and rain

IC

35

31

33.42

31.00

29.91

29.86

29.892

N"EbN

fresh

hazy and rain

17

43

33

36.83

31.54

29.99

29.91

29.942

AM. NNE
PJI. AVest

light

fine and clear

IS

43

34

30.92

31.17

30.00

29.97

29.985

West

modt.

fine and clear

19

45

.32

39.25

31.87

29.95

29.93

29.940

'■ Ca

Im

fine and clear

20

45

34

39.17

32. .50

29.99

29.86

29.917

S Easterly

light

fine and clear

21

47

31

38.83

33.58

29.84

29.73

29.767

From East rotinj

light

fine and clear

22

--

39

32

35.50

32.04

29.77

29.02

29.722

AM. Wb\
PM. EbS

fresh

cloudy

23

41

30

38.54

30.67

29.06

29.56

29.607

NW

modt.

hazy and rain

24

39

35

36.50

35.67

29.81

29.72

29.773

NWbW

modt.

cloudy

25

•3 C

3C

33

34.29

33.29

29.84

29.82

29.828

NWbW

fresh

cloudy

2G

sl

39

35

36.83

33.25

29.07

29.87

29.937

NNW

modt.

fine

27

50

35

39.83

33.92

29.99

29.90

29.938

AM. NW
PM. SE

light

fine and clear

28

is

41

33

35.83

33.00

29.86

29.79

29.613

AM.SEbS
PM. North

light

hazy and rain

20

J, c

■=■=

42

32

37.58

31.62

29.81

29.66

29.752

NEbN

light

fine and clear

30

5«

37

32

34. .58

31.42

29.64

29.39

29.520

SE

fresh

f"gfry

31

<

38

33

34.71

32.21

29.52

29.31

29.43S

Northerly

light

thick fog

50

29

35.38

31.82

30.21

29.30

29.790

24 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. mainland, containing about twenty persons, more than half of whom were
^ii^' women and chihhcn. They brought a little oil, some skin dresses, and
tusks of the walrus, which they were desirous of exchanging for any trifle
we chose to give them. They had, also, a number of toys of various kinds,
such as canoes with their paddles, spears, and bows and arrows, all on a very
small scale. Many of the jackets of these people, and particularly those of
the females, were lined with the skins of birds, having the feathers inside ;
and they had, also, in the boat several other skins in a prepared state,
taken from the throat of the colt/mbus glacialls, which splendid bird, though
we had twice found its skin in possession of the Esquimaux, we had yet
not met with ourselves.

Being desirous of ascertaining the time and direction of the tides, which
run strong between Nottingham Island and the northern land, the current
was tried several times to-day, about mid-channel, by a small boat moored
to the bottom, and found to set as follows:

At 8 A.M., E.b.S., 1 mile per hour.

— 9.40, E.b.S., ^'Jf mile.
—11.15, Slack (^low ?) water.

— Noon, W.N.W., U mile per hour.

The wind backing to the southward in the afternoon, we had a fine run
along the land, and about ten P.M. had nearly lost sight of Nottingham
Island, being abreast of three small black-looking islands, Avhich answer
to the Trinity Islands of Fox. Immediately to the westward of these, the
land trends very much to the northward, leading towards the " Farthest"
of that navigator ; so that, our business lying to the westward, and being
still favoured with a navigable sea and a fair breeze, we soon lost sight
of that shore altogether. Some dusky clouds, which appeared upon the
southern horizon this evening, were probably hanging over the Mill Islands.
After a run of forty miles, during the night, almost without seeing any
Thurs. 2. ice, we came, on the morning of the 2d, to a body of it so closely " packed,"
that we could make no further progress, while the masses |on the outer
edge were moving so rapidly in various directions, as to occasion us much
trouble and many violent blows before we could get clear of them. The
latitude observed at noon was 64° 59' 24", and the longitude, by chrono-
meters, 79° 40'. The soundings were one hundred and three fathoms, on
a bottom of hard rock and shells ; but the depth varied, very frequently and

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 25

suddenly, from forty-two to one hundred. The tide Avas tried twice in the 1821.
course of the day; at 11.30 A.M., it set S.S.W., nearly a knot; and at August.
1.10 P.M., N. 50° W., a mile and a half an hour; but the direction of it
Avas so irregular, that the ships were frequently hampered, and received
several heavy blows from the ice in consequence. After standing several
miles to the northward, along the edge of the ice, without meeting with an
opening, it began to lead us so much to the eastward that we tacked and
stood back to the W.S.W., to try what could be done by patience and
perseverance in that quarter.

The Exjjedition being now about to enter upon ground not hitlicrto ex-
plored, it became necessary for me to decide upon the route it would be
most advantageous to pursue, for the accomplishment of the principal ob-
jects pointed out in my instructions. This route being, in a certain de-
gree, left to my own discretion, I must here interrupt, for a moment, the
narrative of our proceedings, as well to explain the grounds on which
my determination rested, as to establish and elucidate the connexion
between the researches of the present Expedition, and those of former
navigators.

E

26 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

CHAPTER II.

REVIEW OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION OBTAINED BY THE RESEARCHES OP
FORMER NAVIGATORS ON THE COAST OF THE AMERICAN CONTINENT, IN THE NEIGH-
BOURHOOD OF WAGER RIVER DISCOVER AND ENTER THE DUKE OF YORK'S BAY,

SUPPOSING IT TO BE A PASSAGE INTO THE SEA CALLED THE WELCOME — LEAVE

THE DUKE OF YORK'S BAY, AND PROCEED TO THE NORTH-WESTWARD PASSAGE OP

THE FROZEN STRAIT AND ARRIVAL IN REPULSE BAY CONTINUITY OF LAND THERE

OBSERVATIONS ON SHORE REMARKS CONCERNING THE GEOGRAPHY, TIDES, AND

NATURAL HISTORY OF THIS PART OF THE CONTINENT.VL COAST.

1821. My instructions directed me to " penetrate to the westward, through
^^^^' Hudson's Strait, until I reached, either in Repulse Ray, or on some other j)art
of the shores of Hudson's Bay, to the north of Wager River, a part of the coast
which I should feel convinced to be a portion of the conlinent of North
America." " Then to keep along the line of this coast to the northward,
always examining every bend, or inlet," &c*. It became, therefore, my first
business to inquire to what point the examination of the eastern coast of
North America had already been carried, and its continuity satisfactorily
determined.

The proceedings of the Expedition under the command of Captain
Middleton, in his Majesty's sliip the Furnace in the year 1742, together with
the inciuiry instituted by the Admiralty on his return, in consequence of the
representation of Mr. Dobbs, furnish the principal materials for judging of
this question. The disputes between Mr. Dobbs and Cai)tain Middleton,
which, like most other contests of a similar nature, gave rise to much personal
animosity and virulent invective, have at least served the useful purpose of
pointing out, with all the minuteness which the most determined hostility
could suggest, the particular parts of Captain Middlcton's conduct, which his

* Official Instructions.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 27

accusers considered as lying open to censure or animadversion. It appears, 1821.
from the documents laid before the public at the time by the respective "'"
parties*, that Captain Middleton was chargeable with neglect, in having
quitted certain parts of the coast traversed by him, and which seemed
likely to afford some outlet to the westward, without detennining the
continuity of the land by actual examination. The first and principal of
these was Wager Inlet, to which Captain Middleton gave the appellation of
a river, as subsequent examination has, in fact, proved it to be, and Mr.
Dobbs that of a strait, leading, as he believed, in the desired direction,
towards the Pacific Ocean. Wherever the strict and entire examination of
a coast has been neglected, so as still to leave a doubt respecting its conti-
nuity, the mind naturally has recourse to all the indications that can be
collected to supply the place of facts. In the present instance, the direction
of die tides, the degree of saltncss in the sea-water, the presence of whales,
and other circumstances of minor importance, constituted the chief grounds
upon Avhich the disputants rested their respective arguments. The direction
of the flood-tide has, indeed, constantly, and to a certain extent, justly been
considered as affording an indication of some weight in forming a judgment
on the spot, respecting the existence or non-existence of a westerly passage.
To this the attention of Captain Middleton was strongly directed in his official
instructions, which, in two different places, point out to him the propriety of
" meeting the flood-tide," in order to accomplish the proposed object. And
in his subsequent endeavour to vindicate his conduct *' from the aspersions
of Arthur Dobbs, Esq.," it is upon arguments deduced from this phenomenon
that he has principally laboured to convince the public of the absurdity of
cxjjecting to find a passage to the westward, through Wager Inlet. In some
parts of the channel which separates Southampton Island from the coast of
America, and to which, though erroneously, the name of the Welcome has,
of late years, been applied, it was understood that the flood-tide set from the
northward; and it became, therefore, a matter of real interest to ascertain,
by " meeting" it, from what sea it flowed. Now, here it was that Captain
Middleton and Mr. Dobbs were most at issue ; the former asserting that, in
his discovery of the " Frozen Strait," through Avhich he actually saw the
tide of flood coming into the Welcome, the question was solved in a manner

* A Vindication of the Conduct of Captain Middleton, &c., London, 1743. Dobbs's
Abstract of Captain Middleton's Journal, kc, London, 174i.

E 2

28 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. liiglily conclusive to every nnprcjucHced mind ; while the latter, fully im-
v-*^i-^-' pressed with a conviction that the slory of the " Frozen Strait was all a
chiiiiirra, as well as every thing that" Captain Middleton had said " con-
cerning that part of the voyage," confidently insisted on the prohability
of the tide linding its way in through Wager River, or, at least, through some
arm of the sea communicating with that iidet from the Avestward. The
fallacy of this latter opinion was amply proved by the researches of tlw; next
Expedition under Captains Moor and Smith, who, being sent out for the
avowed purpose of contradicting or confirming the report of Middleton,
traced Wager Iidet in their boats, till it was found to terminate in two incon-
siderable and uunavigable rivers.

On leaving the Wager, Captain INlirldleton proceeded to the northward,
keeping both the American coast and that of Southampton Island in sight, and
noting their bearings and distance frequently and minutely in his log, as far as
Cape Hope, in which space no doubt has ever been entertained, either by Mr.
Dobbs or by any other person, of the complete continuity of the land on the
American side. I felt perfectly satisfied, therefore, that Cape Hope formed
a portion of the continent, and that the examination of the coast to the south-
ward of it would be a needless and unprofitable occupation of our time.

To the northward of Cape Hope, the land is described by Captain Middle-
ton as having been observed to turn short round to the westward ; but the
joy and encouragement afforded by this circumstance are said to have been
soon clouded by linding they had reached a close bay, which prevented
their further progress in tliat direction, and which, in consequence, obtained
the appropriate name of Repulse Bay. It is worthy of particular remark,
that even this part of the coast has not drawn from Captain Middleton's
accusers, who, as Avell as their commander, had the advantage of beino-
eye-witnesses of the whole transaction, a single expression implying a doubt
of the continuity of the land in Repulse Bay. But the imputation of negli-
gence or fraud, to Avhich, in jjarticular instances, he appears to have laid
himself open, has, by a construction not uncommon, been extended to his
general conduct, throwing an unmerited degree of doubt and uncertainty on
every part of his labours. On this account, as well as from its geographical
position, which seemed so favourable for the termination of the American
continent to the north-eastward, has an importance been attached to Repulse
Bay, even by those who are not the most sanguine on the subject of the

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 29

Noitli-Wcst Passage, which subsequent investigation has proved it not to |g5|_

deserve. A"^«^

Having, on the considerations detailed above, decided on taking up the
examination of the continental coast, from Cape Hope northwards, it became
a question of scarcely less importance to determine, in the next place, by
what route the Expedition would most quickly be enabled to reach that
point, so as to occupy as much as possible of the present summer, upon
ground not hitherto explored; and, if practicable, to get fairly on our way
to the westward, along the northern coast of America, before the close of
the navigable season. Here it was necessary for me still more carefully to
balance in my own mind the ocular evidence of Captain Middleton against
the speculative reasoning of Mr. Dobbs, the former having asserted that he
had actually seen a strait intervening between Southampton Island and the
shore to the northward of it, though apparently impracticable on account of
ice ; while the latter had written half a volume to prove the strait in question
a fabrication, invented by the Captain for the purpose of deceiving Govern-
ment, and of favouring the supposed views of the Hudson's Bay Company,
his former employers. If Mr. Dobbs's suspicions were well founded, it
would be necessary for us, by pursuing the known but circuitous route
round the south end of Southampton Island, to sail a distance of one
hundred and seventy leagues from our present station, and above two hun-
dred, in case of failure at the Frozen Strait, in order to reach the point
where our operations were to commence ; whereas, on the supposition of
the existence, and, of course, the practicability, of that passage, the distance
would scarcely exceed fifty leagues; a difference of no small moment in the
icy seas. After the most anxious consideration of all this contradictory
evidence, 1 came to the resolution of attempting the direct passage of the
Frozen Strait; though, I confess, not without some apprehension of the risk
I was incurring, and of the serious loss of time which, in case of failure
cither from the non-existence of the strait or from the insuperable obstacles
which its name implies, would thus be inevitably occasioned to the Ex-
pedition.

On standing back to the west south-west the ice was found as impenetrable
as before, and the ships were therefore made fast in the best manner we
could, to await some alteration in our favour. On the morning of the 3d, Frld 3.
we had some heavy rain, although the wind was westerly; but, on its
veering to the northward, the weather cleared up, and continued beautifully

30 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

'*'-'• fine for tlie rest of the day. With the hope of gaininij some ground we
^-^ cast off, but found it impossible to make any progress througli the ice, which,
though its general body continued closely packed, was, in some parts, run-
ning about in various and even opposite directions, at the rate of two or
three miles an hour, so as frequently to come in forcible contact with the
ships, without the possibility of our avoiding it by sailing out of its way.
The rapidity and irregularity of the tides in this neighbourhood were parti-
cularly remarked by our early navigators, and, indeed, gave the name to
Mill Islands, " by reason of grinding the ice." There can be little doubt
that this irregularity is principally occasioned by a meeting of the tides
hereabouts, for there is tolerable evidence of the flood coming from the
uorthward down the great opening leading to Fox's Farthest, and which I
have called Fox's Cuannel*. This tide, meeting the rapid stream which sets
from the eastward through Hudson's Strait, must, of necessity, produce such
a disturbance as has here been noticed. The current was tried at noon,
this day, and found to set north by west, three quarters of a mile an hour,
and at thirty minutes past nine, P.M., it was running to the south-east one
mile per liour, but which of these was the flood tide we had no means of
determining.
Sat. 4. At ten A.INI., on the 4th, we saw an appearance of land, much raised and
distorted by refraction, though the weather was fine, and the atmosphere
apparently clear, from N. 83° E. to S. 53^ E., being part of the coast dis-
covered by Baffin, in the year 1615, and more minutely traced by Fox, in
1631. At noon we observed in lat. 65° 00' 17", the longitude, by chro-
nometers, being 79° 50' 55". At this time, the prospect to the westward
appeared from the crow's-nest as unpromising, on account of the closeness
and extent of the ice, as I ever remember to have seen it. Shortly after-
wards, however, the sea gradually, or rather suddenly, became navigable
in that direction, the ice separating and, in fact, disappearing in so rapid
and extraordinary a manner as to astonish even those among us who had
been the longest accustomed to this navigation, and aftbrding a striking
example of those sudden changes which, in icy seas, almost teach us never
to despair of nuiking progress, even under circumstances apparently the

* Baffin particularly insists on this being the case, botli near Trinity Islands, and off
Southampton Island ; and, I think, notwithstanding a contrary opinion held by Fox and
Yourin, our observations on the tides in this neighbourhood, and subsequently at Winter
Island, serve to confirm those of Baffin.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 31

most unfavourable. We did not fail to take advantasre of this alteration, .^^21.

August
and, standing under all sail to the westward, soon made Southampton ^^.-^

Island. At midnight we had deepened the water to one hundred and five
fathoms.

After an unobstructed run of between thirty and forty miles, we were Sun. 5.
again stopped, and obliged to make fast, on the morning of the 5th, the
ice becoming gradually closer, and occurring in heavy and extensive floes.
After divine service had been performed, we again made sail, being in
lat. 65° 22' 50", and longitude, by chronometers, 81° 24'. By dint of a
good deal of " boring," and after receiving a number of very violent
blows, we succeeded in forcing our way about ten miles nearer the land,
which appearing not to be continuous in one part, I concluded we were
near the eastern entrance of the Frozen Strait. But the haze or fog-bank
which, in these regions, even on days apparently the clearest, often gives
a distorted appearance to objects at the distance of four or five leagues,
prevented our making it out distinctly. As it was now impracticable to
make any further progress, we were under the necessity of submitting
to tliat suspense which the increasing interest of our situation naturally
excited.

Some of the floes in this neighbourhood measured at least half a mile
each way, being the largest, except one or two, that we had yet met with.
They were all covered with innumerable " hummocks," between whicli
were pools of water, some fresh, and others communicating with the sea
below. Though we subsequently witnessed the formation of one kind of
" hummocky" floes, by means of the doubling occasioned by pressure, tlicse
were evidently produced in a difterent way. From their appearance it
would seem that they are formed of numerous detached masses of ice, left
floating on the sea at the setting in of the winter's frost; which, facilitating
the production of a new sheet, are enclosed and, as it were, soldered to-
gether by it ; thus, increasing to several feet in thickness in the course of
the winter, and receiving a covering of snow upon its upper surface, it
becomes one firm and compact body. The height of the hummocks, which
were here five or six feet above the general level of the floe, depends, of
course, on the size of the masses remaining undissolved at the close of the
summer; and, in most parts of Baffin's Bay, v.here, I believe, little or none
of the former year's ice would be found at the setting in of the frost, tlie
floes arc level and regular, like those which we know to be produced

Sa SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

*82'- annually in almost all unilisturbcil situations. When the thawing commences,
\^-w tlie water lodges in the cavities formed on floes by the hiunmocUs, making the
numerous ])ools we see in the summer, gradually finding its way com-
pletely through the ice, and thus, at length, serving again to separate the
original masses, or hummocks. This is one, among the many instances, in
which Nature may be observed wonderfully to adapt her means of dissolving
the ice to those she employs in its production, thereby preventing any
undue accumulation of it in the polar regions of the earth.

While on this subject, I may offer a few remarks respecting the stones, sand,
shells, and weed, found upon tlie surface of all the ice in'this neighbourhood.
The quantity in which these substances here occurred was really surprising,
and puzzled us extremely to account for the manner in which they found
their way upon the floes. This circumstance has been generai-ly explained
by simply attributing it to the whole floe having been in immediate contact
with tlie land, enabling the streams to wash, or the winds to blow, these
substances into the situation in which they are found, in the same manner
as they are deposited on bergs formed on the shore. But to those who have
been eye-witnesses of the fact, to the extent in which it here occurred, this
mode of explaining it, however plausible at first sight, is by no means satis-
factory ; for masses of rock, not less than a hundred pounds in weight, are
sometimes observed in the middle of a floe, measuring half a mile, or more,
each way, and of which the whole surface is more or less covered with
smaller stones, sand, and shells. To suppose the wind strong enough to
blow these substances such a distance would be absurd ; nor is the supposi-
tion of their having been washed there scarcely more probable, for as a floe
of ice must float considerably above the surface of the sea, it is not easy to
conceive how it can be overflowed, and much less how heavy stones can be
carried half a mile along it. It has been suggested that the floe may be
held down by its firm cementation to the shore, while the water from the
land above it rushes in a torrent along its upper surface. This, however,
is contrary to experience, which shews that, long before the streams on the
land are s\ifticient to effect this, the ice next the shore is completely thawed,
and detached from the beach, and therefore at liberty to float in the natural
way.

The only explanation of this fact that I can suggest is, that as it is generally
found to be the case to the greatest extent upon the " hummocky" floes, the
substances may have been deposited upon each mass of ice when separate.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 33

and eventually brought into the middle of a large floe by the process detailed .^^'''
above. This explanation, however, goes but a little way towards clearing ^s^
up the difficulty ; for, besides the necessity of supposing, in this case, that
each mass of ice has in its turn been brought into close contact with the
shore, we have never seen an instance, in any bay or harboiu-, where ice so
brought, even under the most favourable circumstances, has received any
such deposit. In whatever manner it may be eifectcd, it is certain that
these substances act an essential part in the dissolution of the ice, as.
even the smallest stone or collection of sand, may always be observed to
have formed a pool of water around it, in consequence of the radiation
of heat from its surface. The stones now found upon the ice were granite,
gneiss, feldspar, and lime, the latter being most abundant ; indeed, all the
earthy matter found in the holes effervesced with sulphuric acid. There
Avere also several kinds of shells, among which was the species of a)wmia
lirst discovered in Rarrow's iStrait, and found both in the shell and the fossil
state in the course of tlie former voyage.

The variation of the magnetic needle was here 55° 05' 30" westerly. At
seven P.M. the tide set E.b.S, at the rate of half a mile an hour, the ice
being remarkably still, and the strength of the tides certainly much less
than farther to the eastward ; a circumstance, which, added to our subsequent
observations, confirmed the remark of Baffin, that there Avas " less shew of
tide" in this part. Having succeeded in forcing the ships two miles fiirther
in-shore, avc again made fast, having deepened the Avater to one hundred and
fifty fathoms.

At noon on the 6th, aa'c obscrAcd in lat. 65° 28' 15", being tAAO miles Mon. 6.
and a quarter to the nortliAvard of that in Avhich Bylot, Avith Avhom Baffin sailed
as pilot, left off his search of a passage to the AvestAvard in 1615. The
reasons AAhich induced him to relinquish the enterprise at this place Avere,
the increased quantity of ice, the Avater becoming less deep, and his seeing
land bearing N.E.b.E. from him ; circumstances Avhich led him to conclude
that he Avas at the mouth of a large bay. The same land, Avhich Ave had
noAV in sight, proved to be one of several islands, and I gave it the name
of Baffin Island, out of respect to the memory of that able and enterprising
navigator. The south-easternmost land in sight Avas that about Cape
Comfort, which Baffin considered in lat. 65°, long. 85° 20'. Our angles
and observations place it in 64° 54', and 82° 57. Between Baffin Island and
the high land of Southampton Island, from which points the discoveries of the

34 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. present Expedition commence, there was a considerable interval to the north-
August.

ward and Avestward, where no land had as yet appeared. We could not, there-

fore, but entertain very sanguine hopes that this opening would be found to
communicate with, and even to be a continuation of, the Frozen Strait, as
]\Iiddleton himself had suggested. In the evening, the sky became overcast,
the wind being southerly ; and between eleven P.M. and midnight, several
vivid flashes of lightning were seen to the westward, and succeeded by hard
rain for some hours.

Our progress was now so slow, owing to constant interruption by ice, that
Thurs. 9, on the 9th, at noon, we had only reached the lat. of G5° 34' 28", and
long. 82° 24' 12", our soundings being one hundred and fifty fathoms muddy
bottom. The northern land in sight, which now first seemed to] consist
of islands, appeared low in comparison with the coast of Southampton
Island, the latter rising to a considerable height above the sea, and having
two hills very conspicuous from the eastward, forming a sort of saddle, not
unlike that of the Mormond Hills over Buchaness. In the afternoon we
once more entered the ice, which favoured us by opening more and more as
we advanced; so that we succeeded in making several miles to the westward,
and were enabled to keep the ships under way and in open water during the
night, tacking off and on near a small rocky islet. Three miles to the south
cast of this, we had one hundred and one fathoms, and could detect no cur-
rent by a boat moored to the bottom.
Frid. 10. The necessity of carrying easy sail on account of the islet, which, for two
or three hours, it was too dark to distinguish, prevented our making any
progress to the westward during the night. In passing to the southward
and eastward of the rocky islet, we had thirty fathoms at the distance of
a mile and a half, and the boats being sent to sound on its southern and
western side, no bottom w£is found with thirty-five fathoms at about the same
Sat, 11. distance. Towards the evening of the 11th, we succeeded in getting in with
the northern land, and at twenty minutes after nine P.M., being close to a
small rock or islet, which lies about a mile and a half off the shore, 1 landed
upon it, accompanied by a large party of officers, who volunteered to man the
boat. We found it to be about one-fifth of a mile across, consisting entirely
of gneiss-rock, rounded on the surface, and with a little moss and a very few
other plants growing in crevices where water had lodged. We saw the tracks
of deer upon some moist sand, and a rude circle of stones, being probably
the remains of an Esquimaux summer habitation. From twenty minutes after

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. ' 35

nine till ten P.M., the tide rose one foot, the stream setting to the westward "^^l.
in the offing, as, indeed, it had done about the same time for the two pre-

ceding tides, so that little doubt could be entertained of the flood-tide coming
from the eastward in this place. At eleven P.M., soon after we returned on
board, a fresh gale suddenly came on from the north-west, obliging us to
make the ships fast to the largest floe-piece that happened to be near us, as
the best means of holding our ground.

On the morning of the 13th, the good effects of the north-westerly gale Sun. 12.
were very apparent ; for, although we had drifted two or three leagues back to
the eastward, the main body of the ice, consisting mostly of pieces smaller
than that to which we were attached, had gone much faster, leaving a large
space of clear water for us to work in. It may here be observed that, in the
course of our endeavours to get to the westward, as well in this voyage, as in
tliat of 1819-20, a westerly wind, though blowing directly against us, was
always found ultimately to be the most favourable to our purpose, as it
brings away large bodies of ice from that quarter, and consequently leaves
a considerable interval of open water. The most precious opportunity to
seize, therefore, in this navigation, is at the springing up of an easterly
breeze after a gale from the opposite quarter, at which time, if a ship be
fortunately unhampered, considerable progress may generally be made.
Not a moment of this favourable interval must be lost, as the ice invariably
closes again in a few hours after the change of wind, which is besides usually
attended by thick weather.

The gale having somewhat moderated at noon, we cast off and made sail ;
and, after carrying a press of canvass during the day, had made considerable
progress by the evening, when the ice becoming close obliged us to make fast;
in doing which the Hecla narrowly escaped a heavy " nip," by the sudden
meeting of two floes. The weather was beautifully clear, giving us a fine
view of the land, which now began to excite in us more and more in-
terest, almost at every step of our progress. A headland, bearing from us
S. 87° W., and named, by Mr. Hooper's desire, Cape Welsford, appeared
very decidedly to form the northern termination of Southampton Island,
leaving an opening of a league or two in width, but broken by two
or three islands between it and some high land to the northward ; a pro-
montory on this shore, forming the northern point of the Strait, was named
after Mr. Deas Thomson, one of the commissioners of His Majesty's Navy.
This land, however, did not appear to join that which we had lately

F 3

36 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1S21 jpf(. ^Q jIjp north-east of us, there boino' between them a very wide open-
August. . ,
'^-t-^w iiicr in which nothing but a sea incumbered with ice Avas visible from the

mast-head. The accounts £riven by Captain Middlcton of the latitude of
the western entrance of the Frozen Strait are so confused, and even contra-
dictory*, that the present appearance of the land perplexed me extremely in
deciding whether or not we had arrived at the opposite end of the opening
to which he had given that name. That immediately before us to the west-
ward, though it agreed in latitude within five or six miles with the
southernmost parallel he has assigned to it, appeared much too narrow to
answer his description of the passage we were in search of. Upon the whole,
however, I thought it most probable that this was the strait in question ; and
as, at all events, the opening between Southampton Island and the land to
tlie northward of it. in whatever latitude it might be found and whether wide
or narrow, was the passage through which it was our present object to pene-
trate into Rej)ulsc Bay, I decided on Jising our utmost exertions to push
through the narrow strait now before us.

The wind moderating in the evening, and the ice after .sunset once more
opening, enabled us to make another mile or two to the westward, after which
we lay to for the night. A great number of narwhals were playing about
the ship during the niglit, but they were, as usual, so wary that o\ir boats
could not api)roach thorn, ^\'e remarked that scarcely in any part of the
polar regions previously visited, had we seen fewer birds than for some
days past; a solitary glaucous gull, a hawk, and a boatswain being all that
had been noticed. The moon, in rising this evening, was curiously distorted
by refraction into the irregular shape of a shrivelled orange. ?
Mon. 13. On the morning of the 13th the ships were pushed as far into the ice as the
closeness of it would allow, which brought us within ten or twelve miles of
the narrow part of the strait before us ; and, as we could still see no land
from the masthead when looking directly through it, we were naturally con-
firmed in the supposition that this was the Frozen Strait, beyond which we

• As an instance of tills, in the Furnace's log of August the 8th, Captain Middleton ^ves
tlie latitude of his .sliip by obser^•ation, 65° 38' to 65° 41', when close off the western entrance
of the Frozen Strait, « liich, from its south-eastcrlv trending, is, also, the northernmost part
of it. In his letter to Mr. Dobbs, however, he says it is in 66° 40', and, just before, that it is
near the sixty-seventh degree of latitude. Neither the one nor the other has proved correct ;
• but I have here quoticl them, to explain tlie doubts which these contradictory statements
led me to ectertain at iliisjunctnre.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 37

should have immediate access to the northern part of the Welcome. We ^^^l.
observed something very like smoke rising from about Cape Welsford, which.

being confined to one spot, was thought likely to be occasioned by the fires
of natives. Nothing could exceed the fineness of the weather about this
time ; the climate was, indeed, altogether so different from that to which we
had before been accustomed in the icy seas, as to be a matter of constant

'* remark. The days were temperate and clear, and the nights not cold,
though a very thin plate of ice was usually formed upon the surface of the
sea in sheltered places, and in the pools of water upon the floes. After
sunset we descried land, appearing very distant, through the middle of the
strait, which we considered to be that on the American side of the Welcome.
At this time, also, we observed some ice in the centre of the strait, heavier
than that which covered the rest of the sea, and apparently aground in shoal
water, as afterwards proved to be the case.

On the morning of .the 14th, the ice continued almost as close as before Tues. 14.

^ about the ships, but the winil being easterly and some clear water beginning

- to appear in the direction of the strait, we were encouraged to make an
attempt to move. The signal was, therefore, made to warp with lines and
hawsers, but we met with no success to repay our endeavours, the Hecla
having rather lost than gained ground in the course of the day, and the Fury,
though favoured by slacker ice, not having advanced one mile after nine
hours' labour. We, therefore, made fast to a floe three quarters of a mile in
length, and almost as much across, our soundings being one hundred and

>i ninety-two fathoms, at the distance of seven miles from a high island which
occupies a large portion of this passage on its northern side. A great variety
of coral, shells, and marine insects Avere here brought up from tlie bottom,
which will be described in another place.

The wind shifted to the westward and increased to a strong breeze in the

.'.night, in consequence of which wc had, on the moniing of the loth, un-Wed. 15
avoidably drifted back five or six miles to the eastward. This temporary loss
of ground was, however, as usual, more than com])cnsated by a large space
of clear water now seen in-shore, into which, after several hours' exertion, we
succeeded in getting the Fury, at three P.M. We were here within a Ica^-ue
of a remarkable headland on Southampton Island, which 1 named Cape
Bylot, as being probably the westernmost land seen by that navigator in 1615.
In the meantime, the Hecla, still continuing very closely beset, had, in .spite
of every exertion, drifted back with the ice several miles to the northward

,r58 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

^821. and eastward, so that, in the course of the evening, wc lost sight of her

August. , , mi • 1 • 1 • •

v^-v^ altogether. This latter circumstance was, however, owing m great measure
to the extraordinary refraction upon the horizon, making terrestrial objects
at the distance of six or seven miles appear flattened down or depressed, as
, well iis otherwise much deformed.

At six P.M., having beat up within five or six miles of the entrance of
the strait, and being anxious to sound the channel, which appeared narrow
but without any ice in it to offer us obstruction, I left the ship in the
gig, acconii)anied by IVIr. Ross, for this purpose. The current appeared
to be setting to windward, or to the westward, but the fresh breeze was
unfavourable for ascertaining its exact direction or velocity. Besides the
high island before mentioned, arc two smaller ones to the southward of
it, which contract the channel still more between it and the south shore.
These islands 1 named after Lieutenant Nias. The heavy ice which had
before been obsened from the masthead, now formed a very conspicuous
object, the rest having drifted out of the strait ; we therefore rowed directly
towards this, as it seemed to form the northern boundary of the navigable
part of the channel. Reaching it at thirty minutes after nine, we found it
aground as we had conjectured, two of the black rocks on which it rested
being now just above water, and a tide of a knot and a half setting past
them to the eastward. These dangerous rocks lie nearly midway between
the smallest island and Cape Welsford, being rather to the westward of the
narrowest part. Within fifty yards of the dry part of them was a depth of
ten to tAvelve fathoms, and from five to seven at half that distance. As it
Avas not possible to complete the examination of the channel in time to beat
the ship through till the morning, I made the appointed signal for the Fury to
stand off and on during the few hours of dusk, and determined on taking up

•itour quarters on shore at Cape Welsford, in order to re-commence our exa-
mination as early as possible in the morning. In standing across to the Cape,
we could find no bottom with thirty-five fathoms of line, and, indeed, in the
whole of this part the water was subsequently found to be very deep.

The part of Southampton Island on which we landed is about a thousand
feet high, and composed of gneiss. Every here and there, along the shore,

.^sbetween the projecting points of rocks, is a small cove or bay, having a

beach composed of small pieces of limestone, which make the water almost

.as white as milk. Landing in one of these coves, we carried the boat

above high-water maik; and, making a tent of her sail, lay very comfortably

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 39

(luring tlic night. When the boat first touched the beach, we observed an ]g.2i
innumerable quantity of the little fish called sillocks, swimming about, se- August.
veral of which were killed by the boat-hooks or taken in the hand. A great
number of white whales, seals, and narwhals, were also playing about near
the beach during the night. The white whales were the most numerous ;
the noise these animals made resembled a hoarse low-toned barking more than
any other to which I can compare it; and we remarked that their colour was
whiter than any we had before seen. i

The weather continued clear and fine, enabling us to obtain good observa-
tions by the moon and stars. The latitude by two meridian altitudes was
65° 28' 13"; the longitude, by chronometers 84° 40' 07" ; and the variation of
the magnetic needle 50° 18' 26" w^esterly. The aurora borealis was visible
during the Avhole of the night, consisting of many luminous patches, or
ncbulw, having, when viewed together, a tendency to form an arch, and ex-
tending from south by east to south-west and sometimes to west, its height
in the centre being 15°. From this arch pencils of rays shot upwards towards
the zenith. It differed from any other phenomenon of this kind, that I have
seen, in being at times of a beautiful orange colour.

As soon as it was daylight, Mr. Ross and myself ascended the hill above Thur. 16.
our sleeping-place, from whence we could perceive land stretching round to
the westward and northward, so as apparently to leave no opening in that
quarter. We were much surprised at the low and yellow ish appearance of
this land, both of which circumstances we were at a loss to reconcile with
Captain Middlcton's description of the bold shore of the American conti-
nent, on the western side of the Welcome about this latitude. It was
pleasing, however, to observe a large expanse of sea wholly unencumbered
with ice, in the direction we were now about to pursue ; and we, therefore,
hastened to the beach to continue the survey of the strait, that no time
might be lost in taking advantage of this favourable circumstance. We here
noticed several Esquimaux circles of stones, but all very old ones, nor could
we discover any recent traces of inhabitants, notwithstanding the smoke
which we thought we had obsciTcd from the ships, at no great distance from
this spot. In the fissures and hollows between the rocks, the moss, sorrel,
ground willow, and a few other plants w^ere abundant, and specimens of
every kind were brought on board. On our return to the beach we found
the boat's crew amusing themselves in catching sillocks, of which they had
discovered great numbers left by the tide in pools upon the rocks, and had

40 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

18 already caught more" than a large bucket full. Tiiey proved most excellent
^^Jg;^- eating and, althougli we were not badly off for fresh provision, were con-
sidcMcd by us a very agreeable variety. Every possible care was taken in
observing the time and direction of the tides in this place, that phenomenon
liaving now assumed a more than ordinary interest. It has already been
remarked that, at half past nine the preceding evening, we had found a tide
setting to the eastward past the Black Rocks, at the rate of a knot and a
half. At ten P.M., when we landed, the tide was rapidly rising and con-
tinued to do so till two in the morning, during the whole of which time a
few pieces of ice were occasionally driving to the eastward througli the chan-
nel. From these observations it was not unreasonable to surmise that the
flood-tide came from the westward, though subsequent experience, as will
])resently appear, proved this conjecture to be erroneous. If the intervals
between the tides be regular, the time of high water on full and change days
of the moon, at Cape Wclsford, would appear to be a quarter past twelve.
The perpendicular fall of the water at this morning's tide, which was a spring-
tide, the moon being two days old, was sixteen feet seven inches.

After completing our observations and examination of the channel, we
reached the ship by eight A.^I., the Fury having, with groat attention, been
kept close off tlic entrance of the strait during the niglit. The Ilecla had at
this time just hove in sight under a press of sail to the eastward, having at
length, with much difficulty, succeeded in getting into clear water. While
engaged in beating through the channel Avith a considerable tide against us,
I despatched Mr. Crozier to bring on board sand for the decks, and provided
him also with nets for catching sillocks, of which he procured enough to
serve the messes of the officers and ships' comj)any for two dinners.

In beating through this channel, the breadth of which is a mile and three
quarters from Cape Wclsford to the Black Rocks, we discovered no danger
on the south side, where we had ninety fathoms at two-thirds of a cable's
length from the shore, nor any on the northern side except the rocks them-
selves, Avhich are completely covered at high water. No soundings could be
obtained with one hundred fathoms of line anywhere near the middle of the
channel, though the water is remarkably light-coloured at a considerable dis-
tance from the shore, owing probably to the same cause as that I before
noticed, as occurring near the beach in all the little bays along this coast.

As soon as we were through the passage, 1 despatched Mr. Bushnan to the
Hecla, iu the small boat, with a plan of the channel, and some directions

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 41

to be attended to in cominfj through, for Captain Lyon's guidance, and tlien 1821.
stood on to the westward, in order to make out the land in that quarter. '

The appearance of this land continued to perplex us more and more as Me
advanced, as, instead of any opening corresponding to Wager River, which
lies about this latitude, and the high shores by Avhich it is bounded, we soon
discovered before us a continuous line of low yellow-looking coast, extending
all round so as to meet the high land of Southampton Island to the south,
as well as that to the north, and leaving no perceptible outlet by which we
could find our way to the westward. In standing across we frequently
observed a great rippling on the water, and a boat was sent to sound ; but we
could find no bottom with forty to fifty fathoms of line, till within five or six
miles of the low shore, Avhen we rather suddenly obtained soundings in twenty
fathoms, on a gravelly bottom. We then kept away, in a line with this shore,
to the northward, and at length perceived something like a small opening in
the north-eastern corner of wliat otherwise appeared a large bay. The wind
veering to the southwarrl, however, with rain, and c\ery aj)pcarance of a
dirty night, and the Hecla not having yet got through the strait, in conse-
quence of light and baffling winds, I considered it most prudent to run in
under the western shore, and to anchor for the night, which we accordingly
did at thirty minutes after sevenP.M.,in thirteen fathoms, on a bottom of mud
and shells, at the distance of one mile from the beach. The navigation was
here perfectly unobstructed by ice, of which none was to be seen, except
here and there a straggling piece which appeared to have been lately de-
tached from the shore. A great number of white whales were observed in the
course of the day, and the cackling of geese was heard on shore the whole
night. The Hecla, having succeeded in getting through the strait, joined us
an hour before midnight.

On the morning of the ITth, the weather being too foggy to move, parties Frid. 17.
from both ships went on shore to examine the country and to procure
specimens of its natural productions. We landed on a flat and very rough
beach, principally composed of sharp masses of limestone, over which, at low
water, it was difficult to drag the boats. ]\Iixcd Avith these were some pieces
of gneiss and granite, but the lime is by far the most abundant. This land,
which rises gradually from the beach, but is in no part more than sixty or
seventy feet above the level of the sea, was full of ponds of fresh water, and
in almost all the intermediate parts there was abundance of fine vegetation,
consisting of grass, moss, and various other plants, of which specvmens were

G

42 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. broil tifht on board. A splendid specimen of the coli/mbiis arcticus, and also a
rod-throated diver (cobjmbus septentrionalis,J were obtained by the gentlemen
of the Hecla. The former thougli very wild were numerous, as were also
plovers of two kinds, the c/iantdriuf! phirialia, and hialicula. Nine or ten deer,
of wliich several were fawns, with a large buck as usual bringing up the rear
of the herd, were met with by some of our people, but they would not suffer
themselves to be approached within gun-shot. A great number of fine black
whales were playing about near the beach, and, from the total absence of
ice, woidd have afforded a rich and easy harvest to a fishing ship. Several
seals were also seen, and we were in hopes of finding some sillocks near the
shore, but had no success with the seine, which was twice hauled upon the
beach. We met with the remains of several Esquimaux habitations in
different places along the shore, and in one spot a conspicuous mark
had been left by these people, consisting of several stones placed one over
the other. The beach being favourable for measuring a base, we ran
off one above a mile in length, and obtained the necessary angles for the
survey, together with the usual observations for fixing our geographical
position. The latitude of our landing-place was 65° 27' 37", the longitude, by
chronometers, 85° 15' 35", the dip of the magnetic needle 87° 27' 52", and the
variation 47° 34' 05" westerly. It was low water by the shore at forty-three
minutes past eight in the morning, by which and the preceding night's ob-
servation, the time of high water on full and change days of the moon
appears to be about twenty minutes past twelve. The perpendicular fall
of tide this morning measured rather more than sixteen feet, so that the
highest spring tides will probably amount to eighteen.

The weather having gradually cleared up as the sun got higher, we
returned on board at half past nine and, getting immediately under way,
stood under all sail to the N.N.E., where alone, as on the preceding even-
ing, there appeared the smallest chance of finding any outlet. Our late
excursion on shore had served, among other objects of interest, to furnish
some clue to the mystery respecting the place into which we had found our
way, and which had evidently never before been visited by Europeans. Our
parties who went farthest inland reported that they could see no termination
to this kind of shore to the westward, nor any appearance of high land beyond
it. It was now evident, therefore, that this low shore was the same as that
which Captain Middleton described as " a low shingly beach, like Dun-
geness," and along the icestern side of which he sailed up the Welcome,

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 43

without suspecting its disjunction, in any part, from the liigh land of South- '821,
ampton Island at the back, which, indeed, he could not have discovered
without travelling several leagues inland from that side, until he had reached
the shore of the bay we had lately entered.

In approaching a low point, which forms one side of the apparent opening
to the N.N.E., before alluded to, and which I subsequently named after
Mr. Henderson, we gradually shoaled the water from eighteen fathoms,
which we had soon after leaving our anchorage, to eight. After rounding
the point, • it seemed doubtful whether there was any passage to the north-
ward, the interval between the two lands being now contracted to two
miles, and becoming more and more narrow as we advanced. After
passing the point, where, at two P.M., we found the flood-tide setting to
the northward, at the rate of a mile and a half an hour, we again deepened
the water to ten and twelve fathoms ; but, in continuing our course half
an hour longer, again shoaled it gradually to five and four fathoms, and
tacked in eighteen feet. The ship was unusually slack in stays, owing,
perhaps, to her hanging in the long tangle-weed, of which great quan-
tities were always floating about here. At this time the two lands seemed
to approach within a mile of each other, with a number of little low
stony islands occupying a great part of that space, and shelving points on
each side, so that there seemed little chance of finding a passage for ships
in that direction. Having sent a boat to sound, Ave tacked, and again
ran in till we had shoaled the water to four fathoms, and then once
more stood to the southward. Finding, by the signals made from the boat,
that nothing could be done till the channel, if there were any, had been
regularly examined and buoyed off, I directed the ships to be anchored as
soon as we had got into twelve fathoms ; and at four P.M., left the Fury,
accompanied by Mr. Henderson, and by Lieutenant Hoppner in a second
boat from the Hecla, in order to conduct the intended examination. This
did not, however, occupy so much time as we expected, for in less than two
hours we had ascertained, beyond a doubt, that no practicable passage for
ships existed in this direction. The tide was here so strong, that, with
sails and oars, we could scarcely stem it ; and as we approached the nar-
rowest part, it Avas running more than six knots, obliging us to pull in-shore,
into the eddy of the point, before we could make the smallest progress. Wc
then with difficulty rowed to an islet, about which fresh rocks and shoals
were almost every minute shcAving themselves, as the tide fell ; so that, at

G 2

44 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. half-pa^t six, Avhcn it was very little more than half ebb by the shore, there
August. ...

v,^^,,.^/ were, in every direction, nnmberless shoals and islets, past which the tide

was rusliinc^ with all the violence and irregularity of a race, except in a
small cliaiuiel, which, in the only part where a shij) could have floated,
did not exceed three hundred yards in width. In such a channel, rendered,
as it Avas, doubly dangerous, by the rapid tide which rushed through it, and
Avhich would render a ship perfectly unmanageable, it would have been
highly imprudent to risk a passage ; and iis, under these circumstances, it
would have been a mere loss of time to continue the examination of this
place, whatever curiosity we might feel to ascertain its communications, I
determined to return on board, in order to take advantage of the remaining
part of the ebb-tide, it being our next object to endeavour to find a passage
into the Welcome, round the south side of the low land to the westward of
us. I cannot, therefore, decidedly say, whether there exists a passage of
any kind through to the northward in that place or not, but it is possible
enough that there may be one, though very narrow and shoal.

The whole of the bottom here consists of a flat gneiss-rock, over which,
as well as on the shoals and islets, lie innumerable fragments of limestone,
of a white colour. A mark, consisting of stones piled u|), had been set on
each side of the narrow channel, as if for the purpose of pointing out the
safest part for canoes, when the jwints are covered by high spring tides. By
deep wading, for the nature of the bottom and the rapid fall of tide did
not allow us to risk the grounding of the boats, we got to the islet, where
wc found two jaw-bones of a whale placed erect on a pile of stones,
together with a quantity of whalebone; the whole structure being so con-
trived, when viewed at a little distance, that it bore a striking resem-
'blance to the ligure of a man holding the blades of bone in his hands.
Among the numerous marks of the kind which we afterwards met with
in various parts of the sea-coast, it was not uncommon to observe some
which evidently appeared to have reference to the same whimsical in-
tention, and which, till habit had rendered them familiar, we often mis-
took for men. Being in want of whalebone for making brooms, we took a
few of the blades, leaving as an equivalent a boarding-pike stuck upright
in the pile ; we then returned to the ships, which we reached at eight P.M.
The wind having now become very light and variable, and the navigation of
this place requiring the utmost connnand of the ships, I was reluctantly
compelled to defer moving till tlie morning tide. It was low water at a

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 45

quarter past nine this evening, after which time the tide began almost im- ^^21.
mediately to run to the northward. Several rein-deer were seen on the v.-'v-w*
western or low shore in the course of the day.

The weather was cloudy and nearly calm during the night, and a thick fog
came on the following morning. We weighed, however, at high water and Sat. 18.
beat to the southward with a light air from that quarter, regulating our course
by the lead which is here a faithful guide. At nine A.M., the Avind shifted
to the N.W., and the fog was succeeded by rain for an hour or two, after
which the weather became dry, clear, and pleasant. As soon as the favourable
breeze sprung up we stood under all sail for Avhat at first appeared to be the
south-eastern extreme of the low land, more of which, however, came in sight
as we advanced and as the weather became clearer; till at length, at one
P.M., it was but too evident that we were once more embayed, the low
beach running quite round to Southampton Island, about nine or ten miles
to the southward of us. I therefore ordered the ships to be anchored,
being in thirteen fathoms, on a bottom of mud and shells, at the distance
of two miles and a quarter from the high or eastern land, and about four
from the other : and in order to leave no doubt of the continuity of land,
as it appeared from the ships, I despatched a boat from each luider the
command of Lieutenant Reid, with directions to row close to the beach,
completely round the bay, making such hydrographical and other remarks
as circumstances would permit.

In the mean time Captain Lyon and myself went on shore to the east-
ward, in order to obtain from the hills a view of the surrounding lands. It
may here be observed that, on this eastern side of the bay, there is a strip
of low and lightish-coloured land a mile or two in breadth, extending from
the foot of the hills to the sea. On landing we found this low shore to
consist of whitish limestone in schistose fragments, alternating with narrow
strips of verdure, and some ponds of water ; while the rocks at the back,
which rise eight or nine hundred feet above the level of the sea, arc
composed of gneiss, with here and there a quantity of limestone in heaps,
and in many places large masses of quartz, mica, and red feldspar, lying
detached upon the surface. Near the top of the hill we also met with
a considerable quantity of magnetic ironstone. We saw no living animal
but three small birds. Stones placed erect in different parts, and even at
the very top of the hill, shewed that the Esquimaux had visited these shores,
but wc observed no recent traces of them.

4ft SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. Lieutenant Reid returned on board at eleven P.M., havinc: determined

August. ... ' n

v-*-.^^ the continuity of land all round the bay, by rowing close in-shore the whole
way. A\ itli a view to ascertain, if possible, the breadth of the low land,
by which the geographical position of the eastern boundary of the Welcome
in this latitude might have been laid down, Lieutenant Reid went on shore
near the head of the bay ; but it proved so level, extensive, and low, that
he was unable to obtain any view to the westward. He considered the
southern boundary of the bay to be ten miles from the station of the ships.
The soundings are regular, and the anchorage good in every part which our
boats visited, making this, perhaps, one of the most secure and extensive
harbours in the known world. Scarcely a piece of ice was seen in any part
of it, and the appearance of the beach, on which were no heavy grounded
masses, shewed that here, as in all other well-sheltered harbours or inlets in
the polar seas, little or none had ever found access, except that which is
formed in it, and which the annual process of dissolution has usually
destroyed before this period. In the examination of any inlet in these regions
there is, indeed, no indication more unpromising, and which, if any thing
short of absolute examination could be admitted, might be considered so
conclusive against the existence of a passage, as the absence of "old" ice,
or, at least, of those traces of it, which are evident upon every shore to
which it has occasionally a ready access. Of this fact, the remaining part of
the present season's navigation will afford a striking proof.

This magnificent bay, possessing so many advantages that would render it
invaluable in a more temperate climate, the officers honoured with the name
of the Duke of York's Bay, in consequence of the Expedition having first
entered it on the birth-day of His Royal Highness.

It being now evident that the inlet into which, in the course of our en-
deavours to penetrate to the westAvard, we had unavoidably been led, would
afford us no passage in that direction, I gave orders for weighing at the turn
of tide; being determined at once to run back through the narrow channel by
which we had entered, and to push to the northward Avithout delay, in
search of some more favourable opening. The tide, in our present anchor-
age, flowed to the southward and ebbed to the northward ; and it now be-
came apparent that, notwithstanding the care taken to ascertain the direc-
tion of the flood-tide in the entrance to this bay, avc had been mistaken in
supposing it to come from the westAvard. For, as the tide of ebb unquestion-
ably ran to the southward about Point Henderson, and no opening occurs

Augiist.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 47

any where else, it follows that the flood must of necessity come in from the '^-^
eastward. The comparative slowness of its rate of running through the
narrow passage is easily accounted for by the depth of the channel through
which it flows, (exceeding one hundred fathoms,) compared with the bay it
has to fill, and which is shallow in many parts. The error into which I had
fallen on this occasion has been here particularly noticed, as furnishing
another instance of the difficulty of ascertaining the true direction of the
flood-tide, without any knowledge of those local circumstances which pro-
duce, on many coasts, what seamen call a " tide and half-tide," or " tide
and quarter-tide," and which one or two cursory and unconnected ob-
servations cannot always detect. In the present instance it appeared
that the stream of ebb was still running past the Black Rocks, one
hour and three quarters after the time of low water by the shore ; how
much longer than this it continued to run we had not an opportunity of

ascertaining.

The weather was overcast during the night, and a calm prevailed till half-
past six on the morning of the 19th, at which time we weighed with a light Sun. 19.
air from the N.W., and stood towards the passage. At half past eight, Ave
discovered a shoal, dry at half-tide, which lay almost directly in our way,
and soundings were found by a boat, from twelve to fourteen fathoms, at the
distance of a mile on its eastern and south-eastern sides ; but the wind again
falling just as we got between the shoal and the land, and the ebb-tide
having just done, we anchored at ten A.M. in twelve fathoms and a half,
being about the middle of the channel, which is here between three and
four miles in breadth. Mr. Fisher and myself then landed on the shoal, of
which the position was favourable for making observations, and for the inter-
section of the other angles obtained for the survey of the bay. We found it
to be thirty or forty yards in length at low water, and composed of rounded
lumps of lime, (many of which contained fossil remains,) a specimen or two
of black marble, and some pieces of granite and gneiss. The latitude ob-
served was 65° 20' 56" ; the longitude, by chronometers, 84° 57' 04". 5 ; and
the variation of the magnetic needle, by the sun's azimuth at noon, 46° 25',
Avcsterly. While we were waiting for the meridian altitude. Captain Lyon,
who had joined us in his own boat, employed his people in sounding round
the shoal which is in most parts bold. Wc built a pile of stones on the
middle of it, but this was altogether covered about one P.M., or at half-flood.
In the mean time, a number of our gentlemen had landed on Southampton

■48 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

'^21. Island, bringing off specimens of the plants and minerals, which were much
y^^^r^ the same as those collected the preceding evening. Some of the party con-
fidenUy reported that they had heard the shouting of natives, though they
could not meet with thcni. From this circumstance, as well as from the
smoke which hud before been observed near this place, we thought it likely
that some Esquimaux were not far off, but that, never having before
communicated with Europeans, they had perhaps been scared at our
approach.

A breeze from the S.W., which sj)rung up at two P.M., enabled us to weigh
before high water; when, having picked up our boats, we made all sail for
the channel, through which we passed at half past four with a strong breeze.
The Black Rocks were at this time totally concealed, and the ice quite
washed away from them by the last spring-tides, so that, had we not before
known their situation, lyiug, as they do, almost in mid-channel, wc might
perhaps have run directly upon thcni. The mark for being abreast of them
is shewn in the accompanying plan, and to any ship visiting this bay will be
useful with a turning wind. When the breeze is free, the only direction
necessary is to keep about three-fourths over from the small islet to the high
southern shore, which is bold quite close to the rocks. On hauling to the
northward we found the ])()sition of the ice very unfavourable to our pro-
gress in that direction, and the wind increasing to a strong breeze, with
every appearance of bad weather, we reefed our sails, for the purpose of
standing off and on during the night, with the hope that this wind would in
a few hours clear the shore along which it was now our object to sail. After
dark it began to blow stronger with rain and some sea out of the bay, obliging
us to carry a press of canvass, and to keep all hands on deck, to enable us
to weather the ice under our lee.
Mod. 20. After midnight the weather moderated a little, and the wind drew more to
the southward, giving us some shelter under the lee of the land till daylight,
when we found that the breeze had done us all the service we had anticipated,
by opening a wide passage between the land and the ice to the northward.
Not a moment was lost in availing ourselves of this opportunity, and we ran ra-
pidly and almost without obstruction along the land, passing numerous islands
and bays with which this shore abounds. Piles of stones were seen, as usual,
in various places along the coast. The eastern shore of this new strait still ap-
peared continuous, and both lands began to trend mwe to the westward. In the
course of the afternoon we passed several streams of ice, much of which was

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 49

covered with sand, but the late south-west breeze having drifted the main '821.
body of it over to the opposite coast, we met with no material impediment, v^-^'
At a quarter before five, P.M., in passing within an island, to which from
subsequent occurrences the name of Passage Island was afterwards given,
a violent rippling was observed a-liead. The boats were instantly lowered
to sound the channel, and the ships put about till it was ascertained that
there was no shoal water ; when wc again tacked, keeping the boats a-head,
and continuing under easy sail till past the rippling, but having no less than
twenty-five fathoms in any part.

Passage Island, which is blackish in its appearance, has a small rocky islet
of a yellow colour on its eastern side, with which we afterwards as unex-
pectedly as unwillingly became better acquainted. There are also two or
three small islands lying nearly abreast of it, off the Southampton Island
shore, and as we proceeded several others were brought in sight, lying in a bay
near the west extreme, which we passed in the evening, having before us a sea
entirely clear of ice and, we were willing to hope, of land also. Ilazy weather,
liowcvcr, such as had prevailed during the greater part of the day, witli occa-
sional rain, is very favourable to such hopes, and often, therefore, brings
much disappointment. At seven o'clock we plainly distinguished land, with
a fog-bank hanging over it, to the westward, and, as far as the thickness of
the weather would permit us to see, leaving no opening before us except for
about two points in the north-western quarter. As the nights became dark
for several hours at this season, and we were wholly iniacquaintcd with the
land beyond us, the boats were despatched to look for anchorage under the
southern shore, where, however, the ground proved so irregular, and the bottom
so rocky, that I determined to keep under way during the night. As soon as
the boats were hoisted up, we stood to the westward under easy sail, and
deepened the water gradually to one hundred and five fathoms, on a hard
bottom. Our uncertainty respecting the true situation of the Frozen Strait,
together with the want of observations during the day, left us, at this time,
in doubt whether we had already penetrated through that passage, or had still
to encounter the difficulties which the former accounts of it had led us to an-
ticipate.

The wind was squally, with dark cloudy weather, during the night, and a
calm succeeded on the morning of the 21st, with fog and rain. At forty Tues.2l.
minutes after eight, A.M., the tide was found to be setting W. S.W.,
half a mile per hour, aud there was, during the forenoon, some swell from the

H

50 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. southward, which seemed to intimate, as was in fact the case, that we had
passed the Frozen Strait, and had the Welcome open to us in that direction.

A northerly breeze at length springing up gave us hopes of speedily clearing
up all oiu- doubts on this subject, and a press of sail was carried to the
Avestward. The northern land, which now again came in sight, appeared to
be continuous, and we shortly after distinguished the opening between this
and the western shore seen the preceding evening, and for which our course
was now directed. In the afternoon, however, the wind increased consider-
ably, and the weather became so extremely thick Avith snow, which fell in
unusually large Hakes, that for five or six hours we ran almost entirely by the
lead, which indicated deep water. Now and then, indeed, we caught an in-
distinct glimpse of the land on each side of us, which was sufficient to shew
the extreme caution necessary in running under such circumstances. The
land to the southward seemed high in its western part, and low to the east-
■\varfi, and that to the northward still appeared continuous and unbroken ex-
cept by islands. At thirty minutes after five, P.M., the weather being still
very thick, the land was suddenly discovered a-head, and we tacked in seventy
fathoms, on a rocky bottom. During the whole of this nui, we scarcely
saw a piece of ice, except one stream through which we passed at three P.M-
At seven o'clock, there was still every appearance of a dirty and therefore
of an anxious night, if we should be obliged to keep the ships under way ;
and it was on that account my intention to stand in towards the nordiern
shore, and endeavour to get sight of it, so as to secure an anchorage for the
night ; but at a quarter before eight the weather suddenly cleared up, when
we found ourselves completely surrounded by land from E.N.E. round by
north to S.b.E., having unconsciously entered Repulse Bay, in which not apiece
of ice was to be seen that could obstruct us in its thorough examination. I
made the signal to stand oft" and on during the night, which proved extremely
clear and fine, and directed the boats of each ship to be in readiness for
landing in the morning. The latitude, by the meridian altitude of a ct/gm,
was 66° 27', which confirmed me in the belief of our being in Repulse Bay,
though it afforded some ground for suspecting the accuracy of Captain Mid-
dleton's latitude.
Wed. 22. We stood up the bay towards daylight, and at seven A.M., I left the Fury,
accompanied by a large party of officers, having by signal requested Captain
Lyon to join us. At the same time I directed another boat to be despatched
from the Hecla, under the command of Lieutenant Palmer, to row round a

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 51

small biffht which appeared in the north-west corner of the bay, where alone, l^-^-

• !• 11 11-1 ii<.i August.

from one or two ponits overlapping each other, the slightest doubt oi the con- <-*-,-*j
tinuity of land could exist. We landed upon a point just to the eastward of
this bight, in which neighbourhood are several little islands and coves pro-
bably affording good anchorage, but which the more immediate objects we
had in view did not permit us to examine. Upon the point we found the re-
mains of no less than sixty Esquimaux habitations, consisting of stones laid
one over the other in very regular circles, eight or nine feet in diameter, be-
sides nearly a hundred other rude though certainly artiiicial structures, some
of which had been fire-places, others store-houses, and the rest tolerably built
walls four or five feet high, placed two and two, and generally eight or nine
feet apart, which these people use for their canoes, as well as to keep the
dogs from gnawing them. A great many circles of stones were also seen
more inland. About three miles to the N. N.W. of our landing-place our
people reported having seen fifteen others of the same kind, and what
they took to be a burying-ground, consisting of nine or ten heaps of large
stones, three feet in diameter and as many in height. Under these were
found a variety of little implements, such as arrow or spear-heads tipped
with stone or iron, arrows, small models of canoes and paddles, some rough
pieces of bone and wood, and one or two strips of asbestos which, as
Crantz informs us, is used by the natives of Greenland for the wick of their
lamps, and for applying hot, in certain diseases, to the afflicted part *.
Under these articles were found smaller stones, placed as a pavement, six
or seven feet in length, which, in the part not concealed by the larger
stones, was covered with earth. Our men had not the curiosity or incli-
nation to dig any deeper, but a human skull was found near the spot. Our
people also rejwrted that, several miles inland of this, they observed stones
set up as marks, many of which we also met with in the neighbourhood of
the point. Of these marks, which occur so abundantly in every part of the
American coast that we visited, we could not then conjecture the probable
use, but Ave afterwards learned that the Esquimaux set them up to "-uide
them in travelling from place to place, when a covering of snow renders it
difficult to distinguish one spot from another. We found among the stones
some seals' bones, with the flesh still upon them, which seemed to indicate

• Crantz, I. 236. The Esquimau s on this part of the coast use it only as sticks for trim-
ming their lamps.

H 2

52 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1801. (|,^j j^,g natives had occu|)ic(l this station during a part of the same season;

August. . ' . .

and judging from the number of circU's collected in this place, and still more
from our subsequent knowledge of these people, it is probable that not less
than one hundred and twenty persons had taken up their residence here
at the same time.

The land on the northern and western sides of Repulse Bay does not
exceed six or seven hundred feet in height, while that on the south rises,
perhaps, full a thousand feet above the level of the sea. The shore on
Avhich we landed is composed of gneiss rock, traversed by broad veins of red
feldspar running in almost every direction. Qiuirtz and mica also occurred
in separate masses, as well as white limestone lying in loose fragments
on the surface. Before we landed in the morning the snow which fell
the preceding day had quite disappeared from the north shore, and by
noon the land all round the bay had resumed its dark appearance. We
saw several rein-deer and hares, some ducks, dovekics, knots, {tringa
cinerea,) sno\v buntings, and a white owl. An ermine, (crminca mustcla,)
a few ptarmigans, and a hare, Avere killed. IMice, (mifs /tiidsonius,) were
very abundant, particularly among the stones of the Esquimaux tents. I
do not know whether the seals' flesh remaining on some of the bones was
any attraction to diem, but it is certain that two of them being put to-
gether into a cage, the larger killed the odier and eat a part of it. Several
black whales were seen in the bay in the course of the day. There was here
no want of vegetation, which indeed was in many parts extremely luxu-
riant ; and specimens of every plant were carefully preserve(l by our nume-
rous collectors.

The latitude observed on shore was 66° 30' 58", being the first observation
we had yet obtained so near the Arctic Circle, but far to the southward of
that given by Captain iNiiddleton *. The longitude, by chronometers, was
86° 30' 20" ; the dip of the magnetic needle, 88° 07' 28" ; and the variation
48° 32' 57" westerly ; being only a degree and a half less than that observed
by INIiddleton in 1742. In observations formerly made upon the variation of

* Tlie difference amounts to about twenty miles. It is but justice, however, to the me-
niorv of Captain Muldloton to add, that several miles of this error mav have been occasioned
by the imperfection of nautical instruments in his day, combined with the unavoidable inac-
curacy of observations made by the horizon of the sea, when encumbered with much ice.
On this latter account, as well as from the extraordinary terrestrial refraction, no observation
can be here depended upon, unless made ^^itli an artificial liorizon.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 53

the needle in this neighbourhood, a considerable error may have been occa- 1821.
sioned by the effects of local attraction, produced by the iron in the ship, a \^-k_>
phenomenon of which navigators were not then aware. If the magnetic
pole were at that time situated near its present position, a difference of no
less than four or fire points of the compass may have arisen in consequence
of a change in the direction of the ship's head from east to west, as was now
the case with us. No accurate deduction therefore can possibly be made,
respecting the change which the variation has undergone, from obser\ations
made on board a ship at an early period, especially in the neighbourhood of
either of the magnetic poles of the earth *.

The phenomena we had, for some time past, observed in the traversing of
the compasses on board the ships, were similar to those noticed on the pre-
ceding voyage, though they had not as yet occurred to so great an extent.
In proceeding to the westward, up Hudson's Strait, where, by a gradual
approach to the magnetic pole, the dip of the needle regularly increases, a
proportional increment in the effects of local attraction was also found to
take place, displaying itself as well in the amount of what has been termed
the deviation, as by the sluggishness with which the compasses tra-
versed. About the time of our making Southampton Island, the card of
Walker's azimuth compass which, on account of its graduated metal rim, is
more heavy than the others, became too sluggish to depend upon. Those of
Alexander, Avhich were the lightest and best of our steering compasses on the
common construction, began also to require constant tapping or shaking. Cap-
tain Rater's excellent azimuth compasses, which unite lightness, sensibility,
and accuracy, required, though in an infinitely smaller degree, the same
precautions to assist them in traversing. These phenomena, the observa-
tions on which are given in detail in the Appendix, had for the present sea-
son attained their maximum. Repulse Bay being the nearest approach
that can be made to the magnetic pole, by sea, in this direction. Accord-

* Middleton has, in his published log, set down the variation in Repulse Bay as 50° west,
and at Cape Frigid 45°, making a difference of five degrees in a distance of eleven or twelve
leagues. Rapid as the changes in the variation are here, this difference appears to me too
great to attribute to any thing but a change in the Furnace's course ; and I cannot but con-
sider it as extremely creditable to Middleton to have faithfullj' recorded a fact, of whicli. at
that time, no probable explanation could be given, and which might, therefore, have sub-
jected him to a charge of inaccuracy or misrepresentation.

54 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. ingriy WQ liorc found a more than ordinary degree of sluggishness in the
y^-^' compasses, both on board the ships and on shore. The Fury's head was to-
day constantly north-Avest on one tack and north-cast on the other, the
wind remaining steadily fixed in the northern quarter ; and in making obser-
vations for the dip on shore, it was with considerable difficulty that the true
direction of the magnetic meridian could be determined, the small horizon-
tal needle attached to the instrument for that purpose having become alto-
gether useless, and one of Kater's differing several degrees in two or three
succeeding observations.

From our place of observation on shore wc had a distinct view of Cape
Hope, which is high and bluff, as well as of the lantl to the eastward of it,
running towards Beach Point, which becomes lower, as described by Cap-
tain Middleton. Indeed the whole account he has given of this bay, with
the exception of its geographical position, is in general very accurate, par-
ticularly in the appearance of the lands, their relative situation, and in
the nature and depth of the soundings. With respect to the Frozen
Strait, through which we passed with less difficulty than usual in the
navigation of those seas, — thus, for the first time, determining by actual
examination the insularity of that portion of land which by anticipation
has long been called Southampton Island, — there can be little doubt that the
account Middleton has givey, of its appearance, as seen from Cape Frigid, is
in the main a faithful one. In that view it would seem to be " almost full of
long small islands ;" nor is there any improbability of its having been, at the
time of his visit, covered with ice, which might appear to be " fast to both
shores," presenting to a person so situated a hopeless prospect of penetrating
through it to the northward. Above all, the accuracy of Captain Middleton
is manifest uj)()n the point most strenuously argued against him by Mr. Dobbs;
for our subsequent experience has not left the smallest doubt of Re])ulse
Bay and the northern part of the Welcome being filled by a rapid tide flowing
into it from the eastward through the Frozen Strait.

From twenty-two minutes after seven A.M. till twelve minutes past one
P.M., when we left the shore, the tide was constantly ebbing, and fell seven
feet three inches in that time, from which I concluded the time of high water
this morning to have been about ten minutes past seven, and a quarter after
eleven on full and change days. The tide was tried on board every hour
during the forenoon, and found to set as follows :

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 55

At 9 A.M. no perceptible tide (qu. high water by the stream?) 18"21.

„ 10 „ the tide set S.E.b.S., J a mile per hour. "^il^I!^

„ 11 „ ,, S.E.b.E., \ mile „

„ Noon „ S.E. .\ mile. „

Soon after we got on board. Lieutenant Palmer returned from the exa-
mination of the north-western bight, which he named Gibson's Cove, and of
■which he delivered to me, together with his report, a sketch shewing its
soundings and general outline and, what alone was very important, the
continuity of land all round it. Lieutenant Palmer's report stated that he
had roAved close in-shore all round the bay, and had found it " terminate
in a small cove, having a deep ravine running into it on the western side."
Thus was the question settled as to the continuity of land round Repulse
Bay, and the doubts and conjectures, which had so long been entertained
respecting it, set at rest for ever.

56 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

CHAPTER III.

RETURN TO THE EASTWARD THROUGH THE FROZEN STRAIT — DISCOVERY OF IIURD

CHANNEL EXAMINED IN A BOAT — LOSS OF THE FURY's ANCHOR — PROVIDENTIAL

ESCAPE OF THE FURY FROM SHIPWRECK ANCHOR IN DUCKETT COVE — FURTHER

EXAMINATION OF THE COAST BY BOATS AND WALKING-PARTIES SHIPS PROCEED

THROUGH HURD CHANNEL — ARE DRIFTED BY THE ICE BACK TO SOUTHAMPTON ISLAND
UNOBSTRUCTED RUN TO THE ENTRANCE OF A LARGE INLET LEADING TO THE NORTH-
WESTWARD— SHIPS MADE FAST BY HAWSERS TO THE ROCtS — FURTHER EXAMINATION
OF THE INLET COMMENCED IN THE BOATS.

1821.

Having how satisfactorily determined the non-existence of a passage to the
\Ved. 22. ^vestAvard through Repulse Bay, to which point I was particularly directed
in my Instructions, and which, for the reasons detailed in the commence-
ment of the preceding Chapter, I had coniidently considered as part of
the American continent, it now remained for me, in compliance with my
orders, to " keep along the line of this coast to the northward, always ex-
amining every bend or inlet which might appear likely to afford a practicable
passage to the westward." It was here, indeed, that our voyage, as regarded
its main object, may be said to have commenced, and we could not but con-
gratulate ourselves on having reached diis point so early, and especially at
having passed almost without impediment the strait to which, on nearly the
same day* seventy-nine years before, so forbidding a name had been applied.
As soon as the boats were hoisted up, all sail was made along shore to the
eastward, the wind being light off the northern land ; and we could plainly
perceive the low shore which runs to the southward and eastward of Cape
Hope, as far as the latitude of 66° 14', from whence the researches of the
present Expedition on the coast of the American continent are, therefore, to
be considered as commencing. We also saw the land on the eastern side of
the Welcome, about Cape Frigid, but as we had no opportunity of closely

* Middleton discovered tlie Frozen Strait on the 20tli of August, 1742, according to tlie
New Style.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 57

examining those parts, the breadth of this passage into the Welcome, as well '^-'•
as the general outline of both coasts to the southward of this, are laid down >-*-r^s/
in the chart, from Captain INIiddleton's account of their relative position, but
M'ith their latitudes and longitudes corrected by our observations. Of the
exact situation of Cape Frigid there will perhaps always remain some doubt ;
but from an attentive examination of Captain Middleton's account, I believe
that we cannot be far from the truth in considering it as the northern extreme
of Southampton Island, near which we tried for anchorage on the evening of
the 20th. After clearing Repulse Bay we came to some ice that the wind
was now drifting off the northern shore, which liad before been loaded with
it by a breeze from the opposite quarter, so that we were once more fortunate
in linding a tolerably clear sea. At the back of this is a bay of considerable
size, which I named after the Reverend James H.\vil.\nd, of Bath. The
wind continued moderate at night, but widi dark cloudy weather, obliging
us to heave-to for several hours, lest any small islands with which we were
unacquainted should lie in our way.

All sail was made at daylight on the 23d along the northern shore of the Thur. 23.
Frozen Strait, Avhich here continues about the same height as that of Repulse
Bay, and was at this time quite free from snow. At nine A.M. the weather
became squally witli thick snow, Avhich rendered great cau.tion necessary in
running. Soon afternoon wo perceived, during the intervals of clearer weather
which occasionally took place, that the land we were approaching was some-
what broken, and in one place appeared to consist only of islands, between
which no land was visible at the back. There was something in the appear-
ance of this part of the coast which held out so favourable a prospect of a
direct passage to the northward, that I determined more closely to examine it.
Having beat up to the mouth of an opening which, the nearer we approached,
assumed a more and more favourable appearance, we found that a body of ice
occupied the greater part of the channel, rendering it impracticable then to enter
it either with the ships or the boats. The only mode left, therefore, of examin-
ing it without loss of time, was to despatch a party equipped for travelling by
land, to ascertain enough of its extent and communications to enable me to
decide as to our farther progress. As, however, in their present situation, I
did not feel myself justified in leaving the ships, I requested Captain Lyon
to undertake this service. He was accompanied by Mr. Bushnan and two
seamen from each ship, and was furnished with a tent, blankets, and four
days' provisions. In the mean time, as there was very little ice near us

I

58 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. except what was in the mouth of the inlet, and that appeared to be coming
vrf'v->^- quickly out with the wind, I thought the safest way for the ships, as well as
to secure the quick return of Captain Lyon and his party, would be to anchor,
which we did in thirteen fathoms, upon a hard bottom, at the distance of
one mile from the shore. As soon as the anchors were dropped, wc found
that the tide came out of the inlet, and then set to the westward, at the rate
of a mile an hour ; and as we had reason to believe, as indeed it afterwards
proved, that this was the flood-tide, our hopes of here finding a passage to
the northward, so as at least to save us the necessity of piu'sning the more
circuitous route round the lands we had left to the southward and eastward,
received great encouragement.

Shortly after Captain Lyon left us, the loose though heavy ice, which had
at first blocked up the mouth of the inlet, began to drive towards the Fury,
coming at times with considerable force against the bows and across the
chain-cable. By attending to the helm and watching the ice carefully, we
contrived at first to avoid the heavier masses, and I was in hopes that it
would in a short time have drifted past us, while the northerly breeze would
prevent its return with the ensuing tide. In this hope I was, however, disap-
pointed, for after three hours that the inlet had thus been pouring out its ice, it
became more abundant as well as heavier than at first, and at seven o'clock we
could no longer avoid frequent and violent shocks. At half past seven when,
by the time of high water in Repulse Bay, we had reason to expect the tide
would begin to slacken, it had on the contrary increased its velocity to two
miles an hour ; and some large pieces of ice coming athwart-hawsc brought
the anchor home, causing it to drag along the ground with a harsh grinding
sound. The Hecla having anchored a little to the westward of us happened
to be just out of the stream of this tide, so that the greater part of the ice
passed without touching her. As however there was reason to apprehend
that some turn or eddy might also endanger her, T made Lieutenant Hoppner's
signal to weigh, having already begun to do so on board the Fury. This
■was not easily accomplished, for on heaving at the cable it was found to have
cut its way into a heavy mass of ice which hung across it, and which it
required more than half an hour's labour to clear, and when we had done so
another piece immediately fixed itself in the same manner, dragging the
anchor with renewed violence along the rocky ground. As soon as this had
been disengaged the anchor was hove up with the utmost alacrity, and would
have been saved if the most strenuous exertions of the officers and men could

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 59

have effected it, but I was much mortified to find on its coming to the bows ^^^1.
that both flukes were broken off, the iron stock being polished quite bright by

rubbing against the rocks. The Ilecla succeeded in purchasing lier anchor
without its sustaining any injury, after wliich we made fast to two floe-
pieces during the night, and the Hecla kept company by means of our light,
the weather being dark and cold with much sleet and rain.

I expected to have been unavoidably driven far to the southward and cast- Frid. 24.
ward by the fresh north-west wind which was now blowing, and was therefore
not a little surprised to find at daylight that we had scarcely lost any ground,
being still oft" the inlet which Captain Lyon was examining. This circum-
stance I particularly notice, because it was the first of several instances that
occurred of our observing the flood-tide to set stronger to the north-west than
the ebb to the south-east in ihc Frozen Strait, which on this occasion must
liavc been the case, to balance the effects of a frnsli north-westerly wind.
Soon after daylight we made sail and stood in towards the inlet, but the
wind failing us we were before noon driven seven or eight miles to the ^vest-
ward. The day proved extremely thick and wet, being as uncomfortable for
our shore party, as unfavourable for the prosecution of their object. At
thirty minutes after three P.M., we were off" a small rocky islet, lying at the
distance of two miles and a half from the land, and near the mouth of a
second inlet, six or seven miles to the westward of the other, and which as
we afterwards found makes an island of the intervening land. We here
found the tide of ebb setting us between the islet and the main land, and
towards the inlet withal. The wind being very light Ave were obliged to
let the ships drive through within the islet, having from thirteen to twenty-
five fathoms, at the distance of one-third of a mile from it. By keeping
all the boats a-head for several hours we then towed the ships off"-shorc
before dark.

The wind was too light to enable us to keep our station during the night, and Sat. 25.
at daylight on the 25th we found ourselves as usual several miles to the west-
ward. A breeze springing up soon afterwards from the northward enabled
us to stand along the land, but such was the strength of the flood-tide against
us, though almost at the dead of the neaps, that when sailing three knots
and a half through the water, we did not advance to the eastward above a mile
an hour and at times much less than this. In the course of the forenoon the
quantity of ice in sight increased so much that the strait was almost covered
with it, and the wind afterwards becoming scant we were graduaUy led oft" the

I 2

60 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. land, ill spite of everv endeavour to regain the month of the inlet. In the aftcr-

Ausiist. 1 J n , I • 1,

noon the ice became so close, though the masses were constantly and rapidly
in motion among themselves, that it was impracticable any longer to keep
under way, and we were just about to make the Fury fast to a large floe-
piece when I was informed that our boat was coming off from the shore, from
which we were then distant eight or nine miles. At four P.M. Captain Lyon
and his party disembarked on the opposite side of a broad stream of ice which
intervened betwixt us, and some fresh hands being despatched to assist in
dragging the boat over the ice, they soon arrived safely on board. The
account of Captain Lyon's excursion and of his discoveries within the
inlet, on which the future operations of the Expedition principally depended,
I need offer no apology for giving in his own words.

Thur. 23. " On leaving the Fury, we pulled to the eastern point of the high land
which formed the western boundary of the inlet, and in half an hour landed
on a steep rocky point, near which much heavy ice lay aground. We then
with our tent and baggage proceeded to a high barren hill to the northward,
from whence we clearly perceived tliat we were on an island of about five
miles in length, and two or three in breadth. To the northward and east-
ward lay a broad strait, (which, at the part nearest us, was above a mile
across,) running east and west. Previous to descending the hill, Mr. Bushnan
and myself took such bearings as the weather would permit, and as it was
dark by the time we arrived at the boat, I determined on remaining where
we were for the night ; we therefore pitched our tent on the rocks, and
lay down until the morning. During the night, the ice set out past the
point we lay on, at the rate of at least four knots, and the pressure occa-
sioned it to break with loud and sharp reports, as it passed the low rocks
and grounded pieces, over which it became piled in many places to a great
height.

Frid. 24. " Much rain fell during the nigiit, which was dark and cold with a light
wind. At two A.M., before the day began to break, we found that it
was slack water, but the eastern entrance was literally i)acked with ice,
through which a passage was impossible. The grounded pieces, however,
being very heavy, afforded us an occasional channel of clear water between
them and the rocks. We therefore launched our boat, and by tracking and
rowing, succeeded, after nearly two hours' labour, in reaching the northern

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 61

point of the island, (which I named after Mr. Bushnan,) and finding tele- '821.
rably open water, we then crossed the strait in the direction of a high bluff, v^-^
which we had seen from Bushnan's Island.

"About halfway across the strait we passed a rocky island, of about three
quarters of a mile in extent. On rounding a small bluff, on which were great
numbers of the larus argentatiis and their young, we saw some deer feeding ;
and a little farther on, a she-bear and her cub ran close to the water, appa-
rently watching us. I named the place. Bear Island. Crossing the inlet,
(whose breadth at this part may be estimated at three miles,) we landed on
a steep point, up which we immediately hauled the boat. From this point,
which I called Cape Montagu, I observed the strait still to trend to the
eastward, and the north side appeared bounded by land at about seven
miles. We left the boat and proceeded to a high and remarkable hill called
Brooks's Bluff, which was but indistinctly seen, owing to the continued and
heavy rain. We had scarcely arrived on the summit, when a very heavy
snow storm set in and in a short time covered the mountain, and limited our
sight to a few yards. We therefore took a hasty breakfast, and after some
difficulty and no little danger again descended.

"At nine A.M., the weather cleared up a little and the snow ceased, but
rain continued to fall. From Brooks's Bluff a valley runs to the eastward,
and is nearly occupied by a lake of about three miles in circumference.
Along the bank of this lake Ave pursued our route and, on leaving it,
passed many smaller ones and crossed several valleys. At about an hour
before noon, after having passed several rocky and barren hills of granite
which bounded and intersected the valleys, we arrived unexpectedly on a
high cliff, which looked down to a small strait at its foot, trending N.b.W.
and S.b.E., and at this part about a good mile in breadth. Our fiirther pro-
gress eastward being now stopped, I decided on following the strait to the
northward as far as the day would permit. Mr. Bushnan and one man accom-
panied me, and the other three remained behind to pitch the tent and endea-
vour to light a fire of moss.

" In our walk we passed the remains of many Esquimaux habitations, but
none of them appeared to have been inhabited for many years. We also pro-
cured a mountain marmot, {ardomys alpiiia,) which Ave chased under a large
stone, but were unable to take alive. After having walked about six miles from
our first setting out, we arrived at the end of this little strait, which termi-

62 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. iiated in a lari^e siiace of open Avater, having land, apparently an island or

August. . '

islands, at about four miles to the northward, beyond which the continued

thick weather permitted us to see no horizoi*. In the evening the rain
ceased for the iii-st time since our leaving the ships, and we contrived to
make a fire. As the rocks were covered with wet spongy moss, we paved
our tent with rough stones, and by means of our fire were enabled to dry
some of the andromeda tetragomt, which, with the addition of ashes, made
a most comfortable bed.
Sat. 25. " During the night much snow fell, and in the morning wc found the rocks
covered with it. At five A.M., we proceeded over the hills to the southward.
In an hour's walk in that direction, we arrived at a small bay about a mile in
extent, in which some very heavy ice was lying aground. A bluff point on
the south side terminated the small inlet, which here opens into the larger
strait. We coasted the large strait westerly, as nearly a.s the nature of the shore
would permit, in a strait line, and arrived at Cape Montagu a little before nine
A.IM. On the shore and the rocks which overhang it were several remains
of Esquimaux settlements, many of which had soot still on their fire-places.
We also saw several very perfect little store-rooms for their provisions, con-
structed of rough stones, and about six feet by three in extent. , Some of the
ground-plans of the huts difiered from those seen in Repulse Bay, and one in
particular was remarkable, being thus formed :

" The extent was about twenty-five feet by fifteen, and at either end the
ground was a little raised as if for sleeping-places. We also passed a singular
assemblage of flat stones, set up edgeways, each about three yards apart, and
extending at least for five hundred yards, down to a small lake situated in
a grassy valley.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 63

"We observed from Cape ^Montagu that the eastern entrance was quite ^^2^-
blocked up with ice. Bear Island was also surrounded by immense v^.->J
masses, and others were carried past it at the rate of about four miles per
hour by the tide. At a little past ten A.M., the ice having slackened so as
to allow of our going over to Bear Island, we soon reached it, from whence
we could observe and take advantage of any open water. We found that
although at half tide this was an island, three distinct isles are formed at
high water. At twenty minutes past ten A.M. it was high water, which was
an extremely interesting fact to have ascertained, as it removed any doubt
respecting the direction of the tide.

" Finding the ice was at this time tolerably tranquil, we picked our way
through it, and in about two hours and a half reached a small islet half a
mile to the southward of Bushnan's Island. On this we landed and saw one
ship eight or ten miles to the S.S.W. Wo remained here one hour to dine ;
and by a pole, which we had set up on landing, found the tide to have
ebbed three feet. We then proceeded towards the ship, having fitted a
blanket as a sail for our boat, and most fortunately arrived at night-fall near
the Fury. The ice which lay in the Frozen Strait being in very rapid motion,
we could not approach the ship ; but after making what way we could amongst
the loose pieces, we at length came to a large floe, near which the Fury had
made fast in a thick fog which then came on. Captain Parrj' sent his peo-
ple to haul our boat over the ice to the ship, which was close beset, and I
remained on board her for the night, my own ship being separated from her
by the ice. Unsatisfactory as our short journey had been, on account of the
badness of the weather, there was still sufficient to cause the most lively
interest, and give strong hopes of the existence of some passage to the north-
east of the small inlet I had examined."

A thick fog coming on immediately after Captain Lyon's arrival, we could
not but consider oui-selvcs fortunate in having picked our party up so
opportunely. The Hecla having in the course of the day been separated
from us seven or eight miles, in consequence of the ice carrying her to the
westward, Captain Lyon remained on board the Fury during the night,
when the plan of our future operations was determined on. The result
of the late examination, imperfect as it necessarily was on account of the
extremely unfavourable state of the weather, was sufficient to excite the

64 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. strongest belief that some communication, not vciv indirect, must exist

August. ° ' J '

w-v-w/ between the Frozen Strait and a sea to the northward and eastward of it ;

and it was determined, therefore, to leave nothing undone to ascertain and
follow uj) this communication. As, however, the narrowness of the chan-
nels, together with our present ignorance of their depth, the strength of the
tides, and the quantity of ice with which the sea was loaded, rendered the
attempt extremely hazardous without further examination, the first and
most important object appeared to be, to find near one of the entrances, (of
which Captain Lyon recommended the western,) a secure anchorage for the
ships during the time necessary for prosecuting this examination. I, there-
fore, proposed to Captain Lyon that whenever the situation of the ice
would permit, he should proceed in a boat to the western entrance, to
endeavour to find such an anchorage, directing his attention solely to this
object and reserving all further examination till the shi|)s should be there
secured. This service Captain Lyon gladly undertook to perform, and
Mr. Bushnan was again appointed to accompany him. An event was, how-
ever, about to occur which threatened very seriously as well as unex-
pectedly to interfere with these arrangements.

At eight P.M. having shoaled the water from sixty to forty, and then to
thirty-two fathoms, and the weather still continuing extremely thick, I sus-
pected that the tide was taking us too close to Passage Island, which was the
nearest land when the fog came on. As the water seemed tolerably clear for
a few hundred yards, which was the extent of our view, I ordered die ship
to be got under sail in order to be in greater readiness for acting as circum-
stances might require. The ice, however, once more became so thick about us
that, with the light wind then blowing, it was found impracticable to force
the ship through it. While we were thus employed the fog suddenly cleared
away, and we found ourselves within three-quarters of a mile of the east end
of the island. A large space of open water was at this time not more than a
quarter of a mile distant from us in the opposite direction, but before the ship
could be moved by warps or by any other means widiin our power, the tide
was observed to be setting her directly between the island and the little
yellow-looking rock I have before mentioned as lying on its eastern side.
Seeing that every exertion of ours was fruitless to prevent driving with the
tide, which was setting at about the rate of a mile and a half an hour, it be-
came expedient to relinquish that attempt, and to endeavour only to keep the
ship as nearly as possible in mid-channel. The anchors were kept ready to

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 65

drop in an instant should the sliip drive into shoal water ; for had we grounded, 1821.
and the heavy masses of ice continued to drive upon us, little less than the total v^-y^
destruction of the ship was to be apprehended. The natural direction of the
stream, however, effected for us that which, hampered as we were, our own
exertions must have failed in accomplishing ; the ship drove through, at
the distance of one hundred yards from the rock and about one hundred and
forty from Passage Island, having no less than twelve fathoms ; and soon after
deepened the water to thirty-five and forty, and then to no bottom with
ninety.

After this providential escape, we lay-to within the island, in order to drift
to the northward and westward of it with the flood-tide, which runs stronger
here than in any other part of the Frozen Strait. The night was tine but
extremely dark, so that after ten o'clock we could not distinguish where the
land lay, and the compasses could not be depended on. After an incftbctual
attempt to push through the ice towards the middle of the Strait, in order to
avoid the danger of being entangled among the numerous islands lying off
this shore, we were literally obliged to let the ship take her chance, keeping
the lead going and the anchors in readiness.

1 have never yet been able to conjecture on which side of the island the
Fury was afterwards drifted out. The soundings, however, continued deep
and, at day-light on the 26th, after a most anxious night, we found ourselves Sat. 26.
about the middle of the Strait, and as usual drifted by the tide some distance
to the northward and westward. A breeze which at this time sprung up from
that quarter enabled us nearly to fetch the western inlet, where we now pro-
posed to search for an anchorage. The Hecla having got clear of the ice the
preceding evening, and narrowly escaped an adventure similar to that which
we had experienced, rejoined us early in the morning, when Captain Lyon
returned to her to prepare a boat for his intended excursion. We then stood
in under all sail for the land, and at eleven A.M.. Captain Lyon left the Hecla,
while the ships tacked off and on to await his return. The day was fine and
dear; and as the ice occasioned us no disturbance wc were enableil to give
the people several hours' rest, of which, from the exertions of the preceding
night, they stood much in need. At nine P.M. Captain Lyon returned,
acquainting me that he had met with a small bay having no stream of tide,
and being at present clear of ice, he thought it might answer our purpose,
but he wished me to see it before the ships were taken in.

K

66 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. "Wc continued lyin» to, therefore, for the rest of the nisrht ; and at

August. J w CI

v^-r>^ five A.M. on the 27th, I left the Fury, taking with me Mr. Buslinan
■ to point out the place in question. On reachini? the bay, wc found that
the ice had during the night almost entirely (illed it; but on ascending a
hill wc obsoiTcd another and apparently a secure cove, on the opposite or
north shore, to which we immediately proceeded. Having placed a Hag on
a mass of grounded ice, near a shoal point at the entrance, and sounded
every part of the cove, which was found to afford good anchorage, we rowed
out to (he ships.

Returning on board at eleven A.AI., I found that the state of the weather
had prevented any observation of the eclipse of the sua which took place
this morning; and Mr. Fisher could only just perceive the penumlira passing
over it. Having despatched Mr. Bushnan to the Hecla as a pilot, all sail was
immediately made for the inlet, as I was anxious to save the flood-tide in
case of the ships grounding. A strong breeze was now blowing from the
north-wTst, which carried the Fury through the water at the rate of seven
knots, notwithstanding which she did not advance above three miles an
hour over the ground w hen in the strength of the tide, and in mid-channel.
On rounding the shoal point on which the flag had been placed, I was sur-
prised to find the water shoal to four, three, and two and three quarter
fathoms ; but a press of canvass giving the ship a considerable heel, she for-
tunately did not touch the ground. As soon as we had anchored, I found
that this circumstance had arisen from the mass of grounded ice having
shifted its position by floating with the rise of tide. A boat Avas therefore
despatched to lie off" the reef, as a guide to the Hecla ; and Captain Lyon
reached the anchorage in safety at one P.M. We lay here in twelve to
fifteen fathoms at Ioav water, on a bottom of tough mud, attbrding excellent
holding-ground. Indeed on almost every part of this coast we found the
ground equally good, at the distance of two or three cables' lengths from the
shore, whereas it is almost invariably rocky in the deeper water of the offing.

A boat from each ship being immediately prepared. Captain Lyon and my-
self left the cove at three P. INI. to jn'oceed on the proposed examination. We
separated at Point Cheyne, Captain Lyon having pointed out to me the broad
eastern channel from which the tide appeared to come, and which it was my
intention to examine, while he directed his attention to the smaller passage he
had described as leading to the northward. It was agreed that we should

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 67

return to the shiiDS with as little delay as was consistent with the object we ^S^'-
Imd in view, namely, to ascertain through which of the two channels it was v..*-y>^
expedient or practicable to bring the ships.

I found that the northern shore near which there was no ice, and which is
here separated from the other to the distance of two or three leagues, was
that to which our course should be directed, in order to obtain a distinct view
of the neighbouring lands. We therefore steered for the highest hill, which
rises perhaps from twelve to fourteen hundred feet above the level of the
sea. The wind freshening up to a gale from the westward, we reached the
beach at seven P.M., having obtained no soundings with fourteen to twenty
fathoms of line in the course of our run. We found a good deal of surf upon
the beach, which is a rough and stony one, requiring some caution to prevent
swamping or staving the boat. While the men were carrying up the things
and pitching the tents, Mr. Ross and myself were occupied in taking the
angles for the survey, it being too late to set out on our intended excursion to
the hills. We found our tents, drenched as they were by the sea, extremely
comfortable. They were of the kind called horsemen's tents and made of
canvass instead of blanketing. The shelter they afford when aided by the
warmth of a blanket made into a bag, and a dry suit of clothes for sleeping in,
give no bad accommodation, so long as the temperature of the atmosphere
does not fall more than two or three degrees below the freezing point.

The breeze moderated soon after our landing and a fine clear night suc-
ceeded. At four in the morning, Mr. Ross and myself ascended thcTues. 28.
nearest hill, in the hope of being able to satisfy ourselves respecting the
existence of a pa.ssage for the ships, in at least one direction. I therefore
directed the tents to be struck and every thing to be in readiness for moving
on our return. On reaching the summit of the fii*sthill, however, we found,
as is not unfrequently the case, that our view was but little improved, and that
. no prospect could be obtained to the northward, widiout ascending the higher
hill seen the preceding evening, and which we now found still several miles
beyond us. As therefore no satisfactory information could be gained widiout
giving up the day to this object, we immediately returned to the tents to breakfast,
with the intention of then setting out, accompanied by two of the men.
^^'hile preparing for this, I felt so much indisposed with a sick-head ach
that, !)eing apprehensive of laying myself up at a time when I could least
afford to do so, I determined to intrust the proposed service to Mr. Ross, iu
whose zeal and ability to accomplish it I felt the utmost confidence. Mr. Ross

K 2

G8 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. g^J^^ j^jj, party according'ly set out for the hill at six A.M. During their
absence I employed myself in obtaining the usual observations and in notic-
ing the lieight, direction, and time of the tides. By observing the motion
of the fragments of ice I found that, although there was on this shore a
considerable rise of the water, there was little or no perceptible current
on either tide, except within a mile or two of the high southern land where
it ran very strong, the flood to the westward, and the ebb in the opposite
direction. This belt of tide, as it were, ran between a considerable opening
to the south-east, and that through which we had come from the ships, and
it was only in this space that any ice was at present to be seen. These circum-
stances tended to strengthen the opinion I had at first formed, that the main
outlet into the sea from whence this ice came would be found by following
the ebb-tide, which unquestionably ran to the eastward. I was still in hopes,
however, that notwithstanding the absence of ice, and of any perce[)tible
stream of tide, in the more northerly channel which Captain Lyon was ex-
amining, some more direct, though perhaps narrower, communication might
be found, that woidd save us much time and trouble. The appearance of the
land, which seemed to consist of a large assemblage of islands, greatly favoured
this hope ; nor was it discouraged by the accounts received in the evening on
the return of our party from the hills. Mr. Ross reported that having reached
a commanding hill, he found himself overlooking a sea of considerable extent
to the eastward, and washing the foot of the hill on which he stood. This sea
appeared to have some islands scattered about it, and was much encumbered
with ice. To the south-eastward there seemed to be several openings between
islands, of which the land we stood then upon appeared to form one, the sea
sweeping round to the northward and westward, as if to join the strait dis-
covered by Captain T^yon. Mr. Ross described the cttuntry over wliich he
passed as much intersected by lakes, some of them not less than two or three
miles in length, and having in their neighbourhood abundance of grass, moss,
^nd other fine feeding for the deer. The report of Mr. Ross accompanied by
an eye-sketch made upon the spot left no doubt of the existence of an outlet
to the eastward, and enabled me to decide without hesitation upon attempting
the passage of the nairows with the ships, leaving our subsequent route to be
determined on according to the report of Captain Lyon.

The rocks upon this coast, as well as those in the interior, arc composed of
gneiss, traversed occasionally by veins of quartz and feldspar, and having
intermixed with it much of a green substance which we took to be epidote,

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 69

and which we had not met with so abundantly anywhere else. On the sur- '^^l.

, • 11 111 August.

face of the ground, but most especially near the beach, were many loose

pieces of limestone of a white colour and quite sharp-edged. On the banks
of the lakes the vegetation was quite luxuriant, giving them when viewed
from an eminence and assisted by bright sunshine a cheerful and picturesque
appearance. There was no snow upon the land, except here and there a
broad thick patch in the hollows, where it may probably remain year after year
undissolved ; but with the exception of these patches, there was nothing in the
appearance of the country to remind one of being near the polar circle.
Piles of stones and the remains of Esquimaux habitations, were everywhere
to be seen, and Mr. Ross met with their marks even on the highest hills ; but
none appeared of recent date. The rein-deer were here very numerous.
Mr. Ross saw above fifty in the course of his walk, and several others were
met with near the tents. A large one was shot by one of the men, who
struck the animal, as he lay on the ground, a blow on the head with the
butt-end of his piece, and leaving him for dead ran towards the tents for a
knife to bleed and skin him ; when the deer very composedly got on his legs,
swam across a lake, and finally escaped. A small fawn was the only one
killed. Three black whales and a few seals were playing about near the
beach.

Our people being somewhat fatigued with walking were allowed to rest
till half past one on the morning of the 29th, when it being high water the Wed. 29.
tents were struck and the boat loaded. The morning was beautifully clear
and tranquil, and the Aurora Borealis was faintly visible at break of day in
the south-west quarter of the heavens. Leaving the shore before two o'clock,
we steered for an island in the direction of Point Cheyne, and landed to
breakfast on a rock off its eastern end. The water is very shoal on the north
and east sides of this island ; the southern side is bold, the whole surface
rocky, and composed entirely of gneiss. Proceeding towards Point Cheyne,
we first began to perceive the infiuence of a stream of tide, as we approached
some heavy ice about a mile from the point, which we found to be aground
upon a shoal in twelve to seventeen feet, lying abreast of an island called
by Captain Lyon, Rouse Island. Over this shoal the ebb-tide was running
from the N.N.W., at the rate of three miles an hour, to join the main
stream which sets to the eastward along the south shore. After taking
marks for the shoal, which lies rather in the way of a ship coming through
this channel, we rowed over to the point. The strength of the tide gradu-

70 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. j^iiy increased as wc approached the narrows, where it was running full six
vrf-y"^ miles an hour in the middle of the stream, it being now about the height of
the springs. M'c landed for a short time on Point Cheyne to obtain sights
for the clirouomcter, and some essential angles for the survey ; the Ijoat's
crew in the mean time warming and amusing themselves in hunting an
ermine which, by the quickness of its turning and the shelter aflbrded by
the stones, escaped from them at last. Having placed a flag on this point, as
a mark for the ships, no time was lost in setting out for the cove which,
after taking all the soundings and marks which the strength of the tide would
permit, wc reached at a quarter before ten A.M. I found that Captain Lyon
had returned on board the preceding evening, having accomplished his
object in a shorter time than was expected. Captain Lyon's account of his
excuj'sion is here subjoined :

" Separating from Captain Parry at Point Cheyne, Mr. Bushnan and myself
proceeded to the examination of the sea to the northward of the little channel
before discovered, at which we arrived in three hours from the time of our
leaving the ships; and, on reaching the bar already mentioned, we saw the
bottom all across; it apj)eared rocky, and some large iish were swimming
over it, Avhich our people supposed to be salmon. The breadth, it being
dead low water, we estimated at one cable's length, and the depth wc found to
be twenty-four feet. As we traced the northern part of the inlet we found
a long rolling ground-swell setting in; it broke occasionally, and caused
the boat to i)itch nearly bows under. This was remarkable, as being the
iirst sea of the kind wc had met with since leaving the Atlantic, and therefore
excited considerable hope that we should lind some outlet to the northward.
The depth of water was here thirteen fathoms.

" In consequence of our inability to round the extreme point, we landed just
within it, and from the unaccommodating form of the rocks, were under the
necessity of carrying the boat on our backs above three hundred yards be-
fore wc could place her in safety. On the north side of the point we found a
regularly shelving beach, covered with rounded shingle, on which a heavy
surf was breaking, the wind being strong from the northward. We now saw
the land all round us, forming an inunense bay, and took the requisite bear-
ings of remarkable points. We observed that, notwithstanding the swell
I have mentioned, there was no perceptible stream of tide. The night was

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 71

fine and we pitched our tent on some smooth gravel, evidently so levelled by .^^^''
the Esquimaux. At midnight two large black whales came from the south-
ward and passed into the bay. As the wind continued fresh from the north-
ward and the surf was heavy, we did not take advantage of the morning tide
on the 28th, but decided on waiting until afternoon. In the mean time
Mr. Bushnan and myself took fresh bearings and obtained good sights for
longitude, which we found to be 84° 30' 05".

"The tide had fallen to its lowest ebb at six A.M., sixteen feet. As the
land appeared continuous to the westward, we ascended some mountains at
about three miles in that direction, in order to look out for a covu-sc for our
boat, when we should be able to float her. From hence we saw the northern
land assume the appearance of a noble bay, having in it a few low islands.
To the eastward we saw a large opening to the sea, which was distant about
five leagues, and was the direction in Avhich Captain Parry had proceeded.
It was also evident that the land bounding the small strait, in that direction,
was insular, and I therefore named it Georginv Island. We took new bear-
ings and, having erected a conspicuous pile of stones to serve as the termi-
nation of a base for our survey, we again descended to the point. At noon
we obtained a good meridian altitude, which gave the latitude G6^ 12' 23".
We cauglit a large bee, apis alpina, and two small but beautiful butterflies.
The people took two mice, and some deer were seen grazing at a distance.
The rocks were chiefly of gray granite, but we also obtained interesting spe-
cimens of other stones. At thirty minutes past twelve, the tide having risen
so as to float our boat, we made sail to the westward to examine the only
jwint which we supposed could bound any inlet, but finding the land conti-
nxious we again returned to the eastward. At the distance of one mile from
the shore we could get no soundings with our boat's lead at twenty-five fa-
thoms, but nearer the beach it shoaled gradually, and I have no doubt that
good anchorage would be found. Leaving the bay, which as a small token
of gratitude I named after Rear- Admiral Sir John Gore, I decided on
going to the eastward of Georgina Island, and at half past three we passed its
extreme point, where we found a snug bay about a mile in circumference
liaving a smaU islet in its centre Soon after four P.M. we met, on entering
the large strait, two of our boats, which had been sent to sound. Waiting
with them on a low rocky point until the strength of the tide abated, we
then returned on board by ten P.M."

72 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. That no time might be lost in running the ships through the narrows, 1
directed tliree boats from each to be prepared, for the purpose of sounding

every part of this intricate, and as yet unknown, passage, wliich I named
after Captain Thomas Hurd of the Royal Navy, Hydrographer to the Admi-
ralty. Giving to the officer commanding each boat a certain portion to ac-
complish, I reserved for my own examination the narrowest part of the chan-
nel; and at thirty minutes past one P.M., as soon as the Hood-tide began to
slacken, we left the ships and continued our work till late at night, when
having received the reports of the officers and made out a plan of the channel
for each ship, I directed every thing to be in readiness for weighing at the
last quarter of the ebb on the following morning. jVluch as I lamented this
delay, at a period of the season when every moment was precious, it will not
apj)ear to have been unnecessary, when it is considered that the channel
through which the ships were to be carried did not in some places exceed a
mile in breadth, with half of that space encumbered with heavy masses
of ice, and with an eZ/iJi-tide of six knots running through it.

The lines and kedges were jjrepared at daylight on the morning of the
Thur.30. 30th, but wKen the proper time of tide arrived there was not a breath of
wind for Avorking the ships, so that I was reluctantly obliged to remain at
anchor till the next ebb. I therefore directed a large party of officers and
men to be sent on shore in quest of game, three deer having been killed the
preceding day. We had now hoAvever no success ; a number of deer were
seen in herds of from four to ten, but the neighbourhood of the ships had
rendered them too wild to be approached. A dog of mine, of the breed
called by game-keepers buck-dogs, that had for one or two years jjast been ac-
customed to run down deer in England, had now two fair chases, but without
the smallest chance of coming up even with three young fawns. The dog
returned with his feet much cut by the rocks, and so com|)letely exhausted
that he could scarcely move a limb for a day or two afterwards.

The little anchorage we were now about to leave, and which was named
by Captain Lyon, Duckett's Cove, lies in lat. 66° 12' 36"; and in longitude,
by our chronometers, 86° 44' 01 ".9. The dip of the magnetic needle was here
87° 31' 06" and the variation 52° 19' 48' westerly. We found the holding
ground so tough that we could with difficulty purchase the anchors ; the shel-
ter from wind and sea is perfect in every direction, and there being scarcely
any stream of tide, no ice enters but what is drifted in with a south-easterly
wind, which coming with little force is not likely to do a ship any injury.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 73

At fifteen minutes past three P.M. a light air of wind springing up from '^21.
the eastward we weighed, and having warped out by kedges till we had vJi?i!^
cleared the shoal point of the cove, made sail for the channel and, with the
assistance of the boats, got the Fury into the fair set of the tide, before it
made very strong to tlie eastward. At a quarter before seven, when in the
narrowest part, which is abreast of a bold headland on the south shore,
named, by desire of Mr. Bushnan, Cape Shackleton, and where the tide
was now driving the ice along at the rate of five or six knots, the Avind came
in a sudden gust from the south-west, scarcely allowing us to reduce and
trim our sails in time to keep the ship off the north shore, which is not so
safe as the other. It was now that the advantage appeared of having tho-
roughly sounded the channel previously to attempting the passage of it; for
had the ships taken the ground with so rapid and considerable a fall of tide,
and with so much heavy ice hurried along by it, I do not know what hu-
man effort could have saved them from almost immediate wreck. By carry-
ing a heavy press of canvass, however, we succeeded in forcing through the
ice, but the Fury was twice turned completely round by eddies and her .sails
brought aback against the helm ; in consequence of which she gathered such
fresh sternway against several heavy floe-pieces, that I apprehended some
serious injury to the stern-post and rudder, if not to the whole frame of the
ship. The Hecla got through the narrows soon after us, but Captain Lyon,
wishing to bring away the flags and staves set up as marks, had sent his little
boat away for that purpose, during the continuance of the calm weather.
When the breeze suddenly came on she was still absent, and being obliged to
wait for some time to pick her up, the Hecla ^vas about dusk .separated
several miles from us.

It was my intention, after getting through the narrows, to haul round to
the northward and eastward, either to find an anchorage or to keep under
way during the night, in the large space to the nortlnvard and eastward of
Rouse Island, which I had before found clear o[ ice, and free from any
perceptible stream of tide. My mortification may therefore be conceived
at now finding the whole of this space so covered with ice as not to be na-
vigable, while the only clear water in sight was along the south shore, where
the whole strength of tide was known to set, and which therefore, unac-
quainted as we were with the soundings, would be a dangerous station for
the ships to occupy during the night. There appeared however no alterua-

L

74 SECOND VOYAfiE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821, tivc, and it being now dusk, wc liad every prospect of passing an anxious
and unpleasant night.

On hauling up for the south shore, we. perceived from the crow's nest a
point of land that seemed to open into a bay ; and as there was a chance, not-
withstanding the general boldness of the coast, of our there finding ground
for anchorage, we stood in for it under all sail. In this hope we were not
disappointed for, on rounding the point, we opened a snug little bay, at the
head of which we anchored soon after nine P.M., in fourteen fathoms on a
bottom of tough clay. We here lay at the distance of two cables' length
from the land, which is high all round the bay ; and, the strong south-west
wind preventing any ice from coming in, we passed a quiet night and our
people enjoyed the rest which they much required. Lights were hoisted
and rockets occasionally sent up as guides to the Ilecla ; but as we saw no
answer, and she did not arrive in the bay, we apprehended she had been
obliged to keep under way during this inclement night.
Frid. 31. At daylight on the 31st we perceived the Hecla under the land to the
eastward standing towards us. I found from Captain Lyon that he had,
with the same good fortune which we experienced, found a secure shelter
during the night, by anchoring close under the land to the eastward,
in seventeen fathoms muddy bottom. In order to have a more com-
manding view of the situation of the ice, on which depended our next
movements whenever the wind should moderate, I proposed to Captain
Lyon to land and ascend the hill for that purpose. At thirty mi-
nutes pa.st eight A.M., however, just as we were setting off, the wind
suddenly fell, and the ice began immediately to approach the shore. We
therefore weighed just in time to avoid a large floe-piece that drifted into
the bay ; and, standing over to the main body of ice to the northward, sud-
denly got soundings in sixteen to twelve fathoms, and then dropped into
twenty and twenty-five fi^thoms, no bottom. The Hecla a litUe to the west-
ward of us had several casts from seven to five and three quarter fathoms,
and, from the rippling occasioned by the tide, it is probable that there is
shoaler water in this neighbourhood. Our distance from the south shore was
about tAvo miles and a half, and about four from Georgina Island, on an E.b.S.
bearing. After standing a quarter of a mile beyond the shoal, the ice obliged
us to tack ; and as there was not at present the smallest prospect of our
getting to the northward, so as to approach Gore Bay, in order to ascertain

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 75

its continuity with the shore on which I landed on the 28th, I determined to 1821.

• 1 1 1 1 /■ • August.

run alonff the edge of the ice to the east^vard, and to look tor any opening

tliat might there be found practicable, rather than wait inactively in our pre-
sent situation. Our course was, therefore, directed towards the openings
before observed to the eastward, where the land appeared to be broken into
several islands. As we approached these, which 1 named after The Right
Honourable William Sturges Bourne, we found that they presented at least
four openings, all of which appeared navigable but for the ice Avhich now
choked the three northern ones. The other channel, which is the widest,
was however quite clear ; we therefore hauled up for it, and discovered soon
after to the southward an opening into the Frozen Strait, thus determin-
ing the insularity of a large portion of its north-eastern shore, which I named
after the Right Honol-r.ujle Nicholas Vansittart, Chancellor of the Exche-
quer. The opening now discovered was between Baffin and Vansittart
Islands.

The Hecla, in rounding a point of ice which the tide had set in motion, was
beset by the loose masses rapidly closing round her, and drifted by the ebb
along the island lying on the north side of this channel. She remained in
this situation above two hours ; when, all our boats having been sent to her
assistance, she was towed out into clear water, and joined us at dusk in
the evening. The ice having, iu the mean time, remained too close to allow
us to proceed to the northward, no time Avas lost by this accident, and we
lay-to in open water during the night in the hope of perceiving some favour-
able change the following day. The night was nearly calm, notwithstanding
which the ships appeared to be so litrie influenced by tide, that they retained
their station till daylight without any difficulty or disturbance from ice.

I was sorry to perceive, on the morning of the 1st of September, that the g^^\^
appearance of the ice was by no means favourable to our object of sailing to
the northward, along the Sturges Bourne Islands ; but at ten A.M., the edge
being rather more slack, we made all sail Avith a very light air of southerly
wind, and the weather clear, warm, and pleasant. We were at noon in lat.
66° 03' 35", and in long. 83° 38' 15", in which situation a great deal of land
was in sight to the northward, though apparently much broken in some places.
From N.E. round to S.S.E., there was still nothing to be seen but one wide
sea, uninterruptedly covered Avith ice as far as the eye could reach. A
prospect like this would naturally convey to the mind of a person little ac-
quainted with this navigation, an idea of utter hopelessness. So apt, indeed,

L 2

ABSTRACT of tlie METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's Ship

Fury, at Sea, during the Month of August, 1821.

Day

Place.

Temp
ii

^rature
Sliade

of Air

5 «

ISaromcter.

Prevailing
Winds.

Prevailing
Weather.

M»xi-
mum.

IMini-

Mean.

Mrisi-
mil 111.

Mini-
mum>

Men.

Direction.

Vulucily.

I

-.

O

+37

O

+33

O

f35.17

31.07

incliv^

2U.00

intlKft

29.57

iiichei

29.023

a.m.NWbW
p.m. S\l

^modt.

fine

2
3
4

Upper part
1 of
Hudson's
Strait.

39
30
38

35
33
32

30.25
34.75
84.07

31.79
31.00
31.87

29 71
29.98
30.12

29.58
29.07
29.91

29.608
29.817
30.007

SSW

WNW \

a.m. N\V
p.m. SSW

light

a.m. fresh
p.ni.liffht

\ light

fine and clear

cloudy and rain
clear

fine

5

41

35

37.58

33.04

30.14

30.09

30.112

SSW

light

fine

6

47

34

38.25

32.83

30.05

29.74

29.933

SbW

modt.

fine and clear

7

S

9

10

11

Off the
North-
Eastern
■ Coast of
South-
ampton
Isl.md.

42
37

40
48
43

36
34
3,5
35
35

38.50
35.58
30.50
38.42
3N.50

33.08
32.79
32.07
32.75
32.12

29.70
29.49
29.01
29.70
29.71

29.42
29.32
29.32
29.5s
29.59

29.568
29.362
29.493
29.683
29.635

SE

a.m. SSE
p.m. KNE

NNW

WNW
WSW

light
\ light
light
modt.
modt.

hazy and rain, some
thunder and lightning

thick fog and rain

cloudy

fine

cloudy

12

41

31

35.04

30.88

29.88

29.65

29.7^7

MNW

fresh

fine

13
14

41

41

29
30

31.50

35.07

30.71
30.42

29.90
29.90

29.88
29.89

29.H88
29.922

a.m.NWliM'
p.m. Easily

a.m. NE
p.m. Southlj

\ light
\ light

fine
fine

15

47

35

40.50

.32.08

29.95

29.91

29.927

WliS

modt.

fine'and clear

16

-N

47

37

41.42

33.92

29.03

29.60

29.815

a.m. WhS
p.ni.Southlv

1 fresh

fine

17
18
19
20
21

In Duke
c of York
Bay.

( Frozen
I Strait.

45
42
45
43
37

37

30

24

3oi

29

41.75
37.ft7

39.01

1

3K.12

33.67

33.70
36.17
30.12
31.87
32.58

29.54
29.52
29.58
29.30
29.80

29.4V
29.42
29.35
29.34
29.35

29.502
29.172
29.484
29.352
•29.492

SW

a.m. Southly
p.m. NNW
a.m. NNW)
pm.SWbWj

SW
NW

modt.

modt.

a.m. light
[i.m. fresh

modt.
modt.

cloudy

foggy

fine

cloudy

cloudy]
hazy and rain

22

Repulse Bay

41

28

33.75

33.04

30.00

29.80

•29.943

NbE

light

cloudy

23

-|

35

30

32.29

31.04

29.96

29.51

29.723

NbE

modt.

hazy and snow

24
25

In tlie

> Frozen

Strait.

34
36

31
30

32.42
32.10

30.58
30.25

29.45
29.73

29.37
29.40

•29.398
•29.007

a.m. NbE
p.m. Southly

NE

\ light
light

thick haze and snow
hazy and snow

26

J

35

31

32.92

30.92

29.74

29.00

•29.670

WNW

light

cloudy

27

-|

39

30

34.17

31.25

29.73

29.57

29.633

WbN

modi.

fine

28
29

In
y Duckott
Cove.

39
39

32
35

36.08
37.83

31 .58
31.29

29.80
29.86

29.72
29.80

29.705
•29.83t-

WNW
WNW

light
light

fine
fine

30
31

5 on Vail?
(sillart lsl.5

47
43

37
30

41.37
39.5'-

32.33
32.42

29.85
29.75

29.75
29.70

•29.815
29.722

a.m. Easily
p m. WbS
a.m. SSW 5
p.m. \\ est (

1 light
fresh
light

fine

cloudy
fine

48

28
1

3G.C0

32.22

30.14

29.32

•29.701

Sat. 1.

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 77

are we to be influenced by present impressions rather than by those, how- 1821.
ever strong or often repeated, that past events have left upon the mind, tliat
I believe even those who have been the longest habituated to the surprising
changes, which an hour or two will frequently bring about in these seas, can-
not altogether divest themselves of similar sensations.

At twenty minutes after noon, having advanced only a mile or two through
very close " sailing ice," the Fury was beset in trying to force through a
narrow though heavy stream, round the end of which the Hecla more pru-
dently sailed. Having hove to on the opposite side of it. Captain Lyon im-
mediately sent his boats with lines to endeavour to tow us out by making
sail on the Hecla, a method which cannot be too strongly recommended, and
which serves as an example of the mutual assistance that may be rendered
by two ships employed on this service. The line proved rather too weak for
the weight of the masses of ice, but the impulse communicated by it before it
broke, aided by our own exertions, enabled us shortly after to escape, and we
again made sail to the northward. At forty-five minutes past one P.M., we had
come to the end of the clear water, and prepared to shorten sail, to await some
alteration in our favour. At this time the weather was so warm, that we had just
exposed a thermometer to the sun, to ascertain the temperature of its rays,
which could not have been less than 70° or 80°, when a thick fog, which had
for some hours been curling over the hills of Vansittart Island, suddenly
came on, creating so immediate and extreme a change that I never remem-
ber to have experienced a more chilling sensation. As we could no longer
see a hundred yards around us in any direction, nothing was to be done but
to make the ships fast to the largest piece of ice wc could find, which we
accordingly did at two P.M., in one hundred and fifty-eight fathoms, at the
distance of three or four miles to the eastward of Sturges Bourne Islands.
Just before dark the fog cleared away for a few minutes, when, perceiving
that the wind which wjis now increasing was likely to drift us too near the
islands, we took advantage of the clear interval to run a mile further from
the land for the night, where we again made fast to a large floc-picce iu two
hundred fathoms. The ice in this neighbourhood was the heaviest, though
not in the largest fioes, of any we had yet seen on this voyage. It wiuj for
the most part covered with hummocks, and appeared yellow from the quan-
tity of sand that lay upon it, and from which it generally receives the name
of " dirty ice." After dark the fog was succeeded by heavy rain for several
hours.

78 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. Tj^p wind drawinsr round to the nortliward and westward on the mornincr of
the 2tl, increased to a fresh gale, which continued to blow during the night;

notwithstanding which, I was in hopes that the immense size of the floe to which
the ships were attached would have enabled us to retain our station tolerably.
It was mortifying therefore to find, on the moniing of the 3d, that we had drifted
more than I ever remember to have done before, in the same time, under any
circumstances. It was remarkable also that we had not been set exactly to
leeward, but past Baffin Island towards the two remarkable hills on Southamp-
ton Island, from which we were at noon not more than seven or eight leagues
distant. Thu«, after a laborious investigation which occupied one month,
we had, by a concurrence of unavoidable circumstances, returned to nearly the
same spot as that on which we had been on the 6th of August. To consider
what might have been effected in this interval, which included the very best
part of the navigable season, had we been previously aware of the position and
extent of the American continent about this meridian, is in itself certainly un-
availing ; but it may serve to shew the value of even the smallest geographical
information in seas where not an hour must be thrown away, or unprolitably
employcfl. Nor could we help fancying at this period of the voyage that, had
Bylot, Fox, and Middleton, by their joint exertions, succeeded in satisfactorily
determining thus far the extent of the continental land, the time which we
had lately occupied in this manner might have been more advantageously
employed in rounfling, by a more direct route, the north-eastern point of
America, and even in pursuing our way along its northern shores.

In the afternoon an attempt was made to move, for the mere sake, it must be
confessed, of moving and keeping the people on the alert, rather than with the
slightest prospect of gaining any ground ; but by the time that we had laid out
the hawsers, the small hole of Mater that had appeared again closed and we
were obliged to remain as before.
Tues. 4. On the morning of the 4th the ice remained close about us, but we found
at daylight that we had still approached Southampton Island, and were now
within five or six miles of a very small rocky islet, not distinctly seen for ice
when we first made this coast, but which now appeared black, though very low.
This rock, which I named after Mr. Fife, who first discovered it on our former
arrival on this coast, lies N.E.b.E. from the two high hills of Southampton
Island ; its distance from the land is between five and six leagues, and being
quite by itself it might, if covered with snow, be easily mistaken for heavy ice«
At thirty minutes past eight A.M. the ice slackened for about a mile to the

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 79

N.N.W., when we cast ofFwithalight air of westerly Avind, and got all the boats '821.
ahead, but having gained that distance were a^in obliged to make fast. In \J^
the afternoon the breeze freshened from the southward, with rain, and the ice
soon after slackening a little about us wc once more made sail, in the hope only
of being drifted a short distance among the ice, but without the least apparent
chance of forcing even a hundred yards through it in the regular way. It is,
however, impossible to judge when circumstances arc about to improve among
the ice, which now opened so much immediately after we moved, that we
advanced eight or nine miles almost without difficulty ; and could still have
continued to run had not night come on, when, being within a few miles of
the small islands to the southward and eastward of Baffin Island, we shortened
sail and made the ships fast to a floe-piece, with the intention of pushing in-shore
at break of day. It was now my wish to sail through the opening last disco-
vered between Baffin and Vansittart Islands, in order to save as much time as
possible in recommencing the examination of the continental coast at the
point to which it had already been traced. Our soundings varied during the
night from one hundred and three to sixty-one fathoms.

At four A.M. on the 5th we cast off and made sail for the land, with a fresh Wed. 5.
breeze from the south-east. The ice was closely packed against the land near
the passage I had intended to try and, as it appeared slack more to the east-
ward, I determined to run between the south-cast point of Baffin Island and
the smaller islands lying off it. The wind drawing more to the eastward as
we approached the channel, we had several tacks to make in getting through,
but carried a good depth of water on each side though its breadth docs not
exceed three quarters of a mile. As wc now advanced to the northward, we
found less and less obstruction, the main body of the ice having been carried
to the southward and eastward by the late gale which had in so extraordinary
a manner drifted us in the same direction. This was one of the opportunities
I have before described as the most favourable that ever occur for making
progress in these seas. We had therefore a fine run during the day along the
east side of Sturges Bourne Islands ; for, having found the passages between
them still choked Avith ice, we were obliged to run to the northward with the
hope of attaining our present object. A large opening in the land now came in
sight in the N.N. W., being that discovered by Mr. Ross on the 28th of August,
and which had led us to suppose tlie land we then stood on would prove in-
sular, and that some communication would be found to the northward of it with
Gore Bay. For this opening therefore our course was directed, and iu tlie

80 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. evening wc arrived off a point of the eastern land, which I named Cape
v.^^^^ Edwards, after Mr. John Edwards, Surgeon of the Fury. We had here
twelve fathoms at the distance of a mile from the shore, and found the water
deepen gradually a.s we hauled out. A small stream of ice lay off the point,
besides which there was not a piece in sight, and we ran along the shore
without obstruction till it was time to look out for an anchorage. Having first
sent the boats to sound, we hauled into a small bay where we anchored at
dusk, in seventeen fathoms, good holding-ground, though the bottom was so
irregular that we had from five to thirteen close upon our (juartcr. The wind
freshened up strong from the eastward and continued to blow during the night,
but we lay quite sheltered and secure. A great number of stones set up by
the Esquimaux were here observed, placed as usual on every spot most con-
spicuous from the sea.
Thuis. 6. ^Ve began to weigh at break of day on the Gth, but found the ground so
tough that we had some difficulty in purchasing the anchors. In effecting
this, James Richardson one of the leading-men of the Fury received a severe
contusion on his shoulder by the purchase-block falling upon him from aloft *.
After running fovu- or five leagues to the northward and westward, we came
at thirty minutes after nine A.M. to a small group of islands lying in the
channel, and directed our course to the eastward of them. The wind how-
ever failing us just in the middle, we hauled out and sent the boats to tow;
but whichever way we put the ships' heads, a " cats-paw " every now and then
took the sails aback, keeping us for an hour in a very awkward situation, being
only two hundred yards from either shore, and in seventy fathoms' water.
The boats being sent to sound, several shoals were discovered just beyond us
to the northward, but nothing like anchorage near them. As the situation of
the ships was now a very precarious one, should any stream of tide begin to
run, I determined to tow them into two small nooks near us, where they might
at least be out of the way of the tide. Finding here a depth of from seven-
teen to nineteen fathoms at half a cable's length from tlie shore, the anchors
were dropped, and several hawsers immediately secured to the rocks, to steady
the ships. The men from this circumstance, and with their usual humour,
called this place Five-hawser Bui/, by which name I have distinguished it on
the chart. We found that the two litde nooks communicated by a narrow and

* This accident which produced no eventual injury, occurred in consequence of an iron
hook giving way. It is only mentioned in this place, to shew the propriety of substituting
lashings for the hooks of blocks, wherever practicable, in this climate.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 81

shallow channel, making the land which intervened between the ships an island J^^^l
about a quarter of a mile in length.

We had now once more approached a part of the coast of which the thorough
and satisfactory examination could not possibly be cariied on in the ships,
without incurring constant and perhaps useless risk, and a certain and serious
loss of time. I determined therefore to proceed at once upon this service in
two boats, one from each ship. Having communicated my intentions to
Captain Lyon, and requested him to move the ships when practicable into
some more secure situation, I left the Fury, accompanied by Mr. Ross and
Mr. Sherer, taking with us our tents, blankets, and stove, together with four
days' provisions and fuel.

M

82 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

CHAPTER IV.

HOPPNER'S INLET ENTERED AND SURVEYED BY THE BOATS CONTINUITY OF LAND

THERE DETERMINED PROCEED TO EXAMINE ANOTHER OPENING LEADING TO THE

WESTWARD FAVOURABLE APPEARANCE OF A CONTINUED PASSAGE IN THAT DI-
RECTION MEET WITH SOME ESQUIMAUX ARRIVAL IN ROSS BAY, BEING THE

TERMINATION OF LYON INLET DISCOVERY AND EXAMINATION OF VARIOUS CREEKS

RETURN TO THE SHIPS, AFTER FINDING THE LAND ENTIRELY CONTINUOUS SOAIE

ACCOUNT OF THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THIS PART OF THE COAST.

1821. A THICK fog unfortunately coming on just before we left the ships, prevented
^^^P^ us from making choice of any part of the land, which might be the most
likely to afford a passage to the northward and westward. Wc could only
therefore direct our course northerly with tolerable certainty, by a compass-
bearing previously taken on board, and by occasionally obtaining an indis-
tinct glimpse of the land through the fog. Having rowed four miles we came
to a high point, round which we turned rather to the westward, and then
landed a little beyond it. The fog becoming somewhat less thick, Mr. Sherer
and myself ascended the hill in hopes of obtaining a view of the surrounding
shores, in order to form a better judgment of tiie route we should pursue on
the following morning. Though the weather still continued very unfavourable
for this purpose, we could at times see far enough around us to determine me
to follow up the small inlet, which, as we now found, wc had lately entered
in the boat. It wtis here one mile across, and seemed to lead first to the
N.N.W., and afterwards more to the westward. Contracted as our view was,
in consequence of the fog, it was still sufficiently extensive to embrace a
number of detached sheets of water which, being magnified by the fog,
served to perplex us not a little in conjecturing whether they might be lakes
or arms of the sea. Most of them aftei-wards proved to be the former, and
some of them were of considerable size. Having taken all the compass-
bearings that the weather would permit wc descended to the beach, where

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE, 83

we found that Mr. Ross had hauled the boats up and pitched the tents for ]^^^'
the night. A number of deer were seen but they were very wild ; a hare

or two however and some ptarmigan were procured for our suppers. It Avas
high water by the shore at thirty minutes past six P.M., but no stream of
tide was perceptible.

The tents were struck at thirty minutes past three A.M., on the 7th, and Frid. 7.
our course directed up the inlet, the weather being calm and tolerably clear.
At three miles and a quarter we passed on our starboard hand a point of
land which, from the bright colour of the rocks, composed chiefly of feldspar,
obtained the name of Red Point.

At a quarter past four, when we knew the flood-tide must be running, the
current Avas found to set half a knot to the northward, and at seven it was
going rather more slowly in the same direction. As far as indications went,
this seemed but little encouragement; but as our business was to explore and
not to speculate, we continued our progress. After passing Red Point we
arrived at a wider part of the inlet, near which is an islet of this remark-
able form.

/

exactly resembling, at a little distance, the roof of a house just shewing itself
above the water, some large stones set upright on the top, (probably by the
Esquimaux,) appearing like so many chimneys. It consists entirely of small
stones and sand intermixed, and has more the appearance of having been
placed there by art than by nature. Just beyond this islet, and after rounding
a low sandy point on the left, the inlet turns much more to the westward and
becomes narrower, with frequent shoals occupying in some places the greater
part of the channel. Mr. Ross and I ascended the nearest hifl, and saw the
inlet still extending to the N.W., though it became narrower than before and
apparently much more shoal. The rein-deer were here very numerous on the
higher parts of the land ; m c saw above forty in a walk of two or three
miles, and our people met with several more. The vegetation was abundant,
consisting chiefly of short thick grass, moss, the androtneda ittragona and ledum
palustre, a sweet smelling plant which here grew very luxuriantly. Much
of the ground was wet and swampy, small lakes occurring in almost every

M 2

84 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

hollow, and numerous streams of water running from the liills. There was
no snow upon the Umd, nor the smallest vestige of ice on any part of the
sea that we overlooked. The rocks, like all that we had lately met with,
consisted diioHy of gneiss, traversed by some veins of white (piartz and
red feldspar from three to twelve inches thick.

The water was falling by the shore during our stay at this place, and at nine
A.M. we found the stream setting slowly to the southward, confirming our
former observations as to the direction of the flood-tide. At half-past ten
we had arrived at the head of the inlet, having rowed thirteen miles from
the entrance. This arm of the sea is three hundred yards wide at tlie top,
having three rivulets running into it over a rough stony beach. The land
on each side is from six to eight hundred feet high ; and at the distance of a
mile below the head of the inlet there is, qn the eastern shore, a remarkable
perpendicular bluff overlooking the sea, composed of red feldspar overgrown
in some parts with herbage of various tints, which give to it a striking and
picturesque appearance. The soundings are here irregular, varying from one
fathom to twelve, but the eastern side, as the bold character of its shore indi-
cates, is much the deepest. After rowing down a quarter of a mile, we took
up a bottle of the sea-water which was fresh enough to drink, being in fact, as
Mr. Fisher afterwards found by experiment, of nearly the same specific gra-
vity as spring-water. We saw a great many deer on the hills and some flocks
of ducks in the water : the latter being mostly too young to fly were so
quick in diving that it was not easy to kill them : but Mr. Ross shot a speci-
men or two, which proved to be the young and the females of the long-
tailed duck {anas glucialk. )

This part of our examination being concluded, we landed (on our return)
at Red Point, in the hope of obtaining observations for the longitude, but
the sun remained obscured throughout tlie day. On this point were the
remains of several Esquimaux habitations, two of which were larger than
usual, and differing in form from any we had before noticed. They were
oval, about fifteen feet in length, and each had three separate bed-places
parted oft' with stones, and composed of the andromtda tctragona. There were
also in each a simihu- ntunber of fue-placcs, so that it had apparently been
occupied by three distinct families.

Opposite to Red Point was a small opening, which we next proposed
to examine. We liad not, however, advanced a mile within the entrance
when the boats grounded, the water becoming more and more shoal wiihin.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 85

We therefore landed to obtain the best view we could, and observed the 1821.
water to extend about a mile beyond us, and then to turn to the south- v^s->^
ward, in which direction the land obstructed our further view. As it was
plain that no passage could here be found for the ships, which alone it was
my present object to discover, I did not choose to wait for the flowing of the
tide to enable us further to explore this place, but determined to prosecute
our examination of the other parts of the coast without delay. Lieutenant
Hoppner subsequently determined the insularity of the land on the south side
of this opening by rowing through the passage at high water. There wore
here a great number of stones placed in an upright position in every conspi-
cuous spot, many of them looking like men at a distance. These marks are
generally placed without regard to regularity, but there were here several
lines of them about fifty yards in length, the stones being four or five yards
apart, and each having a smaller one placed on its top. Having rowed out of
the inlet, we landed at six P.M. in a little bay just outside of the last night's
sleeping-place, pitching the tents on a fine shingly beach, which was the kind
of ground Ave usually looked out for towards the conclusion of the day, as
affording the softest bed, consistently with dryness, that nature supplies in this
country. Of such a convenience the men were not sorry to avail themselves,
having rowed above thirty miles since the morning. Some old Esquimaux
habitations were here completely grown over with long rich grass, a number of
bones were scattered about near them, and I found a piece of asbestos and part
of a pot of lapis ollaris. Near one of the circles of stones were also two walls
for resting a canoe upon.

The boats were launched at daylight on the 8th, and we soon came to a Sat. 8.
much more promising opening on the same shore, about a mile wide at the
entrance and leading directly to the westward. After rowing four miles in that
direction, we arrived at the mouth of a bay from three to five miles wide, out of
which there did not appear the least chance of discovering an outlet. As
nothing however but rowing round the bay would satisfactorily determine this,
we were proceeding to do so, when we observed, in the northern corner, some-
thing like a low point overlapping the high land at the back. Towards this
spot we steered, as the readiest way of completing the circuit of the bay, and
half a mile short of it landed to breakfast.

In the mean time I sent Mr. Ross to one hill, and ascended another myself,
expecting to save the time and trouble of rowing into the nook. I was not
a little astonished to find from my own and Mr. Ross's observations, that

86 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

there was on the other side of the point a broad and apparently navigable
channel, throuj^h which the tide was setting to the nortliward, at the rate of
three or four miles an hour. I am thus minute in the discovery of this chan-
nel, which afterwards promised to be of no small importance, to shew how
nearly such a place may be apj)roaclied without the slightest suspicion being
entertained of its existence, and the consequent necessity of cloie examina-
tion, wherever a passage is to be sought for. An inspection of the chart,
together with the narrative of our proceedings for the four or five following
days, will aflbrd a striking and perhaps a useful lesson in this respect.

On proceeding in the boats, we found a part of the channel occupied by a
small rocky islet nearest to the eastern shore, having a bed of sunken rocks
about it, over which the tide was setting with great rapidity and with a loud
noise like that of a mill-stream. The passage to the westward of the islet
is half a mile wide, and we could find no bottom in it with twelve fathoms of
line ; on the other side the water is very shoal, scarcely affording a passage
for boats at low tide. Beyond this channel, which we distinguished by the
name of the Rapids, the inlet again widens out considerably, turning to the
westward and afterwards to the northward, a circumstance which could not
fail to excite in us the most lively hopes and expectations. At noon we
had reached a place where it branched off in so many different directions,
that our present stock of provisions apj^earcd insufficient to enable us to
accomplish its complete examination. 1 therefore determined to send Mr.
Sherer back to the ships for a fresh supply, as soon as the tide should turn
in his favour. That we might lose none of the favourable tide now running,
we dined in the boats, and being in the mean time carried onward a considerable
distance, at half-past one we landed on an island, in order to make the neces-
sary arrangements for despatching Mr. Sherer, as well as to obtain a view of
the surrounding lands. The latter object was, however, defeated by hard rain,
which came on soon after, rendering the atmosphere extremely thick. The
next island to the northward was chosen as our rendezvous, and a particular
point of it agreed on as the spot at which, in passing, we should leave in-
.structions for Mr. Hiierer's guidance in following us. He left us at half-past
two and the tide being strong in his favour, he succeeded in reaching the
Hecla the same night.

In the mean time, we made sail for Rendezvous Island with a strong breeze
from the eastward, accompanied by torrents of rain ; and having fetched a little
bay on its south-west side, pitched our tents on the beach, on which were

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 87

several Esquimaux circles of stones. On ascending the higher part of the J^^I-
island the land about us appeared to consist of islands in almost every di- ^^-v^
rection. The main branch of the inlet ran nearly due north, and afterwards
seemed to turn westward, which was enough to determine our course on the
following morning. We saw here several hares, ptarmigans and ducks, and
one or two ravens. The island is composed of gneiss rock traversed in
several places by rich veins of pale rose quartz, of which substance large
lumps were here and there lying on the surface. I also noticed many round-
ish masses of quartz in a granular and decomposed state, easily falling to
pieces on being handled.

The tents were struck at daylight on the 9th'; and after leaving a note Sun. 9
under a pile of stones at the appointed place, to apprize Mr. Sherer in what
direction we should be found, we rowed to the northward. The wind having
however got round to that quarter in the course of the night, and contiiuiing
to blow fresh, we did not reach the first point of land till nine A.M., by which
time the people's clothes were so thoroughly drenched by the sea that I de-
termined to remain here till noon to dry them, and to obtain the requisite
observations. The comfort of a dry atmosphere, bright sunshine, and a warm
breakfast, under these circumstances and in this climate, can perhaps scarcely
be imagined by those who have not experienced it.

The latitude of this point, which stands on a small island, is 66° 57' 04", and
its longitude, by chronometers, 84° 52' 17". The tide was ebbing by the shore
from nine A.M. till noon, when we left the point, and on trying the current
soon after it was found to be setting E.S.E. half a mile an hour. Our progress
now became more and more interesting as we advanced to the north-westward,
there being every appeatance of broken laud in that direction. The inlet was
here from two to four miles in breadth, and in most parts sulRcicntly deep for
the passage of ships; so that notwithstanding the direction of the flood-tide
which evidently came from the southward, we could not but entertain very
sanguine hopes of here finding a continued passage to the westward. This
hope received additional encouragement by our perceiving something wliite
upon the water ahead, which we at first took to be a piece of ice. It is not
easy to imagine the eager impatience with which we rowed towards this sup-
posed indication of our approach to the sea on this side, nor our disappoint-
ment on coming up to it in finding it only a rock of a yellowish-white colour,
just peeping above the water's edge.

Proceeding along the south-western shore, we left in several places fresh

88 . SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. tiiiections for Mr. Sliercr, and at three P.M. beinar (loul)lful of the best route

Sept. . ^

,>.*v>-» to pursue, landed to obtain abetter view. There was here an inlet near a
mile wide within, but having an entrance not more than forty yards across
and very shoal, out of which the water was rusliing with great rapidity. Ima-
gining this to be a river, Mr. Ross and myself hastened to the bank to taste
the water, which proved so intolerably salt as to set aside any further conjec-
tures of this nature. We found here as usual many deserted habitations of
Esquimaux, and numberless upright stones, especially on the banks of the
stream just mentioned.

On the northern shore, directly opposite to us, was some of the highest
land we had yet seen next the sea hereabouts ; and as our present sta-
tion did not afford a satisfactory view we roAVcd over to the other side,
for the purpose of ascending the hills, by which means much time and
labour may often be saved in exploring places of this nature. This plan now
also seemed the more eligible as, in atsc of the inlet still extending to the
westward, it would be necessary to wait somewhere for Mr. Sherer to over-
take us, so that both these objects might thus be advantageously combined.
The night was cold, but beautifully clear and serene, and while the last
rays of the sun still tinged the western horizon, the moon appearing upon
the cloudless sky exactly opposite the door of our tent, with her beams
reflected from the unruffled surface of the water, created one of those tranquil
scenes Avhere all nature seems hushed into repose, and of which, without
knowing precisely why, the mind very long retains the remembrance.

Mon. 10. Early on the morning of the 10th I ascended the hill, accompanied by two
of the men, leaving Mr. Ross at the tents to obtain the usual observations.
From the top of this hill, which is not less than severi hundred feet above the
level of the sea, I had an extensive and commanding view of the lands around
us, and found that we might still proceed to the westward, in which direction
there seemed more than one opening between islands. The water that ap-
peared at the back of the isthmus on which the tents stood proved to be a
shoal and narrow branch of the sea, of which we could now trace the extent.
Having obtained angles for every object in sight 1 returned to the tents about
noon, and was soon gratified by the arrival of Mr. Sherer, accompanied
by Mr. Bushnan, whose knowledge of Gore Bay was likely to prove of
service, should this inlet, as now seemed not unlikely, be found to communi-
cate with the land in that neighbourhood. The latitude of the tents was
66° 59' 06", and the longitude, by chronometers, 84° 59' 35". It was low water

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 89

by the shore at eight P.M. on tlie 9th, and at twenty minutes past eight A.M.
on the 10th, the rise and fall being only six or seven feet. We saw a number
of deer, and killed a few ptarmigan during our stay at this place ; the former
were in general very wild, being probably at this season a good deal hunted
by the Esquimaux. The surface of the land presented one uniform mass of
grey gneiss, except in the valleys and smaller hollows, where the vegetation,
as well as moisture, was abundant.

The boats being re-loaded immediately after Mr. Sherer's arrival we pro-
ceeded to the westward. Having passed several islands on our left we kept
close along the northern shore, which here began to trend considerably to the
southward of west. In running along the coast with a fresh aiifl favourable
breeze, we observed three persons standing on a hill and, as we continued
our course, they followed us at full speed along the rocks. Having sailed
into a small sheltered bay I went up, accompanied by Mr. Bushnan, to meet
them on the hills above us. In sailing along the shore we had heard them
call out loudly to us, and observed them frequently lift something which they
held in their hands ; but on coming up to them they remained so perfecdy
mute and motionless that, accustomed as we had been to the noisy importuni-
ties of their more sophisticated brediren, we could scarcely believe them to
be Esquimaux. There was besides a degree of lankness in the faces of the
two men, the very reverse of the plump round oily cheeks of those we had
before seen. Their countenances at the time impressed me with the idea of
Indian rather than of Esquimaux features; but this variety of physiognomy we
afterwards found not to be uncommon among these people. Tiie men
api)carcd about forty and tw(mty-two years of age, and were accompanied by
a good-looking and good-humoured boy of nine or ten. They eacii lield in
their hand a seal-skin case or quiver, containing a bow and duee or four lurows,
widi a set of which they willingly parted, on being presented with a knife in
exchange. The first looks widi wliich they received us betrayed a mixture of
stupidity and apprehension, but both wore off in a few minutes, on our making
them understand diat we wished to go to Uieir habitations. With this request
they complied without hesitation, tripping along before us for above two miles
over very rough ground, and crossing one or two considerable streams running
from a lake into the sea. This they performed with so much quickness that
we could with difficulty keep up with them, though they good-naturedly
stopped now and then till we overlook them. We were met on our way by
two women, from twenty to twenty-five years of age, having each a child at

N

90 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. her back ; they too accompanied us to their tent, which was situated on a
.J^ high part of the coast overlooking the sea. It consisted of a rude circular
wall of loose stones, from six to eight feet in diameter and three in height, in
the centre of which stood an ujjright pole made of several pieces of lir-wood
lashed together by thongs, and serving as a support to the deer-skins that
formed the top covering. Soon after our arrival we were joined by a good-
looking modest girl of about eight, and a boy five years old. Of these nine
persons, which were all we now saw, only the elder man and two of the
children belonged to this tent, the habitations of the others being a little
more inland. The faces of the women were round, plump, tattocd, and in
short coinplotely Esquimaux. During the cursory examination of these people's
dresses which we had now an opportunity of making, I observed nothing
beyond the pecidiarities which have been repeatedly described, except that
the tails of the women's jackets were of unusual length as well as breadth.
The kayak or canoe belonging to this establishment was carefully laid on
the rocks close to the sea-side, with the paddle and the man's mittens ia
readiness beside it. The timbers were entirely of wood, and covered as
usual with seal-skin. Its length was nineteen feet seven inches, and its
extreme breadUi two feet ; it was raised a little at each end, and the rim or
gunwale of the circular hole in the middle was high, and made of whale-
bone. A handsonie seal-skin was smoothly laid within as a seat, and the
whole was sewn and put together widi great neatness. Tlie paddle Avas
double, made of fir, and the ends of the blades tipped with bone, to pre-
vent splitting.

The fire-place in the tent consisted of three rough stones carelessly placed
on end against one side, and they had several pots of lapis ollaris, for culi-
nary pinposes. These people seemed to us altogether more cleanly than
any Esquimaux we had before seen, both in their persons and in tiie interior
of their tent, in neither of which could we discover much of dmt rancid and
pungent smell, which is in general so offensive to Europeans. One instance
of their cleanliness which now occurred, deserves perhaps to be noticed,
both because this is jusdy considered rather a rare quality among Esquimaux,
as well as to shew in what way they do sometimes exercise it. When leaving
the tent, to return to our boats, I desired one of the seamen to tie the articles
we had purchased into a single bundle, for the convenience of carrying
them ; but the elder of the two male Esquimaux, who watched the man Uius
employed, would not permit it to be done without excluding a pot, which, as

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 91

he explained by wiping the lamp-black off with one of his fingers, would soil '^^'•
a clean seal-skin jacket that formed part of the bundle.

Among the few domestic utensils we saw in the tent was the woman's
knife of the Greenlanders described by Crantz, and resembling, in its semi-
circular shape, that used by shoe-makers in England. The most interesting
article, however, was a kind of bowl exactly similar to that obtained by
Captain Lyon from the natives of Hudson's Strait, being hollowed out of the
root of the musk-ox's horn. As soon as I took the cup in my hand, the
boy who was our first companion, and had since been our constant attendant,
pronounced the word oomingmuJc, thus aff'ording an additional confirmation to
that obtained on the former voyage, of the musk-ox being the animal de-
scribed by the natives of the west coast of Greenland, as having occasionally,
though rarely, been seen in that country.

As soon as the Esquimaux became a little more familiar with us, they re-
peatedly asked for sowik (iron), in answer to which we gave them to under-
stand that they must accompany us to our boats, if they wished to obtain any
of this precious article. Accordingly, the whole group set off with us on our
return, the males keeping up with us, and the women a short distance behind.
The whole of the children carried bundles of the branches of ground willow,
which we had just before seen them bring in for their own use, and which
they seemed to consider an article of barter that might be acceptable to us.
As we returned, I noticed a quantity of the ledum -palustre, and having
plucked some of it, gave it to the boy to carry ; after which, though he very
much disliked its smell, he gathered every root of it that we came to, and
deposited it at our tents. This lad was uncommonly quick and clever in
comprehending our meaning, and seemed to possess a degree of good-
humour and docility, which, on our short acquaintance, made him a great
favourite among us.

We had hitherto been much pleased with our new acquaintance, who were
certainly a good-humoured decent sort of people. We therefore loaded them
with presents, and endeavoured to amuse them by shewing them the manner
of rowing our boats, which were hauled up on the beach. While the men
and children were occupied in observing this, the women were no less busily
employed, near the tents, in pilfering and conveying into their boots, some
of our cups, spoons, and other small articles, such as they could conveniently
secrete. This they accomplished with so much dexterity, that no suspicion
would have been excited of their dishonesty, had not Mr. Sherer fortunately

N 2

92 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1^21. missed a cup which was required for suj)per. A general search being insti-
'^^' tutcd in consequence, and tlie cargo of the women's boots brought back to

our tents, I directed all our presents to be likewise taken from the two
oflenders; and, dismissing the whole party with great appearance of indig-
nation, thus put an end for the i)rcseat to our communication with these
people.

Tues 11. Wc moved before broad dayliglit on the 11 th, and, after two hours' pro-
gress, began to perceive every appearance of our having once more got into
a close bay, round tlie shores of which we now proceeded to row. A deer was
here chased into the water, but being on the side of the island opposite to
our boats, escaped our pursuit. These animals seem to consider the sea as
a great security to them, and they swim fast and to a considerable distance.
The nearest island, for which the deer struck out this morning, with a strong
breeze and a breaking sea not altogether in his favour, was above two miles
distant.

We landed just before noon, in the hope of obtaining the meridian altitude,
but the sun being obscured we continued oiiV circuit of the bay, and at two
P.M. put on shore near the mouth of a small creek. The wind had now
increased to a stiff gale from the eastward, wliich being right down the creek,
we w ere above two hours in reaching the head of it, tiiough it is not more than
three miles in length. Its breadth varies from one and a half to half a mile,
and the shores on both sides are higii. One mile from tlie entrance is an
island nearest to the south shore, from which a herd of seven fine deer swam
to the main land on our approach, and in consequence of the wind and sea
obstructing us landed, before w^e could get up wnth them. We now com-
menced our return along tlu- starboard sliore, liaving no longer any hope of
finding an ouUet to the westward in this direction. To the bay tliat thus
terminated the inlet, which had till now excited such encouraging hopes,
I gave the name of Ross Bay, in compliment to the gentleman who had
accompanied me during the whole of this examination. Wc landed at
sunset at the mouth of anotlicr creek, which was reserved for examination
on the following morning ; and were not sorry to pitch our tents on a fine
shingly beach, after a cold and wet day's work. Wc here saw as usual
several deer, but nothing except a marmot and a covy of nine ptarmigan were
killed in the course of the day.

Wed. 12. After an hour's rowing on the morning of the 12th, we found the creek
terminate at the distance of two miles and a half in a south-east direction

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 93

from its entrance, being from a mile to a mile and a quarter in breadth, with \82i.
good depth of water, and having several small islands near its mouth. Pro-

ceeding without delay on our return, we landed at nine o'clock at the sup-
posed river discovered on the 9th, where it was low water by the shore at thirty
minutes past nine A.M. The wind was moderate from the eastward, with
small drizzling rain. At two P.M. we once more landed on Rendezvous Island,
as well for the purpose of picking up some provisions which I had directed
Mr. Sherer to leave here in case of accidents, as to ascertain from the hill what
parts of the inlet in this neighbourhood yet remained to be examined. Tlie
weather being now more clear than when wc had last reached this central point
of the inlet, we found that an opening to the eastward and two to the westward
still presented themselves. I, therefore, chose the most northerly of the latter
for our next examination, and that this might be pursued with confidence o
the requisite extent, I once more despatched Mr. Sherer back for a fresh
supply of provisions, and having, from the hill, fixed on a remarkable islet
for his first rendezvous, directed him to follow us as before.

These arrangements being completed and Mr. Sherer despatched, we left
the island and rowed over to the creek which I named, after that gentleman,
Sherer's Creek. We found this arm of the sea to have more than one en-
trance, there being some islands on the northern side ; but the passage to the
southward of them is much the broadest. Having reached the first appoiutcfl
rendezvous, w^c found it to be a small insulated rock of gneiss thickly stud-
ded with garnets. We here fixed a pike with the necessary directions to
Mr. Sherer, and then put on shore for the night in a small snug cove, where
wc found the usual traces of Esquimaux visitors.

The weather was calm with rain during the night; and a thick fog on the
morning of the 13th, prevented our moving till thirty minutes past six, when Tlmr. 13.
we proceeded up the creek, and in less than two hours had reached tlie head
of it. Near this spot we raised a conspicuous pile of stones, with a memoran-
dum deposited under it for Mr. Sherer ; and then crossed over to the south
shore, which it was now our object to trace closely along till we came to the
second of the w'esterly openings before noticed. Soon after noon we arrived
at a low point, off which we perceived a very strong rippling of tide setting
from the southward between the main land and an island lying off it. As
we approached this point, where the passage is not more than one-third of a
mile across, another appeared a little beyond it, round which the tide was
running with still greater rapidity ; it now became doubtful whether we could

94 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. proceed much further. After hanging on for ten minutes, the utmost exertion
J^-^ of the men at the oars enabled us to pass the first point ; but the attempt
to pass the second must not only have been useless but dangerous, the tide
running full six knots over some shoal ground, with an overfall like that
under bridges, making the level of the water about eighteen inches higher oa
one side of the point than on the other. Wc landed therefore at a smooth
place under a sheltered part of the rocks, till the tide should enable us to
proceed ; and we were not a little pleased to find, by walking across the point,
that tlio direction of this rapid flood-tide was from the south-west, and to all
ap|)carance proceeded out of the opening we were next about to explore.
While employed here in drying our clothes and tents, we fortunately observed
two boats rowing up the inlet, and were soon joined by Messrs. Henderson
and Sherer in a boat from each ship, bringing a fresh supply of provisions and
fuel. I now learned from Captain Lyon that, as the ice had come in near
the ships, he proposed as soon as practicable to move dicm higher up, and, if
possible, nearer the entrance of the inlet in the examination of which we were
at present engaged.

As I now entertained the most sanguine hopes of at length finding a pas-
sage to the westward, without the necessity of going round all the land we
had seen in an opposite direction, I could not but consider the present
supply a most opportune one. We therefore loaded the boats as deeply as
was consistent with safety, concealing the remainder under a heap of stones,
as a resource on our return ; and despatched Mr. Henderson back with one
of the boats, together with such articles as were no longer likely to prove
useful to us.

The latitude of this point is 66° 51' 06", and its longitude, by chronometers,
84° 4.3' 19". The rocks near the sea presented one continued and bare surface
of granite and gneiss ; but a little way inland there was no want of vegetation,
and several hares were killed. The tide, for which we impatiently waited, gra-
dually slackened between three and four P.M., at which time it was high water
by the shore, and the stream of ebb immediately began running to the south-
ward. In addition to the sanguine hopes we entertained of now making
some useful discovery, we were also congratulating ourselves on the advan-
tage we should derive from the strong and favourable ebb-tide just about to
make, and which we trusted would enable us to end all our doubts and ap-
prehensions before the close of this day. Our disappointment may therefore
in some measure be conceived on finding that the rapid flood-tide, on which

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 95

our expectations had been built, did not come from this opening as appear- 1821.
ances had led us to suppose, but from the eastward, passing to the southward \^Jr*if
of the island, and then receiving a check from some shoals and islets, which
caused it to sweep round almost at a right angle, assuming the appearance of
a south-western tide by which we had lately been deceived. This was made
apparent by our now meeting the ebb setting against us at the rate of a mile
an hour, which unfavourable indication was shortly after confirmed by our
reaching the head of this little branch of the sea, which is six miles in length
and three-quarters of a mile in its general breadth, and was named by Mr.
Ross's desire Culgrufp Creek. We landed just before sunset, and knowing
that we could not repass the point below as long as the ebb was running, I
sent Messrs. Ross and Bushnanto a high hill in the neighbourhood, with the
hope of their obtaining a good view to the south-westward before dark ; but
it being already dusk before they reached the summit, and the prospect
being somewhat obstructed by intervening land, no information that then
seemed of much importance was thus gained. Near the entrance to this
creek, on the north shore, is a hill of a remarkable shape, seen at a consider-
able distance to the eastward.

We left the beach at five A.M. on the 14th, and arrived at the point at half- Frid. 14.
past six, when we found the stream of ebb setting so strongly against us as to
render it impractirablt' to stem it with the oars and sails. Finding therefore
after breakfast that much time must be lost if we waited for low water, we
attempted the expedient of " tracking" the boats round die point which, after
one or two narrow escapes on account of the breaking sea occasioned by the
tide, was safely effected in half an hour ; and at nine o'clock, having re-loaded
the boats, we once more embarked on the opposite side of the point.

There now remained to be examined only a small portion of the opposite
or eastern shore, which from Rendezvous Island had appeared to present an
opening. The direction of this coast was indeed diametrically opposite to
that in which it was our object to find a passage for the ships; but as it was
impossible to judge what turnings the land might there take, I determined
to persevere in the plan I had from the first pursued, of leaving no part of the
coast without actual and close examination. Rowing therefore across the
tide, and passing the point Avhich seemed to form one side of the mouth of
the opening we were now to examine, the direction of the land led us to
the E.S.E. A little before noon, after passing some low sandy islands which
occupy the greater part of the entrance, Ave landed to obtain the meridian

96 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

J^-'- altitude, which gave the latitude 66° 50' 40". While thus employed a line
'-«'v>^ doc and her fawn took the water near us, and would have been easily over-
taken had not our people been straggling about with their guns, so that only
half a boat's crew could be made up to go in pursuit of them. Judging by
the velocity of the boat througli the water. I should think these animals swam
across the creek at the rate of between two and three miles an hour, the dis-
tance being one-third of a mile. The doe could evidently have gone faster
if alone, but she kept so close to her young one, that our people positively
declared the latter sometimes rested on her back, or, as they expressed it, was
" taken in tow by her." The doe, having landed first, turned round to face
us, trembling violently, but remaining on the .spot till the fawn joined her,
when they trotted off together and thus escaped.

The tide was running to the westward during the time that the water was
falling by the shore this day ; at noon it was flowing and the stream setting
up in our favour at the rate of half a knot. In less than half an hour after
leaving tlie shore, we saw clearly to the head of this creek, of which the
breadth had now become narrowed to three or four hundred yards. We found,
however, a good deptii of water after passing the islands at the entrance,
on neither side of which did we carry above fifteen feet through the channel.
I named diis place, wiiich was the last we had now to explore, after my friend
Mu. George Norman, jun. of Bath.

To save time on our return wc rowed towards an isthmus on the west shore,
which Ave had observed in the morning, and over which we now proposed
hauling the boats. On reaching the spot, however, we found that even this
labour might be spared, as the water, being at this time higher, afforded a
shoal and narrow passage, which must be quite dry at low tide. The stream
'of flood was here setting north-east at the rate of two miles per hour. We
next rowed into a small bay about a mile deep, and after remaining on shore
there for three quarters of an hour, till it was high water, set out at twenty
minutes past four P.M. on our return to the ships. The stream began to set
down in an hour after ; and being thus assisted by a rajiid and favourable tide,
we fortunately just before dark fliscovered the Heclaat anchor near the mouth
of the inlet, and arrived on board at thirty minutes past six P.i\I.

I learned from Captain Lyon that the Hecla had just anchored at her pre-
sent station, the Fury still remaining at the former place, into which the ice
had lately come so thick as to require the assistance of all hands from both
ships to warp and tow the Hecla out. Proceeding with a fresh boat's crew

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 97

towards the Fury, which we found close beset by thick and heavy ice, we ^^^l.
succeeded after much difficulty in hauling the boat through it, and arrived

on board at 10 P.M.

The next object to which my attention was directed was the connecting
of the coast last examined, with that of Gore Bay — an object that might
perhaps have been effected during my absence ; but I did not consider
it prudent, in the insecure situation in which I had been obliged to leave the
ships, to take more than one boat's crew from each, wliicli number out of
our small complements of working men bore a large proportion to the whole
strength that might be required on any emergency. The absence of two
boats from cither ship, indeed, scarcely left hands enough to purchase the
anchor, much less to handle them with the alacrity necessary among ice, and
in a confined and rocky navigation. It remained therefore to complete this
examination in the boats, as soon as the Fury could be extricated from the
ice by Mhich she was at present beset. >

This ice consisted of heavy and large floe-pieccs, which pressed with
considerable force upon the cable ; but the strain being steady, the ground,
good, and little or no stream of tide running, the anchor did not come
home. It may here be of service to remark that, in smooth water and in
situations icliere there is no perceptible stream of tide, a ship's safety is not so
much endangered by the approach of a large body of loose ice as might be
supposed. The smaller pieces are pushed astern by poles, the larger massesj
not coming with any violence, rest across the cable or bows without doing
any damage, and the space between the ship and the land is generally soon
filled up with ice, so as to preclude the possibility of her being driven on
shore, even should the anchor afterwards come home.

As soon as the tide would serve in the offing, on the morning of the loth s^t, li
we weighed, and by means of warping and towing, in which wc were as-
sisted by Captain Lyon's boats, succeeded in joining the Hecla at her an-
chorage at three P.M. About the same time Lieutenant Hoppner arrived,
having re-examined that arm of the sea which I bad at first explored; being
the only one near. Captain Lyon had in pursuance of my directions instructed
him to trace it, not knowing that I had already done so. From Lieutenant
Hoppner's report and observations however much useful information was de-
rived in laying down the coast. Among other things the extent and commu-
nication of the oi)ening I had entered but could not pass on the 7th, had now

o

98 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

's^ t ^^^^ determined by rowing through at high water, and returning to the
ships by that route. To this arm of the sea I gave the name of IIoppner's
Inlet ; and the more extensive one which I had lately returned from ex-
ploring, was distinguished by the name of my brothcr-oflicer, Captaim
George Fr.oicis Lyon.

While a boat from each ship was preparing for our next excursion, I com-
inunicated to Captain Lyon my wishes respecting the movement of the ships,
directing him to follow me down the south-western land as soon as it might
be practicable, that no time might be lost in prosecuting the voyage either in
the direction I was now about to pursue, should I there discover an outlet to
the westward, or failing to do so, to the eastward of the land now in sight,
which in that case would prove to be a part of the continent. With a view
also to save time on my return, I requested Captain Lyon to endeavour to
ascertain whether a portion of land to the south-eastward of the inlet, on
which it was our lot afterwards to winter, was insular or connected with the
main land. These and other necessary arrangements being shortly made, I
left the ships at thirty minutes after four, P.M., accompanied by Messrs.
Ross, Sherer, and Mac Laren, the two latter gentlemen in the Hecla's boat,
the whole party being victualled for nine days.

Previously however to my commencing the account of our next boat-ex-
cursion, I gladly avail myself of some extracts from Captain Lyon's Journal
during the time of my late absence, to complete the narrative of proceed-
ings up to this period.

" The ships having been principally stationary during the time of Captain
Parry's absence, the remarks which I am enabled to offer must be chiefly
confined to such observations on this part of the coast as I had then an
opportunity of making. I must first, however, briefly notice the proceedings
of the ships during that interval.

" Previous to Captain Parry's leaving us, he had expressed to me his
wish that the shii)s should, as soon as convenient, be removed to some
more commodious anchorage than that in which we lay, provided I suc-
ceeded in finding one on the eastern shores of the inlet. I therefore
occupied two days in examining the coast to the north-eastward, but did
not succeed in finding any spot so well sheltered as the one in which we

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 99

were. I therefore decided on not movinEr the ships unless circumstances ^^^^•
should render it necessary.

" On the 1 1th I was convinced that our present situation was by no
means secure, by observing that the opening between the Fury's anchorage
and the high islands off it was quite filled up with a large and heavy floe,
which had been brought into the inlet by the recent southerly winds. Dur-
ing the whole day other heavy masses of ice were forced on it from the
same direction, and the entrance of the inlet appeared to be rapidly filling.
The tides at this time were at their highest (fourteen feet), and I feared
they would ultimately cause the disruption of our protecting floe, and thus
allow the whole body of ice to set on the ships. On the 12th therefore
I sent to order the Fury to proceed to an open bay about three miles to the
northward, through a passage amongst some low islets lying off our anchor-
age, and which had been already sounded by our boats. On learning that
the Fury was secured, we weighed and stood through the same channel,
but the tide was then at its lowest ebb, and in the centre we clearly saw the
bottom at the depth of four fathoms ; our lead at one cast fell on a sharp
pointed rock which had escaped the notice of the sounding boats in eight
feet Avater. We fortunately met with no others, and anchored at sunset
near the Fury. Mr. Shcrcr having returned from Captain Parry, brought
me an instruction, that any inlet or opening in the land near us, which
the fog had obscured at his departure, should be examined before his
return, if it could be done consistently with the safety of the ships. I now
therefore despatched Lieutenant Hoppner, Avith directions to explore the
only opening of that kind which presented itself.

" As the ice had accumulated considerably in the centre of the islet, I
employed myself successfully in seeking an anchorage to the northward, and
on my return in the evening found the ships so closely beset as to render it
very difficult to reach them with the boat. On the 14th I determined on
moving, and with the assistance of the Fui-j's people and boats succeeded
in getting into open water after four hours' labour, although the distance we
warped through the ice did not exceed one mile. We then ran to the north-
ward, and anchored about five miles from the Fury, off a shingle beach near
the entrance of that branch of the inlet which Captain Parry was employed
in examining. Owing to the length of time occupied in removing the
Hecla, we found it was too late to bring the Fury out also, and she there-
fore remained beset for the night.

o 8

100 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

" In some of the excursions I made to the hills which bound the inlet,
I found them without exception to be composed of granite and gneiss,
presenting rugged, irregular outlines, and entirely void of vegetation on
their tops ; yet even here we fuuiul evident proofs of the Esquimaux having
made their temporary residence, as we frequently observed piles of stones
erected by these extraordinary people, and also the circular little walls
which form the lower part of their habitations. In situations nearer the
sea these indications were so frequent tluit it became a matter of surprise
if we did not iind some vestiges of tlicir little settlements on the low^er
points. One in particular which we discovered at a short distance from our
first anchorage bore evident marks of its having been very recently occu-
pied, and many were of opinion that the natives had quitted it on our ap-
proach. The circles amounted to eleven ; on many of their fiie-places the
soot was quite recent, and q\iantities of bones of seals, foxes, and other ani-
mals were scattered round ; some had small portions of flesh still adhering to
them. We were much astonished on finding at least a dozen pair of mittens
and socks, some of which were nearly new. A few of the huts had a little
elevation at either end, and neatly spread with small branches of what
appeared to me a kind of birch, (although we had seen none growing,) tied
together in bunches, and from their arrangement to all appearance intended
as the base of beds. We also found a curious kind of net, having large open
meslies of about two inches diameter, and entirely composed of small and
strong hoops or rings of whalebone, firmly lashed together with thongs of
the same material. This net would appear to be of the same kind as that
described by Davis as found by him amongst the natives of Greenland. A
few broken spear-heads and imj)lcments of ivory were also picked up, and
I am of opinion that the removal of the people must have been very
hurried.

" From the remarkable form of the coast it is not surprising that the
Esquimaux should make choice of it for their occasional settlements, and
they have a most important inducement in finding such profusion of their
necessary food, for the seals are here in great numbers and appear ex-
tremely bold and fearless, which must render them an easy prey to these
expert fishermen. In a short excursion which .some of our gentlemen made
in the small boat, they were so fortunate as to obtain four in a short time ;
two were very large and fat and the others quite young.

" The great (luantities of seals which avc constantly saw in this place are

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. lOl

doubtless attracted by the shrimps, moluscae, and other marine productions,
with which the sea abounds to an extraordinary degree. The gulls (lama
glaucus and argentatiis, J the eider and other ducks, and the divers (coli/mbu<i
troile and ■septentrioiialis,J which are also numerous, appear to derive a plenti-
ful subsistence from the same means which nature has so amply provided.
To this may perhaps be attributed the occasional visits we received from
whales, black and white, of which the latter were in far the greatest num-
bers, but not so frequently seen near the ships. While at our first anchorage
a large black whale came and lay so close to our gangway as to be witliin
reach of a harpoon, but while the officer of the watch ran down to inform
me of the circumstance the fish moved from us.

" Our sportsmen met with very tolerable success in their rambles and
procured a plentiful supply of hares and ptarmigan, but Avere not so fortu-
nate as to kill above two deer. Several ermines and marmots were also
taken, and three foxes of a bluish colour evidently advancing to their wintery
hue. In the hills of which I have spoken as consisting of granite and gneiss
we found numerous lakes, some of which, although of no great extent, must
from their situation have been of considerable depth. They appeared to
be the resort of the young of the red-throated diver, some of which birds
we killed, and it may thence be inferred that they contain sufficient food
for their subsistence. One of the officers caught a large salmon-trout in a
piece of water a very considerable height up the hills. In the valleys the
vegetation, although at this time on the decline, appeared to have been
very rich, abounding in grasses, and some other plants, but the sorrel had
all withered. Some gentlemen who visited the isles lying off Five-hawser
Bay, found that iron-stone bore a considerable share in their formation, and
some pieces which they brought on board emitted a strong sulphureous
smell on being heated, and had in a slight degree the power of attracting
iron. A few small rounded pieces of graphite were also procured from
the same place ; their appearance was like those ashes which are found
in a blacksmith's for^e. Alone: most of the beaches we found that the
rocks were absolutely studded with garnets of a clear and brilliant colour,
but in a state of decomposition, which caused them to breaJc easily on
endeavouring to detach them from the rocks in which they were em-
bedded. Amongst the shingle we obtained several fine specimens of ma-
drepore, and also found a few fossil shells, of which some were of a deli-

102 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCO\^RY

1821. catc and well-defined form, enclosed in limestone, generally of the fetid kind.
In a small water-course I picked up some curious pieces of steatite, which
appeared to have come from a neighbouring hill, through the face of which
to the northward I observed a broad vein of a green sandstone running in
an oblique direction. I obtained some extremely interesting specimens at
this part, one of which from a block of granulated quartz contained a quan-
tity of thin laminae of graphite, of a very pure and brilliant colour, but which
Avith the slightest touch left a very dark mark.

" Although the weather hud in general been fine during Captain Parry's
absence, yet we frequently found that during the night a thin sheet of ice
Avas formed in the small bays and other sheltered places."

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 103

CHAPTER V.

FURTHER EXAMINATION IN THE BOATS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONNECTING THE SHORES

OF LYON INLET WITH THAT OP GORE BAY — DETAINED BY THE ICE REACH GORE

BAY CONTINUITY OF THE LAND DETERMINED — FRESH DETENTION BY THE ICE

BOATS CARRIED OVER LAND RETURN TO THE SHIPS PROGRESS OUT" OF THE INLET

PREVENTED BY THE ICE THE FLTIY GROUNDS UPON A ROCK ANCHOR IN SAFETY

COVE HEAVY EASTERLY GALES — PROCEED OUT OF THE INLET ARRIVAL IN A BAY

ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF WINTER ISLAND SHIPS SECURED IN WINTER-QUARTERS.

At the time of my quitting the ships the ice was in sight from the mast- 1821.
head, stretching across the mouth of the inlet, a few miles below our an- . J.^^' .
chorage, while the sea was only partially covered with loose masses nearTues. 15.
our last station, and higher up was entirely free from it. I was in hopes,
however, of being able to find our way along-shore in the boats without
incurring any great loss of time ; and, at all events, there was a satisfaction
in knowing that, should the boats fail in doing so, it would be in vain to
attempt it in the ships ; so that, in every point of view, our present plan was
the only advantageous one that could be adopted.

We rowed before sunset between six and seven miles along the high
south-western land, passing what appeared a small harbour, with an island
near the middle of the entrance, and landed on a shingly beach near a
small bay or creek, extending three quarters of a mile to the W.N.W. and
then terminating in a deep broad valley. There were here three or four
acres of thick, close, and rather long grass, affording excellent feeding for
the rein-deer and hares of which several were seen. A great number of
white whales were playing about near the beach. We left the shore at
half-past four A.M. on the 16th, and in an hour's sailing with a fresh north- Sun. 16.
west wind came to some loose ice, through which we continued to make
our Avay till eleven o'clock, when it became so close that a passage could

104 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. no longer be found in any direction. Tiierc was also so much young ice in
vj;^^ every small interval between the loose masses, that the boats were much cut
about the water-line in endeavouring to force through it. We were now
abreast of a remarkable bluff, called, after the master of the Fiuy, Allison's
Bi.uFr, and fonning tlic northern point of an open bay, in vvliich alone there
was the smallest pool of clear water to be seen. In order, therefore, to
avoid the risk of being altogether driven from the shore, I determined to
attempt a passage into the bay, which Avas three quarters of a mile distant ;
and in this, after two hours' labour, we at length succeeded. The tents
being pitched and the boats hauled up, a part of our hands wore employed
in repairing tiie damages occasioned by the young ice, while tlie rest were
despatched inland in search of game : in this pursuit they wei'e not suc-
cessful, only one hare being brought in before dark. Finding that the ice
was likely to prove an obstacle of which we covdd not calculate the extent
or contiiumnce, we began at once to reduce our daily expenditure of provi-
sions, in order to meet any contingency.
Mon. 17. Ascending the hill at daylight on the 17th, we were much disappointed in
finding that, though the ice continued to drive a little to the S.E., it was
even more compact than before, the loose masses through which we had
sailed the preceding day being now closely set together. Our people were
to-day rather more successful in pursuit of game, bringing in seven hares
before sunset. These animals were quite white, presenting so strong a con-
trast Avith the colour of the ground on which no snow as yet remained, as
to render them very conspicuous at a distance ; and Ave often killed them
on landing, by having observed their situation Avhilc roAving along-shore at
the distance of half a mile or more. Several of the ermines also Avhich Ave
had procured for the last Avcck or tAvo Avere entirely Avhite, except the little
brush at the tip of the tail, Avhich Avas black. In other specimens of this
animal, hoAvever, the back Avas quite broAvn and the belly of a delicate light
straAV or sulphur colour.
Tues. 18. It Avas high Avater on the morning of the 18th, at four o'clock, being some-
AA'hat earlier than the preceding tide ; a kind of irrcgvilarity Avhich Avas very
common about the mouth of Lyon Inlet at this season, rendering it impossi-
ble by one or tAA'o observations to calculate the true time of tide on the full
and change days of the moon. As soon as it was light enough to make out
the situation of the ice, Avhich had noAV drifted considerably to the south-
Avard, Ave left the bay Avith a fresh and favourable breeze, and at a quarter

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 105

past eight A.M., after a quick run through " sailing ice," landed to breakfast 1821.
on the south-east point of this shore, which afterwards received the name of ^^^^
Cape Martineau, out of regard for a highly esteemed friend and relative.
There being a number of small islands and shoals about this point, we found
mucli difficulty in picking our way through the ice lying aground upon them,
which, however, we at length effected; and after passing the S.W. point,
which I named after Mr. M'Laren, got into clear water to the westward,
crossing an open bay with a shoal near the middle of the entrance. Proceed-
ing from hence with a strong breeze and a considerable sea ahead, but the
flood-tide still running slowly with us to the N.W., we rowed several miles
close along the shore, and entered at dusk a little cove, where the tents
w'ere pitched and the boats moored for the night.

The night being cold, clear, and nearly calm, a quantity of " bay-ice,"
half an inch in thickness, had on the morning of the 19th formed in the cove, Wed. 19.
and for some distance outside of it, which again cut the boats' planks very
much, besides occasioning great loss of time in getting through it. This
.symptom of approaching winter, which had now for the first time occurred
to us, rendered it expedient in future to select the most open beaches
for our resting-places at night. As soon as avc had extricated ourselves
from this impediment, we rowed along without further hinderance, as no
young ice had formed in the deeper water of the offing. After tracing every
bend of the shore which here occurred, and especially that of a bay named,
by INIr. Sherer's request, Moyle Bay, we landed at the point called by
Captain Lyon, Point Farhill, at a quarter past seven ; and ascending the
hill to take angles obtained a view of Gore Bay, easily recognising every
other feature of the lands discovered by Captain Lyon. A mile or two of
coast was now all that remained to be examined, in order to determine the
connexion of Gore Bay with the rest of the land recently explored. Pro-
ceeding therefore as soon as our observations were finished, we soon after
entered the bay, and in the course of an hour had satisfied ourselves on this
|)oint. The weather being very fine, however, 1 determined to row to the
bead of the bay, for the purpose of obtaining observations; and we reached
it exactly at noon in time for the meridian altitude.

The place at which we landed proved to be a low and narrow isthmus,
having on the other side a creek about a mile long and half a mile in
breadth. The north shore of this creek, which is the northernmost land

p

106 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. Qf Gore Bay, is liigh at tlic back, but with a strip of low laud at the foot
of the hills, affordiug abundant pasturage for the numerous rein-deer that

frequent it. The stone circles of above twenty Esquimaux tents were met
with upon the isthmus, but they all appeared to have been long deserted.
Wc saw several black whales and a few seals near the beach, upon Mhich
a number of masses of ice were aground, though there was none afloat in
the bay. The isthmus is composed of small loose fragments of gneiss, granite,
feldspar, quartz, hornblende, and some limestone. The latitude by obser-
vation was 66° 24' 33" ; the longitude, by chronometer, 84° 39' 50" ; and the
variation of the magnetic needle 56° 19' 52" westerly.

A breeze springing up from the south-east just as wc embarked, rather
retarded us on our return down the bay, the entrance of which wc reached
however soon after sunset, and were about to land upon one of two islands
that lie close of Point Farhill, when we heard a shouting, which a])pcared
to proceed from some people on Georgina Island. Rowing in that direc-
tion we heard the same kind of shouting once or twice repeated, after
which all remained silent. Landing just before dark upon the north-west
end of Georgina Island, we with some difficulty made our way to a shingly
beach, by removing and cutting away a part of the grounded ice with which
it was lined. Immediately on landing I sent Messrs. Ross and M'Laren
to look round from the hill above us ; but as nothing could be seen or heard,
we concluded that the Esqnimaux must have been frightened at our a})proach
and purposely remained quiet.

Being apprehensive that the south-etust wind would bring in the ice and
Thur. 20. obstruct our return to the ships round Cape Martineau, I gave orders for
moving at break of day on the 20th ; and had scarcely launched the boats
when my apprehensions were confirmed, by observing a great deal of close
ice a little below the island. The navigation of boats among ice is pecu-
liarly perplexing, in consequence of being placed so near the level of the
water that there is no possibility of seeing the best *' leads." On this
account it is often more advantageous to land and look round from a greater
height, than blindly to persevere in picking out a slow and uncertain pas-
sage. With this intention, after in vain endeavouring for two hours to
penetrate the ice, we put on shore at eight A.\l., towards the eastern
point of Georgina Island, where we shortly ascertained that we could make
no progress without first retracing some of our steps to the north-west, in

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 107

which direction alone a narrow lane of water appeared to lead towards *?21.
the main land. Pursuing this route, we were again obliged to go on \.<»-r%l/
shore at thirty minutes past one P.M. upon an island on that coast, having
failed in our attempt to pass it on the outside. While dining, however, we
perceived that a shoal and narrow passage within the island was still clear
for about a mile further along shore. Having reached this ne phis ultra, we
landed on a coast too shoal and rugged to allow the boats to be hauled
up, and at the same time too much encumbered with ice to permit them to
be moored afloat with safety. After unloading them therefore we allowed
them to ground at high water, watching them as the tide came in. Many
deer were seen, and several brace of ptarmigan killed in the course of the
day. For eight and forty hours past we had, for the first time this season,
experienced difficulty in procuring fresh water for our consumption, the
small streams and pools near the sea, on which we had hitherto relied,
being now frozen to the bottom. 1 allude hoAvever to the very smallest
ones of six or seven inches in depth ; for those which were a foot or two
deep had still plenty of water under the ice : and the surface of many of
the larger ponds was still unfrozen, except close round the margin.

The ice remained closely packed on the 21st, as far as we could see Frid. 21.
along shore, so that we were still detained in the same place. A party
sent out to procure game, killed a deer and a hare : the former after being
wounded took a deep lake, into which the people had to swim to get him
out. Except these animals, which were here tolerably abundant, the game
was scarce, though there was no want of feeding for them. The ground-
willow was very plentiful, and so dry at this season that we easily pro-
cured enough for keeping up a good fire all day. Some snow which
fell in the course of the preceding night, lightly powdering the land, had
entirely disappeared before the evening, except iu places having a northern
aspect, where it now permanently remained for the Avinter.

On the morning of the 22d the ice Avas not only as close as ever, but had Sat. 22.
forced its way much higher up toAvards Gore Bay. A party Avas therefore
sent out to endeavour to procure game further inland ; and another em-
ployed in gathering ground-willoAV, Avhich was here abundant and in good
condition for fuel. Tavo bears, a female and her cub, being probably at-
tracted by the smell of our cooking, came towards the tents upon thb
ice, but on hearing our Aoices set off in the opposite direction. A good
deal of snow fell in partial showers in the course of the day; it was nearly

P 2

108 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. of timt fine kind which usually falls during the winter of these regions, but
y.^-^ wo had ilakc snow and cv(mi light rain some days after this. The snow
however now remained undissolved upon the land in all situations. Our
hunting party returned late in tlie evening without success, having merely
seen a number of rein-deer, which the want of cover prevented their ap-
proaching. Seven days out of the nine for which we were victualled having
now elapsed, a party was selected for walking over to the ships on the fol-
lowing day, should the ice still continue in its present state.

Sun. 23. The tents were struck and the boats launched at day-break on the 23d,
when we made tolerable w ay along-shore for two hours, landing occasionally
to distinguish the best road among the ice. At eight we put on shore to
breakfast, and then again set forward, leaving Mr. Ross to walk along the
rocks and by apjminted signals to shew us the right " leads." After one
P.M., however, when we had arrived within a mile of Cape M'Laren, we
could make no further progress. The wind was at this time freshening up
from the south-west which, while it served to pack the ice more and more
closely in the bay, was rapidly clearing the coast on the opposite or eastern
side of the land about Cape Martineau. We had therefore the mortification
of observing from the hills that, could we have effected our passage for three
or four miles further along the shore, we shovdd at once have gained an open
sea, and should probably have met with no further obstruction the whole way
to the ships. Being thus unavoidably detained, our people went out with their
guns and chased a fine deer into a creek at the back of our landii\g-place.
The animal being here surrounded by the men who stationed themselves on
the beach on each side, remained swimming more than an hour, when he be-
came fatigued ; and, after two attempts to land, w^as killed by persons con-
cealed behind hummocks of ice. He proved a fine buck, and gave us about
a hundred pounds of venison, which was taken on board for the use of the
ships. A few brace of ptarmigan were also shot. The ground was here
covered with snow two inches deep, which was more than at any other place
at which we had landed. After another ineffectual attempt to push along
the shore, by which the boats were much damaged in conse(iuence of the
young ice, we proposed, should the ice not alter its position, to endeavour to
carry the boats and their geer over land on the following morning, rather
than suffer this detention any longer.

The ice continuing in the same state, we commenced our work at break of

Mon. 24. day on the -24111, and in three journeys had carried all the lighter part of our

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 109

baggage over land by eleven o'clock. All hands then returned for the two \^~^
boats, across the gunwales of which the masts and oars were lashed for lifting

them, the ground not allowing us to drag them except for a short space here
and there. By half-past one the first boat had been carried over and, by the
unwearied exertions of the officers and men, we had the satisfaction of
launching the second before four o'clock, the distance being a mile and a half,
and chiefly over rocky and uneven ground. The weather felt cold and raw
during the day ; but we were afterwards surprised to learn that, while we were
thus employed, the thermometer had been as low as 20° on board the ships.
As soon as we had dined, the boats were re-loaded ; and at five o'clock we
left the shore. A quantity of ice was still aground upon the shoals and islets ,
off Cape Martineau, through which however we fortunately found a passage
before dark, when, having cleared every obstacle, we sailed in an open sea
and with a fresh breeze to the northward. Keeping close along the shore
to avoid missing the ships in the dark, our first musket was immediately
answered by a blue-light ; and being guided by the lights now shewn by the
ships, we arrived on board at nine P.M., where we found that our late de-
tention had excited some alarm for our safety.

During my absence from the ships, Lieutenant Hoppner had been de-
spatched to ascertain whether the portion of land to the southward of Cape
Edwards was insular or otherwise, Avith a view to save time in the examina-
tion of this part of the coast on my return. The land in question proved an
island ; but the passages within it being shoal, and narrowed by several inlets,
I determined on going on the outside, which would occupy very little more
time with much less risk to the ships. We therefore kept to windward as well
as we were able, during a night of ten hours of more than usual darkness, in
a channel only seven miles in width, and with squally and unsettled weather.

On the morning of the 25th the wind had gradually veered to the south- Tucs. 25.
ward, bringing up the ice so far as to obstruct our passage round the island.
After making several tacks near its margin, we found it so close and
heavy as to render a passage through it wholly impracticable, even had
we been favoured with a free wind. We therefore hauled over to the western
land, and at four P.M., anchored in an open bay close to the shore, and in
twenty-three fathoms, being the only shelter we could find. Nothing could
have proved more opportune than our anchoring here, as it soon came on to
snow so hard with an increase of wind, that the situation of the ships if
under way must have been a very hazardous one.

110 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

The wind coming rather to the eastward of south on the morning of the
26th, and the ice having advanced much nearer than before, our situatio
was no h:)nger a sheltered or secure one. At one P.M., therefore, we weighed
and hauled over for the eastern land, where alone from the depth and nature
of the soundings, we entertained any hope of iinding security for the night.
We reached this coast just as the day began to close in, and, being unac-
quainted with that part of it near which we fetched, I went in a boat soon
after six P.M., lo sound for an anchorage, the Fury being then in stays in six
fathoms, and half a mile from several small rocky islets. Finding the
water deepen gradually to seventeen fathoms, I soon, with the assistance of a
boat from the Hecla, selected a birth for each ship, and leaving our little boat
with a light, as a guide to us in anchoring, returned on board, sounding the
whole way back. Standing in immediately to save what day-light yet re-
mained, we struck soundings as I expected in seventeen and then in fourteen
fathoms ; the leadsman ne.vt called out five, and before the helm could be put
down, or the man in the opposite chains obtain another cast, the ship was
fast aground on a bed of sunken rocks. The sails were instantly thrown
aback and as much weight as possible brought aft ; and in the mean time
Captain Lyon anchored on our weather quarter, for the purpose of heaving
the Fury off by a hawser. It being fortunately dead low water at the time
of our grounding, this was accomplished without difficulty or damage, and at
eight o'clock the ship was backed oiF into deep water. After making a tack
we anchored at half-past nine, by means of the Ilccla's light, the weather
being now so foggy as well as dark that without this guide we could not
again have ventured near the shore. In the course of the night some streams
of ice came in upon the ships, the heavier pieces fixing themselves on the
rocks on which we had grounded.
Thur. 27. Perceiving at daylight on the 27tli that the main ice had nearly reached
us and was still advancing. Captain Lyon and myself went in the boats in-
shore to search for some security against it. The bottom proved so rocky
and irregular that no proper place could be met with till we had rowed a
couple of miles to the northward ; and here we came to a snug though small
cove that seemed to suit our purpose. In the mean time the ships had been
directed to weigh, in doing which the Fury, being hampered by a light and
baffling wind, cast the wrong vvay, and would once more have driven upon
the rocks but for the timely assistance of the Hecla's boats, which Lieute-
nant Hoppncr promptly despatched to tow her clear of the danger. Leaving

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. Ill

buoys at the proposed anchorage, we returned on board at noon ; and finding '821.
the ice had advanced nearly a mile since the morning, I determined to lose v^-rO
no time in securing the ships from its approach, and accordingly bore u{) for
the cove, in which, after passing over a shoal with five fathoms, and discover-
ing another dry at low water, we anchored at two P.M. in thirteen fathoms,
muddy bottom. An officer was immediately despatched along the hills to
ascertain before dark the exact position of the ice, which he reported to be
quite close to the southward, filling up the entrance of the inlet. The long-
tailed ducks were here so numerous, that 1 believe we disturbed some thou-
sands of them in the boats in the course of the morning.

On the 28th the ice still continued to occupy the whole mouth of the Frid. 28.
inlet ; and on the following day, the wind increasing to a strong gale from Sat. 29.
the E.N.E., and there being no room to drive, we were obliged to drop our
second anchors under foot. A good deal of snow fell and the land was
now entirely covered with it, except a horizontal strip of black along the
shores which, being washed by the sea and varying in breadth according to
the time of tide, presented, except at high water, a striking contrast with
the uniform whiteness of the rest of the land. Notwithstanding the reflected
light occasioned by the snow, the nights were at this period so dark, that we
could scarcely distinguish the shores of the cove at the distance of only a
cable's length.

The gale still blew hard on the 30th, and indeed increased so much atSund.30.
night as to render it expedient to strike the lower yards, and send the top-
gallant masts on deck. This continued with little intermission during the October.
1st of October, when some small rain fell, which immediately freezing made ^ °°"
the decks and ropes as smooth and slippery as if coated with glass. The
mercury in the barometer stood at 29.36 inches at noon, being its mimimim
during this gale ; it then gradually rose, though the v/ind continued widi
equal or even increased violence for more than six and thirty hours after-
wards. The thermometer had for several days past permanently fallen below
the freezing point, and sometimes as low as 20° at night ; which change,
together with the altered appearance of the land, and the rapid formation
of young ice near the shores, gave pretty evident notice of the approach
of winter. The commencement of this dreary season in these regions,
may indeed, be fairly dated from the time when the earth no longer
receives and radiates heat enough to melt the snow which falls upon it.
When the land is once covered with this substance, so little calculated to

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's Ship
Fury, during the Month of September, 1821.

Pcmperature of Aii
in Shade. ,

1

Barometer.

Prevail
Mind

ing
s.

Prevailing
M'eather.

Oaj

I'laie.

.-Maxi-
mum.

Mini,
uium.

Mcnn.

Mali.

Mini,
mum.

Men.

DiTfction.

Velocity.

1 -

Off

O

+12

^^^7 -

^39.25

o
32.25

incbc*

29.80

iiicht&

29.56

inrhrs

W.718

a.m. Wcstl
p.m. SbW;

light

fine

2

Sturj;es
liourne

39

30

35.58

31.40

29.93

29.50

29.703

NW

fresh

fine

3 -

Islands.

37

28

32.92

31.33

30.01

29.93

29.980

WbN

fresh

fine

5

iOffSouth-
• aniptoii
S l.sUind,

40
31

31
31

33.87
32.67

31.33

31.58

30.00
29.73

29.80
29.56

29.930
29.652

a.m. VVbSI
p.m. SSE )

KbS

light
fresh

cloudy
cloudy

0 -

37

33

35.75

33.51

29.53

29.40

29.448

SSK

liKht )
&: calms)

hazy

7

37

32

31.16

33. S3

29.11

29.42

29.427

Southerly

ditto

ditto

S

37

33

35.00

33.67

29.01

29.15

29.525

SK

ight and
variable )

hazy and rain

0

3C

33

31.51

31.33

30.23

29.72

30.073

NW

light

fine

10

37

27

32.46

33.17

30.25

29.99

30.160

SE

niodt.

fine

11

3(>

30

33.67

33.12

29.92

29.78

29.818

KSK

modt.

squalls and cloudy

12

36

33

35.25

33.62

29.73

29.57

29.623

ESE

light

hazy and rain

13

40

33

35.92

33.25

29.61

29.57

29.588

Calm

hazy

11

37

32

31.58

30.67

29.93

29.70

29.817

NWbW

light

cloudy

15

36}

31

31.96

32.67

30.03

29.97

30.005

NWbW

light

cloudy

16

At

35

30

32.16

33.51

30.12

30.03

30.075

NbW

modt.

cloudy

17

anchor

28

23}

26.54

30.92

30.30

30.13

30.198

NbW

fresh

cloudy

IS

. in

31

24

28.42

32.42

30.41

30.30

30.375

WNW

modt.

cloudy

19

Ljon

33

25

29.04

33.00

30.10

30.37

30.378

NE

light

fine

:;o

Inlet.

31

24

27.17

32.42

30.37

30.29

30.330

South

modt.

cloudy

■21

"H

21

20.08

31.04

30.30

30.13

30.208

a.m. SbW)
p.m. NE 3

light 1
&; calms J

cloudy

22

32

27

29.12

32.00

30.08

30.02

30.043

NM'bN

modt.

cloudy and snow

23

29

2U

26.96

32.00

30.15

30.11

30.128

NbW

modt.

cloudy and snow

24

29

20

24.29

29.75

30.07

29.58

29.835

a.m. NbW
p.m.SWbS

modt.

cloudy and squalls

23

31

28

29.42

31 .01

29.56

29.47

29.507

SSW

modt.

cloudy and suiiw

2G

32

27

29.37

31.67

29.70

29.50

29.568

South

modt.

cloudy and snow

27

29

25

27.12

30.83

29.82

29.70

29.760

SbW

light

fine

2s

27

20

23.86

29.61

30.03

29.86

29.966

NEbE

modt.

cloudy

29

27

21

21.17

28.92

30.00

29.70

29.862

EbN

fresh

snow in squalls

30

2S§

26

26.92

30.33

29.63

29.48

29.588

East

strong

snow in squalls

42

20

31.0G

31.99

30.11

1

29.10

29.876

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 113

favour the absorption of heat, the frigorific process seems to be carried on '^^l.
with increased vigour, defining very clearly the change from summer to

winter, with little or no intermediate interval to which the name of autumn
can be distinctly assigned.

The gale continuing the same both in direction and force on the 2d, I Tuei. 2.
ordered the topmasts to be struck in the evening, being apprehensive of
starting the anchors during the night in some of the violent squalls that blew
off the land ; and it was not till two P.M. on the 3d that the gale began to Wed. -i.
moderate. The evening was therefore employed in Adding the topmasts
and top-gallant-masts, and in other preparations for moving ; and on the fol-
lowing morning, having cast by hawsers fastened to the rocks, we left the Thur.4.
cove at eight A.M. A boat being kept ahead to sound, discovered and
enabled us to avoid another rocky shoal with twelve feet water upon it, and
only a yard or two in breadth, lying a little to the northward of our former
track into the cove.

The anchorage we had now left, and which from the security it had
afforded us obtained the name of Safety Cove, lies in lat. 66° 31' 59", and
in longitude, by chronometers, 83° 48' 54", being in the north-eastern corner
of a considerable bend in the coast, which seems to be full of dangerous
rocks and shoals, mostly covered by the tide, and is therefore distinguished
on the chart as the Bay of Shoals. There Averc considerable flocks of
the long-tailed duck feeding on the innumerable shrimps (cancer iiugajc, of
Phipps's Vol/.) with which the sea swarmed in all this neighbourhood. The
ground being almost wholly covered with snow, our examination of the natu-
ral productions was necessarily much limited : the rocks were however prin-
cipally of gneiss, and a fine specimen of asbestous actynolite was brought on
board from a large mass of that substance.

As soon as we had cleared the shoals, all sail was made along-shore to the
south-east. We found the ice closely packed against the high western land,
and as we advanced it gradually led us in towards the eastern shore till, at
half-past eleven A.M., when we had sailed about ten miles from the cove, no
passage could be seen from the crow's nest between the land and the ice.
Soon after noon, therefore, Captain Lyon and myself, accompanied by a second
boat from each ship, went in-shore to look for a place in which we might
remain till the ice had drifted farther down the inlet. We soon succeeded
in discovering a roadstead secure enough from wind and sea, but open to the
ice in the event of its taking a turn that way. As however it was necessary

Q

114 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821.
October.

either to run this risk or to return a part of the distance sailed in the morning,
we anchored at three P.M. in seven fathoms, on a muddy bottom, being
sheltered by a point of land to the southward, and by an island to the north.

Prid. 5. The ice at the time of our anchoring was a mile and a half distant, and
seemed to be fast driving out of the inlet. About midnight however the
whole body was observed to be coming in upon the ships. The cables
being immediately veered to prevent the anchors starting, the holding-
ground proved so good that they did not move. The Hccla rode a very
great strain, the floe-pieces being heavy and too large to find their way past
us. Fortunately however the pressure of the ice relaxed soon after, and
it then moved out again ; so that not the smallest damage was sustained by
either ship. The wind freshening up from the northward, the ice again
acquired good way out of the inlet in the course of the day ; and I was glad
to find, in the afternoon, that the prospect from the hills was somewhat more
promising than before. We endeavoured to get fresh Avater on shore here,
but found all the ponds, which were indeed shallow, hard frozen to the
bottom. The ground was mostly covered with snow ; but in some places on
the rocks it had been in part dissolved, and then frozen again into a cake of
smooth transparent ice, which made the walking very slippery. On every
smaller stone also, and round the decayed stalk of each plant that protruded
through the snow, a knob of the same substance was formed, and these reflect-
ing the rays of an unclouded sun had a very brilliant effect. This appearance
seemed to us worth noticing, as it shewed the difference between this climate
and that of a more northern latitude where, after the snow has once fallen,
the sun's rays have not power to produce the slightest appearance of glazing
on the surface till late in the spring. A flock of five ptarmigans and the track
of a bear were seen. Captain Lyon and myself also distinctly saw a hawk,
whose plumage appeared quite white, being the only instance in which such
a bird was met with. The thermometer being at 15° at six in the morning,
and rising only to 17° at two P.M., much young ice was formed inshore.
Every attention was paid to the clothing of the ships' companies at this
period when, from the suddenness of the change of temperature, and the
necessity of frequent exposure, there is perhaps as much to apprehend in
this respect as at almost any other time of the year.

Sat. 6. The ships were under way at a quarter past six on the morning of the 6th,
the wind being fresh from the N.b.W. and the thermometer as low as 11°.
The ships' bends were now so coated with ice about the water-line, that we

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 115

had to beat and cut it off to prevent its impeding their way. We then ran r^^^V'
along Avithout obstruction till we had passed Cape Edwards when, in ^>'v>J
hauling up for the south point of the island we were desirous of round-
ing, we found the sea covered with " pancake ice," which however being
thin and easily moved among its several component parts, does not offer
any considerable impediment. As we advanced along the south side of the
island, the young ice began to occur more in continuous sheets, and as
these had in many parts been broken, and overlaid each other in the
manner already described *, the obstruction soon became greater. To-
wards noon we had approached the south-east point of the island, where
we found the packed ice stretching close in with the shore. As the
management of the ships could no longer be depended on, hampered as
they were by the young ice, it was needless at present to attempt passing
the point : we therefore hauled up towards a bay which here very oppor-
tunely presented itself, and in which I determined to await some change if
anchorage could be met with. As soon as we had opened the bay, and a
passage could be found for the boats through the young ice, I went in to
sound it, accompanied by Captain Lyon, and finding the depth regular and
the ground good, anchored the ships at three P.M. in six to seven fathoms.
The water was here so clear that the man in the chains was somewhat
alarmed by seeing the bottom when in nine fathoms and a half, and at our
anchorage a shilling might have been easily seen upon the ground. The
soundings on the south side of this island we found remarkably regular,
presenting a striking contrast with the coast we had lately left. We had
above thirty fathoms at two miles' distance, and the water shoaled very
gradually as we approached the western point of the bay, where we had tey
fathoms within two ships' lengths of the grounded ice, which here as well
as all round the shores of the bay occurred in unusually heavy masses.

Mr. Ross being sent on shore to examine the state of the ice on the other
side of the point, reported on his return that there was a narrow channel
between the floes and the land, but no anchoring-place in case of our being
stopped. There being now only an hour's daylight remaining, the young
ice fast increasing, and a strong tide running in the offing, I was obliged to
relinquish the idea of moving till the morning.

At daylight on the 7th I despatched Mr. Crozier to the point, beyond Sun. 7.

♦ Narrative of the Voyage of 1819-20, p. 90.

Q 2

116 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

o'f'b ''^h'ch, at the distance of one mile, he found the whole body of ice close in
v.^,-s^ with the land, appearing very thick and heavy as far as could be seen to
the north-eastward. After divine service I sent Lieutenant Rcid for the same
purpose, when I was glad to find that our passage was now only obstructed
by a body of ice a mile and a half in breadth, beyond which a great deal of
clear water appeared ; and as this ice was in rapid motion to the southward,
there seemed every chance of our being enabled to push on in the morning.
The bay ice round the ships was just thick enough to bear a man's weight,
but that in the offing was much thinner, and in many places the surface of the
sea was still clear of it.

The thermometer gradually fell to 10° after midnight, and to zero at six

Mon. 8. A.M. on the 8th. An hour before day-break Lieutenant Rcid again left the
ship, to give us information of the state of the ice round the point, with-
out which it Avould have been imprudent to quit our present anchorage.
In the mean time the sails were set and the cables hove short in readi-
ness for moving, the instant he should make the appointed signal from the
hill. To our great disappointment however no signal appeared ; and Lieu-
tenant Reid acquainted me on his retuni, that the ice in one solid and
unbroken " pack," to which he could see no end, closed completely in with
the beach, at a shoal and open bay on the east side of the island. The
ice now beginning also to approach the ships, I directed the anchors to be
weighed and lines to be run out towards the eastern side of the bay,
which appeared to offer rather the best security against its approach. In
this the boats at length succeeded, and the ships were accordingly removed,
while Captain Lyon and myself landed and walked to the northward, in
order to obtain a more distinct and extensive view of the position of the ice in
that quarter. Having reached a hill about three miles to the northward of
the ships, we could perceive that there was scarcely a pool of clear water
among the ice, which filled the space between us and the main land. The
only part of the sea in sight unoccupied by " old" ice was along the south
shore of the island, and this was almost entirely covered with bay-floes,
through which a ship could not possibly have made her way.

The formation of young ice upon the surface of the water is the circum-
stance which most decidedly begins to put a stop to the navigation of these
seas, and warns the seaman that his season of active operations is nearly at
an end. It is indeed scarcely possible to conceive the degree of hinderance
occasioned by this impediment, trifling as it always appears before it is

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 117

encountered. When the sheet has acquired a thickness of about half an inch, '^^l.
and is of considerable extent, a ship is liable to be stopped by it unless fa- \^r»J
voured by a strong and free wind ; and even when still retaining her way
through the water, at the rate of a mile an hour, her course is not always
under the control of the helmsman, though assisted by the nicest attention
to the action of the sails, but depends on some accidental increase or
decrease in the thickness of the sheet of ice, with which one bow or the
other comes in contact. Nor is it possible in this situation for the boats to
render their usual assistance, by running out lines or otherwise ; for having
once entered the young ice, they can only be propelled slowly through it
by digging the oars and boat-hooks into it, at the same time breaking it
across the bows, and by rolling the boat from side to side. After continuing
this laborious Avork for some time with little good effect, and considerable
damage to the planks and oars, a boat is often obliged to return the same
way that she came, backing out in the canal thus formed to no purpose. A
ship in this helpless state, her sails in vain expanded to a favourable breeze,
lier ordinary resources failing, and suddenly arrested in her course upon
the element through which she has been accustomed to move without re-
straint, has often reminded me of Gulliver tied down by the feeble hands of
Lilliputians ; nor are the struggles she makes to effect a release, and the
apparent insignificance of the means by which her efforts are opposed, the
least just or the least vexatious part of the resemblance.

When to the ordinary difficulties which the navigation of the Polar Seas
presents were superadded the disadvantages of a temperature at or near
zero, its necessary concomitant the young ice, and twelve hours of darkness
daily, it was impossible any longer to entertain a doubt of the expediency
of immediately placing the ships in the best security that could be found
for them during the winter, rather than run the risk of being pennanently
detached from the land, by an endeavour to regain the continent. Captain
Lyon being of the same opinion with myself, we proceeded on our return
to the beach to sound the north-eastern part of the bay, by making holes
in the ice which was now strong enough to bear us. We were in hopes of
receiving effectual shelter from the numerous grounded masses, but could
only find births within one of them in five to six fathoms water. We
now for the first time icalked on board the ships ; and before night had
them moved into their places, by sawing a canal for two or three hundred
yards through the ice. The average thickness of the new floe was already

118 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. three inches and a quarter; but being in some places much less, several

October.

officers and men fell in and, from the difficulty of getting a firm place to rest
on, narrowly escaped a more serious inconvenience than a thorough wetting.
The whole sheet of ice, even in those parts which easily bore a man's
weight, had a waving motion under the feet, like that of leather or any other
tough flexible substance set afloat ; a property which is I believe peculiar to
salt-water ice.

In reviewing the events of this our first season of navigation, and consi-
dering what progress we had made towards the attainment of our main
object, it was impossible, hoAvever trifling that progress might appear upon
the chart, not to experience considerable satisfaction. Small as our actual
advance had been towards Behring's Strait, the extent of coast newly dis-
covered and minutely explored in pursuit of our object, in the course of the
last eight weeks, amounted to more than two hundred leagues, nearly half
of which belonged to the continent of North America. This service, not-
withstanding our constant exposure to the risks which intricate, shoal, and
unknown channels, a sea loaded with ice, and a rapid tide concurred in pre-
senting, had providentially been effected without injury to the ships, or
suffering to the officers and men ; and we had now once more met with tole-
rable security for the ensuing wintor, when obliged to relinquish further
operations for the season. Above all, however, I derived the most sincere
satisfaction from a conviction of having left no part of the coast from Repulse
Bay eastward in a state of doubt as to its connexion with the continent. And
as the mainland now in sight from the hills extended no farther to the east-
ward than about a N.N.E. bearing, we ventured to indulge a sanguine hope
of our being very near the north-eastern boundary of America, and that the
early part of the next season -would find us employing our best efforts in
pushing along its northern shores.

-^r

i f

)

ux

ft^"i»

_ _^ --■^^■'^TsaatafcTjEa&frjiaaiisa

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 119

CHAPTER VI.

PRECAUTIONS FOR THE SECURITY OP THE SHIPS AND THEIR STORES AND FOR THE

HEALTH AND COMFORT OP THE CREWS ESTABLISHMENT OF THEATRICAL ENTER-
TAINMENTS AND SCHOOLS ERECTION OF AN OBSERVATORY AND HOUSE ON SHORE

STATE OF HEALTH AT THIS PERIOD PARTIAL DISRUPTION OP THE ICE IN THE BAY

ANCHORS AND CABLES TAKEN TO THE SHORE GRADUAL INCREASE OP COLD, AP-
PEARANCE OP THE AURORA BOREALIS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND VARIOUS OTHER
METEOROLOGICAL PHENOMENA TO THE CLOSE OP THE YEAR 1821.

Our operations at sea being now at an end for the season, my chief attention 18-21.
was directed to the security of the ships, and to the various internal arrange- \^i^^'
ments which experience suggested as necessary for the preservation of clean-
liness, health, and comfort during the winter, as well as for the economical
expenditure of the provisions, fuel, and other stores.

The situation which circumstances obliged us to put up with for our
winter-quarters, was by no means as secure as could have been wished. The
bay, though as fine a roadstead as could have been desired if situated in a
temperate climate, was still only a roadstead ; and, being entirely open to
the south, was exposed to a pressure from ice in that direction, unless
the solid floe now about to be formed round the ships should shortly become
sufficient to guard them from external injury. There was some reason,
however, to doubt the efficacy of this protection ; for, as the spring-tides
approached, the numerous grounded masses around the shores of the bay began
to evince symptoms of instability, one or two having fallen over and others
turned round ; so that these masses might be looked upon rather as dangerous
neighbours, likely to create a premature disruption of the ice, than as the
means of security which, in seas not subject to any considerable rise of tide,
they had so often proved to us on former occasions. To these circumstances
was added our uncertainty whether very high tides, during the winter, might
not crack the ice, thereby exposing the ships to the double danger of being

120 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. «< nipped " about their water-line, and of being drifted out of the bay by north-
erly gales. That which was, however, perhaps the most to be apprehended
was the possibility of the shipg being forced into shoal water, without de-
taching themselves from the mass of ice cemented to their bends, the weight
of which, hanging upon the sides of a ship left aground by the tide, could not
but produce very serious injury.

Such were the principal contingencies to which we were liable, and which,
though we happily escaped them all, rendered our present situation an ex-
periment I would willingly have dispensed with trying. As a measure of
precaution we began by removing the ships into rather deeper water, by
cutting the ice astern, so that they now lay in full six fathoms at low water.
Several hawsers were also secured to the grounded masses ahead of the
ships, and the chain-cables kept bent till some idea, could be formed of the
dependence to be placed on the ice, under the various circumstances of wind
and tide that might occur. The disposition of the masts, yards, and sails
was next determined on. The fore and main-top masts were kept fidded,
the top-gallant-masts (except the Fury's main one, which was kept up for the
electrometer-chain,) were struck, the lower yards got down to the housing,
the topsail-yards, gaff, jib-boom, and spritsail-yard remaining in their proper
places. The topsails and courses were kept bent to the yards, the sheets
being unrove, and the clues tucked in. The rest of the bending-sails were
stowed on deck to prevent their thawing during the winter ; and the spare
spars were lashed over the ships' sides, to leave a clear space for taking ex-
ercise in bad weather.

In these arrangements I had kept in view a determination to send nothing
out of the ships during the winter, as well to avoid the possibility of loss by
robbery should any natives visit us, as to prevent a great deal of unnecessary
wear and tear, incurred, on a former occasion, in the removal of stores to and
from the shore. With the same view, it was my first intention to keep all the
boats hanging at the davits, but the carpenter of the Fury having represented
their liability to injury by frost, if not protected by a covering of snow, I then
proposed placing them on the ice near the ships. This plan however I was
also induced subsequently to relinquish, from our ignorance of the effect
likely to be produced upon the ice by the winter's tides, and we therefore
hauled them on shore and, placing their gear in them, covered them with snow.

About the time of our arrival in the bay, when the thermometer had fallen
nearly to zero, the condensation of vapour upon the beams of the lower deck.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 121

and in the cabins near the hatchways, commenced just as it had done at a '^'^*-

... , ^ ^ .,.•,• .•!•,• October.

similar temperature before. To remedy this evil, no time was lost in lighting ...^v^
a fire in the warming-stove upon the orlop-deck, every thing being previously
moved from its neighbourhood that was likely to create danger. The iron
tanks in the main hatchway were laid bare on the top, and the interstices
between them filled with sand, to form a secure platform in front of the iire ;
and the sail-room bulk-heads and stancheons covered with sheet copper.
Four steady men, of whom one was a petty officer, were appointed to attend
the fire in regular watches, being made responsible for the due expenditure
of the fuel, and for the safety of every thing about the stove. They had
likewise particular charge of the fire-engine, buckets, and two tanks of
water, all of which were kept in the hatchway in constant readiness in case
of accidents. In addition to these precautions, some general regulations
were established for stationing the officers and men in the event of fire ;
and a hole was directed to be kept open in the ice alongside each ship, to
ensure at all times a sufficient supply of water.

In twelve hours after lighting the stove not a drop of moisture remained.
The stream of air in the vessel on the lower deck was rapid, constant, and
above 120° of Fahrenheit ; that in the cabins near the apparatus about 100°,
and at the end of the flue in my cabin, at the distance of forty-six feet from
the air-vessel, it rose to 65° on the first evening, and on the two following
days to 70° and 72°. The mean temperature of the atmosphere at this time
was a few degrees above zero. To prevent the flues which were of sheet
iron from parting too readily with their heat, the most exposed parts, espe-
cially about the opening of the hatchway-door, were coated with fearnought,
a kind of woollen stuff which, from its slowly-conducting property, was con-
sidered well calculated to retain the warmth, and thus to convey some por-
tion of it to the after-cabins*. The quantity of coals for which this stove
was purposely constructed was five pecks, or a bushel and a quarter, per day ;

* This apparatus completely answered the purpose of keeping up a uniform and comfort-
able temperature on the lower-deck throughout the winter, as wiU appear by the column
inserted for that purpose in the Meteorolngical Abstracts. The mean temperature shewn in
this column, viewed in connexion with that next to it, containing the temperature of the
atmosphere, is a good proof of the efficacy of this mode of warming the deck.

For the warming of the cabins abaft the main-mast, it was by no means so efficacious.
This defect was in some measure anticipated, from the impracticability of placing the stove
lower in the ship, so as to increase the rapidity of the current of air.

R

122 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

'^21. ijut by way of experiment we now commenced with a proportion of only
vrf-rw ' four pecks, with which a constant fire was kept up throughout the twenty-
four hours ; and this quantity was subsequently found sufficient during the
whole of this winter.

The provisions supplied to the Expedition were calculated to last, at full
allowance, for a period of three years from the preceding 1st of July, the
day the transport left us ; but as, in case of our passing three winters in the
ice, and at length effecting our object, it would be absolutely necessary to
extend our resources to the close of the year 1824, such arrangements were
now commenced as were requisite for that purpose. Such indeed was the
unbounded liberality with which all our supplies had been furnished, particu-
larly in the important article of Donkinand Gamble's preserved meats, which
contain great nutriment in a small bulk, that by a judicious scale previously
made out by Mr. Hooper, it was only necessary to adopt, during the inactive
season of each winter, a reduction of one-third of the usual proportion of bread
and spirits, and of one-sixth of the ordinary allowance of sugar. This reduc-
tion could hardly be considered a privation, for the bread was still sufficient,
and the spirits much more than enough, for men who had no very laborious
duties to perform.

The regulations for the maintenance of due cleanliness among the ships'
companies were principally the same as those established on the preceding
voyage. The superior warmth, however, which we could now command
between decks, rendered the drying of the clothes and the airing of the
bedding a matter of comparative facility ; while the comfort the men expe-
rienced from sleeping in hammocks, instead of standing bed-places, now be-
came so apparent, that the prejudice at first existing among them on this
score soon wore off. This prejudice had indeed principally arisen from the
daily removal and replacing of the hammocks, a trouble which, perhaps,
occupied each man ten minutes- in the twenty-four hours, but which was not
necessary with the bed-places. This very circumstance, however, is perhaps
what constitutes the chief superiority of one plan over the other ; the ventila-
tion of the inhabited j)arts of the ship being thus materially promoted, and
the bedding removed during the whole day from the possibility of imbibing
moisture from the victuals, breath, and other sources.

While care was thus taken to adopt all the physical means within our reach,
for the maintenance of health and comfort among the crews, recourse was
also had to some of a moral nature, which experience has shewn to be useful

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 123

auxiliaries in the promotion of these desirable objects. It would perhaps, f^^V'
indeed, be difficult to imagine a situation in which cheerfulness is more to be
desired, or less likely to be maintained, than among a set of persons (and
those persons seamen too,) secluded for an uncertain and indefinite period
from the rest of the world ; having little or no employment but that which is
in a manner created to prevent idleness, and subject to a degree of tedious
monotony ill according Avith their usual habits. It was not, however, simply
as a general principle, applicable in a greater or less degree to all situations
and societies, that the preservation of cheerfulness and good-humour was in
our case particularly desirable, but as immediately connected with the pre-
vention of that disease to which our crews were most liable, and Avhich in-
deed, in all human probability, we had alone any cause to dread. The
astonishing effects produced by the passions of the mind, in inducing or
removing scorbutic symptoms, are too well known to need confirmation, or to
admit doubt ; those calculated to excite hope, and to impait a sensation of
pleasure to the mind, having been invariably found to aid in a surprising
manner the cure of this extraordinary disease, and those of an opposite na-
ture to aggravate its fatal malignity. As a source therefore of rational amuse-
ment to the men, soon after our arrival, I proposed to Captain Lyon and the
officers of both ships once more to set on foot a series of theatrical enter-
tainments, from which so much benefit in this way had, on a former occasion,
been derived. This proposal was immediately and unanimously acquiesced
in ; Captain Lyon obligingly undertook to be our manager and, some pre-
paration having been made for this purpose previous to leaving England,
every thing was soon arranged for performing a play on board the Fury once
a fortnight. In this, as in more important matters, our former experience
gave many useful hints. Our theatre was now laid out on a larger and more
commodious scale, its decorations much improved and, what was no less es-
sential both to actors and audience, a more efficient j)lan adopted for warm-
ing it, by which we succeeded in keeping the temperature several degrees
above zero on each night of performance throughout the winter*.

To furnish rational and useful occupation to the men, on the other evenings,

* While on the subject of our plays, I cannot omit to mention tliat just before we left
England, a large and handsome phantasmagoria or magic lantern had been presented to me
for the use of the Expedition, by a lady who persisted in keeping her name a secret to those
whom she was thus ser^dng. This apparatus, which was excellent of its kind, was frequently

R 2

124 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. a school was also established under the voluntary superintendence of Mr.
Halse, for the instruction of such of the men as were willing to take advan-
tage of this opportunity of learning to read and write, or of improving in
those acquirements. The same plan was adopted on board the Hecla, Ben-
jamin White, one of the seamen wlio had been educated at Christ Church
school, volunteering to officiate as school-master. Tables were setup for the
purpose in the midship part of the lower deck ; some of the men already thus
qualified undertook the task of assisting in the instruction of their shipmates,
and thus were about twenty individuals belonging to each ship occupied
every evening from six till eight o'clock. I made a point of visiting the
school occasionally during the winter, by way of encouraging the men in
this praise-worthy occupation, and I can safely say that I have seldom
experienced feelings of higher gratification than in this rare and interesting
sight.

Wliile these internal arrangements were making, the interests of science
were not neglected. A day or two after our arrival Mr. Fisher and myself
selected a spot for the portable observatory, which was immediately erected
for the purpose of making magnetic observations ; and as soon as the car-
penters could be spared from the necessary duties of the ships, a house was
built for the reception of the instruments requisite in conducting the other
observations and experiments. A portion of the house was, by Mr. Fisher's
suggestion, parted off as an observatory, having slits to open in the roof and
sides in the direction of the meridian. This method was considered likely
to be especially useful in a series of observations for the atmospheric refrac-
tion, which Mr. Fisher proposed making at low temperatures, and which on
account of the difficulties attending the use of the repeating-circle, and of
most other instruments in severely cold weather, it was scarcely possible to
do, except in the neighbourhood of a warm apartment. The house was built
of our spare boat-plank, the sides, which were double and filled with sand
between, being fixed to capstan bars set upright, and sunk two feet into the
ground, which we foi\nd quite loose and dry for about thirty inches below
the surface ; beyond that depth it was frozen almost as hard as a rock, re-
quiring extreme labour in digging into it. The larger apartment, in which a

resorted to during this and the succeeding winter ; and I am happy to avail myself of this
mode, the only one in my power, of thanking our benefactress and assuring her that her
present afforded a fund of amusement fully answering her kind intentions.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 125

stove was placed, could at all times be kept at a high temperature, but the I821.
observ'atory-part when the slits were open derived of course but little ad- ^,^^
vantage in this way ; and Mr. Fisher in vain endeavoured to keep his clock
going in it, when it would have been most convenient as well as most interest-
ing to have done so. The house was also of service for receiving the che-
mical apparatus, and materials furnished for certain experiments recommended
by a committee of the Royal Society, as well as for conducting those experi-
ments whenever circumstances would permit during the winter-months. The
electrometer-chain was hoisted up to the Fury's masthead, the point of pla-
tina being one hundred and twelve feet above the level of the sea, and the
lower end secured to the ice several yards from the ship's side. As the
usual method of hoisting it up at sea, attached to a line of the same length
by means of a number of short glass rods, appeared an uncertain mode of
insulating the chain, a more effectual plan suggested by Mr. Fisher was
afterwards adopted. A long plank being firmly secured up and down the
royal-mast, several glass rods three or four feet apart were fixed to it hori-
zontally : the links being attached to the outer ends of these as a support,
the line was altogether removed ; so that when the lower end of the chain
was fastened also by glass rods, the whole was kept free from contact and
thus eifectually insulated. A tide-pole marked to feet and inches was drop-
ped through the fire-hole, and firmly moored to the bottom by a heavy weight ;
and an accurate account of the time and height of the tides registered in a
table in the log-book throughout the winter.

It was a matter of sincere satisfaction to observe the excellent health en-
joyed by our people at this time, as well as the various comforts which were
likely to ensure its continuance. The only man on the Fury's sick-list was
John Reid, carpenters' mate, who, in consequence of a severe cold and cough
occasioned by exposing himself when overheated by work, had been for
several weeks confined with an inflammatory complaint, which threatened to
be of a very serious and alarming nature. He was just at this time in some
respects better, having nearly lost the cough, but was still in a delicate and
precarious state. Every possible attention was paid to the dryness, warmth,
and ventilation of the sick-bay, in which a fire was kept alight during a part
of the day, and subsequently, as the cold increased, during the whole of the
twenty-four hours, preserving a high and equable temperature of about 60°.
This and other arrangements for the convenience of the sick rendered it
little less comfortable than the ward of a regular hospital.

October

126 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

^tAhir Soon after our arrival here, Captain Lyon expressed a wish that his
officers and men, with himself, should attend divine service on board the
Fury, (luring the continuance of the ships in winter-quarters. This arrange-
ment, which Mr. Fisher concurred with me in thinking in every respect
desirable, was accordingly made, and wc formed one congregation for the
rest of the winter. Our lower-<leck afforded abunrlanco of accommodation
in this respect ; some psalm tunes, which had been purposely set upon an
organ, were played at the proper intervals of the service, and our little
church formed a pleasing and interesting scene to such as are disposed to be
interested by scenes of this nature.

Our people were sent out to walk for exercise whenever the weather was
favourable, and the duties of the ships did not afford them sufficient em-
ployment; care being taken to keep them together, under an officer, and to
furnish them with proper arms. Finger-posts were also erected, as before,
in various parts of the island near the bay, for the purpose of directing per-
sons to the ships if surprised by snoAv-drifts.

The weather continued wintery and inclement from the time of our arrival
in the bay ; but the rapid equinoctial spring-tides coming on soon after,
prevented the permanent freezing of the sea in the offing. The sheet of
ice which had formed in the bay was also in part detached by one of the
boats having been hauled over it, her keel leaving a score which, like those
on glass made by the scratch of a diamond, caused it to separate just in
that place : a fresh sheet was however formed in the course of eight and
forty hours, which appeared sufficient to secure us from external pressure.
The flood-tide was observed to come from the north-east and to set, at
.spring-tides, at the rate of two miles and a half an hour. The phenomenon
called frost smoke, or the " barber," being the vapour arising from the
sea, rendered visible by condensation, made its appearance when the ther-
mometer sunk to 2° or 3° below zero, but at that temperature of the atmo-
sphere it was not very dense.

Before the ships were permanently frozen in, several black whales came
up to blow in the small pools left open by our cutting the ice. As a
supply of oil would have been particularly acceptable just at this period,
every endeavour was made to strike one of them, but without success ; the
young ice preventing the boats from approaching them notwithstanding
the ardour of our Greenland sailors in this pursuit.

I have before mentioned the myriads of small shrimps, Chancer migax,J

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 127

which for some Aveeks past had been observed near the surface of the ^'®'^'-

* . October.

sea. These insects were found to be still as numerous as ever m any >.*v^^
hole we made in the ice ; and such was the extreme avidity with which
they immediately seized upon any meat put overboard, to thaw or
soak for the sake of freshness, that Captain Lyon to-day sent me a goose '
to look at, belonging to the officers of the Hecla, that had been thus
deposited within their reach only eight and forty hours, and from which
they had eaten every ounce of meat, leaving only a skeleton most deli-
cately cleaned. Our men had before remarked that their meat suffered
unusual loss of substance by soaking, but did not know to what cause to
attribute the deficiency. We took advantage however of the hunger of
these depredators to procure complete skeletons of small animals, for pre-
servation as anatomical specimens, enclosing them in a net or bag with
holes, to which the shrimps could have access, but which prevented the
loss of any of the limbs, should the cartilage of the joints be eaten. For
want of this latter precaution some specimens were at first rendered im-
perfect.

A thermometer placed in the sun at noon to-day stood at 32°, that in the
shade being at 5°. In the course of the afternoon I witnessed, for the
third time in my life, that peculiar and delicate colouring of the clouds
which I have endeavoured to describe in my narrative of the last voyage, on
the 16th and 29th of April, 1820. The red tint was, as on both those occa-
sions, nearest to the sun, and the clouds on which the colours were exhi-
bited were passing within four or five degrees of that object. ■'

We were occupied about this time in getting to hand in the holds theWcr; 17.
supply of provisions that would be required for the next six months, in
order to prevent the necessity of opening the hatches oftener than once a
week ; an arrangement which was found extremely conducive to the clean-
liness of the lower-deck, as well as to that of the men personally. While
doing this, the opportunity was taken to place all the lemon-juice, pickles,
cranberries, and any other articles liable to damage by frost, as nearly
amidships as possible. A single cask of lemon-juice was however left in
contact with the ship's side as an experiment, of which some account will
be given in another place. Mr. Hooper having exposed a portion of this
rtuid to a low temperature on deck, observed it to congeal, when a ther-
mometer immersed in it stood at 25°, into a thick but soft consistence not
sufficiently solid to break a glass bottle.

128 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

o\^b^i Several white foxes had about this period been caught in traps set on

^-'^-N-' shore, and were kept on board by the officers, with the hope of taming-
them. Some account of these beautiful little animals is given in another
part of this winter's narrative. The thermometer rose as high as 21° on the

ihur. 18. morning of the ISth, and thick snow continued falling incessantly for many
hours ; this remained in a very soft state upon the ice, and clung quite fast to
the rigging, in both these respects differing essentially from what we had
experienced during any part of our stay at Melville Island. A pair of snow-
boots were now issued gratis to each individual in the Expedition, being
part of a stock of rxtra warm clothing liberally furnished by Government,
to be supplied to the officers and men, at my discretion, as occasion should
require. These boots were made of strong drab cloth with thick soles of
cork, the slowly conducting property of which substance, together with
their large size, allowing a free circulation to the blood, afforded the ut-
most comfort that could be desired. Boots or shoes of leather never retain
the warmth long, under circumstances of very severe exposure.

Fiid. 19. On the 19th we began to put on the housing-cloths for covering in the
upper decks, and thus ensuring a comfortable and sheltered place for
walking in any weather during the winter. These cloths were composed
of the same stout and serviceable material as before, but were now painted
of a light colour instead of black, under the idea, suggested by some scientific
gentlemen in London, of preventing in a certain degree the radiation of
heat. As it was a great convenience, as well as saving of candles, to admit
daylight by the cabin and gun-room skylights, during the three hours
which, even at the darkest period, we should have in this latitude, the
housing was not carriod the whole way aft, but finished by a screen a little
abaft the mainmast, which with a door at the gangway was found quite
sufficient for every useful purpose : a door with a pulley was also fixed
at the head and foot of each of the ladders communicating with the upper
deck. Instead of the planks used on the former voyage for resting the
housing-cloths upon, and which took up a great deal of room in the stowage,
we now substituted ropes, set up to the midship spars, and to others over
the ships' sides, after the manner of what seamen call " jack-stays," which
answered quite as well if not better than the other plan.

gjit 20 ^^ *^^ ^^^^' *^^ thermometer again fell to zero at ten A.M., and by mid-
night as low as — 10°, the temperature gradually decreasing as the wind
backed to the W.N.W. during the two last days. A spirit thermometer was

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 129

now substituted for the mercurial one, for registering the temperature of the 1821.
atmosphere ; and that of the sea, which always remained nearly the same in s-*-^->^'
the winter, was only taken occasionally in future.

On the 21st there was a considerable space of open water in the offing to Sun. 21.
the southward and eastward, from which a cloud of frost-smoke constantly
issued, driving like a fog with the wind. The ships' companies amused
themselves, in the course of their afternoon walk, with sliding upon the ice
in a pond, from which we were still able to procure water a couple of feet
below the surface, though the pond was not a deep one : this advantage
we enjoyed as late as the 26th of November, after which we had recourse
entirely to snow melted by artificial means. The thermometer falling to
— 13° in the course of the night, the ships' timbers began to crack a little, in
consequence of the freezing of the juices of the wood. I expected this to
have occurred in a greater degree with the Fury than with the Hecla, the
latter having been already seasoned to a cold climate ; but on inquiry I
understood the reverse to be the case, both during the present and the
succeeding winter. On the 23d there was a considerable snow-drift, the Tues. 22.
Avind blowing strong from the westward ; but the snow being less fine, and
not so easily raised by the wind, made the atmosphere much less thick than
in a higher northern latitude.

The wind veering to the S.E. on the 24th and 2.5th, the thermometer gra-Thur.25.
dually rose to -f23°. I may possibly incur the charge of affectation in stating,
that this temperature was much too high to be agreeable to tis ; but it is never-
theless the fact, that every body felt and complained of the change. We
had often before remarked, that considerable alterations in the temperature
of the atmosphere are as sensibly felt by the human frame, at a very low
part of the scale, as in the higher. The difference consists only in this, that
a change from —40° upwards to about zero is usually a very welcome one,
while from zero to the freezing-point, as in the instance just jdluded to,
it becomes to persons in our situation rather an inconvenience than
otherwise. This may be more readily imagined, by considering that our
clothing, bedding, fires, and other precautions against the severity of the
climate, having been once adapted to a low degree of cold, an increase of
temperature renders them oppressive and inconvenient ; while any reduction
(of the first two at least) is impracticable with Safety. To this must be
added, that at this temperature the snow becomes too soft for convenient
walking, and the accumulation of ice in the crevices and linings of the officers'

s

130 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

1821.
October.

cabins is converted into a source of extreme annoyance, which, while it
continues solid, is never experienced. It is true that these inconveniences
occur in a much greater degree in the spring; but being then hailed as the
harbingers of the return of permanent warmth, it is ca-sy to obviate some
and would be hard to c()mi)lain of any of them.

During the month of October the Aurora Borealis was occasionally seen,
though widi litUe brilliancy. From ten P.M. till midnight, on the 21st, it
was visible from S.E. to S.W., but most bright in the latter direction. The
light was principally stationary, but a few faint coruscations shot upwards
from it now and then. During the same hours on the 23d, it was seen near
the horizon from W.b.N. to S.W., having a tendency to form an irregular
arch, 4° or 5° high in the centre. It was generally stationary, and at times
tolerably bright, but upon the whole a poor display of this phenomenon.

Novem. The mild weather with which the month of October closed continued for

¥M 2 ^^^^ ^"'^^ *^^^ ^'^y^ "^ November. On the afternoon of the 2d, the wind
freshened up to a gale from the N.b.W., and before midnight the thermo-
meter had fallen to —5, which latter circumstance I mention here, as difter-
ing from what we had so often observed to take place at Melville Island, a
rise of wind there being generally accompanied by a simultaneous rise in

Sat. 3. tlie thermometer at low temperatures. The gale continued during the 3d,
with much snow-drift. The people were carefully kept on board during this
and every high wind throughout the winter, to avoid the possibility of
frost-bites.

Captain Lyon having represented to mc that a portion of biscuit in one of
the Ilccla's bread-rooms had been found damp and mouldy, I directed a
survey to be held on the whole, when four hundred and seventy-six pounds
were reported to be unfit for use. These bread-rooms consisted, as before
described, of a portion of the forehold divided off by bulkheads on each side
of the ship, for the purpose of stowing a certain quantity of bread in bulk
and thus increasing our resources. Notwithstanding the above-mentioned
loss, which was all that we sustained, and only amounted to eight days' pro-
portion for one ship, the plan jjroved a good one, as the gain in stowage
exceeded three months' bread for both.

Tues. 6. On the Gth, the wind blew strong -from the eastward with overcast*

* The word " ovei-cast" is meant to express a general obscui-ity of the azure colour of the
sky, but without any separate clouds, which indeed we had never liitherto seen during the

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's Ship
FuaT, during the Month of October, 182L

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

10

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Place.

•B

Temperatnre of Air
ia shade.

rjaxi- Mini-

muiB. Mean.

+32
31
2H
23
18
20
16
15
23
22
6
12
15
11
10
11
21
23
14
6
1
- 8

+ 5
5
23
23-1
24
22
2U
27
27

+32}

+29i
28
19
17
14
11

lo:

0
7
0

- 2
3

+ 3

- 2
2
1

+ 5
14

5
10
12
13

5

8
+ 5
22
22
12.i
15
20
20i

13

+30.50
29.71
25.00
19.25
10.12
15.37
13.12
8.04
18.12
11.17
2.07
6.62
10.33
3.71
5.42
3.17
12.07
18.92
9.58
- l.OS
C.33
10.17
0.25
+ 0.42
10.42
22.90
23.13
17.50
18.37
24.79
+22.07

+12.51

4> m

31.12

31.08
30.08
28.08
28.00
27.92
27.75

29.15

Barometer.

Masi.
mum.

inched.

29.44

29.03

29.83

29.82

29.87

29.03

29.99

30.07

29.85

29.80

29 89

29. RJ

29.91

29.84

29.95

30.14

29.94

29.40

29.53

29.70

29.70

29.99

30.04

30.13

29.73

29.38

29.00

29.74

29.05

29.00

29.80

30. U

Mini.

DIllCl.

Prevailing
Winds.

iiiche.^.

29.36

29.18

29.59

29.80

29.72

29.80

29.90

29.92

29.50

29.51

29.^0

29.74

29.77

29.77

29.77

30.05

29.40

29.20

29.31

29.50

29.70

29.70

29.99

29.90

29.35

29.30

29.40

29.01

29.55

29.50

29.00

29.20

Indies.

29.403

29.502

29.720

29.S07

29.788

29.895

29.933

30.018

29.077

29.650

29.e4.S

29.797

29.835

29.797

29.8C8

30.110

29.700

29.272

29.108

29.030

29.732

29.893

30.010

30.073

29.522

29.333

29.482

29.092

29.630

29.553

29.702

29.725

East.

East

NE

NbE
NbW

NNW
NNE
NNE

s^Y

NbE
NbE
NbW
NTjE
NbW
North
NNW
SE
S\V
WNW
NbW
NW
NW-

NNW

AM. NbWl
PM. ESEj

SE

ESE

ESE

NNE

NbE
NbE
North

[strong
fresh
fresh
modt
fresh
Ught
modt.
light
fresh
modt.
modt.
light
modt.
modt.
fresh
modt.
modt
light
fresh
modt
modt.
modt.
fresh
light
strong
modt
light
light
strong
fresh
light

Prevailing
Weather.

squally and rain

squally and snow

ditto and ditto

fine

fine

fine and clear

hazy and snow

fine and clear

cloudj'

cloudy and snow

fine and clear

hazy and snow

cloudy

fine and clear

cloudy

cloudy

cloudy ; snow at
times

cUm at times ; cloudy

fine

fine

cloudy

fine and clear

cloudy and snow

cloudy

cloudy with drift

cloudy

cloudy

cloudy

cloudy

cloudy with drift

calms ; cloudy and
snow

S 2

132 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. weather and considerable snow-drift. For several days about this period

v^pv'ita/ the weather continued remarkably mild, the thermometer {Generally rising as
high as from 4-20° to +28° in the course of the day, from the Gth to the
IGth. Most of our necessary arrangements for the security of the ships and
stores during the winter being now completed, the people were employed in
what they called " rigging the theatre," and on the evening of the 9th the
officers performed the play of the " Rivals," to the infinite amusement of
both ships' companies.

Sun. 11. At two P.M. on the 11th, it now being the time of spring-tides, we ob-
served a large crack in the ice near each of the ships, which on examination
was found to extend a considerable distance outside of them. As it appeared
very probable that a complete separation might take place, in which case the
ships would have been drifted out of the bay, several fresh hawsers were run

Mon. 12. out a-hcad and attached to the grounded masses. On the following day, in
order to obtain all the security in our power, some anchors and a bower-
cable were run out and fixed on the beach. This precaution soon appeared
no more than necessary, as half an hour before midnight the ice astern set
outwards, leaving a little canal eight inches wide at the crack made the
preceding day. By this disruption the ships were disengaged in part from
the ice to which their sides were attached, and came a little astern ; but for-
tunately nothing occurred to cause farther apprehension.

Tues. 13. On the 13th the Ilccla was secured to the shore in the same manner as the
Fury. Although the wind was from the south-east the day was beautifully
clear, which was the more striking as we had lately experienced a great
deal of overcast weather with northerly winds. About the time of sunset
this evening the sky presented a most brilliant appearance, the part next the
horizon for one or two degr<^cs being tinged of a bright red, above which
was a soft light blue, passing by an imperceptible gradation into a delicate
greenish hue.

Wed. 14. It being desirable occasionally to register a thermometer at a distance from
the influence of the ships, in order to compare it with the indications of that
in common use on board, a post was set up on the ice, and two correspond-
ing spirit-thermometers * selected for that purpose. The difference observed
between them will be noticed hereafter.

winter in these regions. Tlic kind of weather here alluded to is usually expressed in the Logs
and Meteorological Journals by the general term " hazy."

* In making this selection, we found, on comparing ten thermometers, (of which three

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 133

On the 17th several broad lanes of water were open in the offing, and the ^IH^^^

ice as usual in rapid motion on the eastern and south-eastern sides of the v^-v-^

Sat. 17.
island. A number of dovekies were swimming about off the point, and three

of them were killed by the Ilecla's people, but the tide floated them away.
On the 23d there were again several miles of clear water in the otfing. This Frid. 23.
always occurred to the greatest extent with a westerly breeze ; while the
wind from the opposite quarter, or with any southing, invariably forced the
ice close in with the shore. The frost smoke was to-day extremely dense,
rising about a degree above the horizon, so as completely to obscure objects
at that height, and at the distance of three or four miles. As the winter
advanced this occurred to a greater extent, the cloud being more dense, and
also rising higher whenever there was any open water in the offing. It
proved a considerable inconvenience to Mr. Fisher in the course of his ob-
servations in the winter, utterly precluding on most clear nights, which seldom
happened but with a westerly wind, his obtaining a sight of low stars for the
purpose of ascertaining the refraction at small altitudes. This evening the
officers performed the two farces of " Raising the Wind," and the " Mock
Doctor," for the amusement of the ships' companies.

The following meteorological phenomena are all that occurred worthy of
notice during the month of November, in addition to those already men-
tioned : At nine A.M. on the 5th a parhelion appeared on each side of the
sun, but very faint, and tinged only in a slight degree with the prismatic
colours. At thirty minutes past nine A.M. on the 15th, the weather being
rather cloudy, and a light breeze blowing from the southward, the electro-
meter was tried, and again at nine P.M. on the 16th, at which time the
Aurora Borealis, consisting of a stationary white light near the horizon, was
visible in the S.b.E. quarter of the heavens, but in neither case was the gold-
leaf in the slightest degree affected.

From ten A.M. till two P.M. on the 17th a halo appeared round the sun,,
its radius being 22° 40'. At eight in the evening the Aurora Borealis was
seen, consisting of a stationary light occupying a very small portion of the
heavens in the S.E.b.E. quarter, and close to the horizon, from which at
times vivid flashes shot across the zenith nearly to the opposite horizon.

were mercurial, and seven of alcohol) a difference of no less than 7i° between them, their
indications ranging between —22.5° and —30°. Two which indicated the mean of the whole
were taken for use. At higher temperatures tlie difference was found to be very inconsiderable.

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept

on board His Majesty's Shi

P

Flry

, at Winter Island, during the Month of November, 1821.

Day

Fall renheit'3
mometer

Ther-

k 4

a z ^

Barometer.

Prevailing
Winds.

Prevailing W^eather.

M«\i.

biiiin.

M mi-
ll] um.

Mfun.

Muxi-
niuni.

Mini.

muiu.

Mean.

Dirrcticn.

Velocity

1

n
+2i

+6

+20.25

o
04.7

inclif.

29.81

inclics 1 iiiclics

29.00 29.757

North

light

cloudy and snovr

2

21

C

13.08

00.0

29.54

29.3129.415

29.28 29.442

1

North

strong

cloudy and snow

3

- 8

14i

-11.90

02.0

29.00

NNW

fresh

squally and drift

4

+ 2

8

1.71

60.0

30.12

29.7329.932

WNW

modt.

fine

S

13

1

+ 1.33

05.0

30.18

30.09 30.152

NW

light

cloudy

6

22

+13

18.33

60.0

30.01

29.90 29.942

EbN

fresh

cloudy

7

22

19

20.07

09.5

29.90

20.7929.830

NEbE

modt.

cloudy

8

20

10

18.00

63.0

29.91

29.8129.837

NbE

modt.

cloudy

9

IC

15

15.08

ei.2

29.95

29.8429.893

NbE

modt.

cloudy

10

20

11

10.01

05 .2

30.12

29.96 30.017

NNE

,modt.

cloudy

11

28

15

21.90

70.3

30.01

29.88 29.930

NE

strong

hazy and considerable drift

12

28

2C|

27.50

04.2

29. SS

29.80 29.868

East

modt.

hazy

13

25

10

21.79

07.2

29.95

29.88 29.912

SE

modt.

cloudy

14

21

18

20.71

70.2

30.16

29.93 30.087

SW

modt.

cloudy

15

2fl

22

21. .50

70.0

30.19

30.17 30.182

South

light

cloudy

16

21

2|

9.12

70.6

30.10

30.13 30.143

North

modt.

cloudy

17

2

- 1

0.71

07.0

30.25

30.10 30.185

North

light

One

1«

5

+ 1

3.83

07.7

30.23

30.19 30.215

NNE

light

6ne

19

9

5

0.50

65.0

30.10

30.00 30.087

NNE

modt.

cloudy

20

15

G

10.17

07. S

30.25

30.10 30.1.35

North

light

cloudy and snow

21

13

5

9.00

60.5

30.40

30.27 30.337

NNE

light&
calm

cloudy

22

13

4

7.37

67.0

30.40

30.32

30.343

West

modt.

cloudy

23

s

-15

-3.25

65.7

30.30

30.20

30.287

NW

liglit

cloudy

24

- 3

13

7.42

07.0

30.27

29.98

30.087

NW

light

cloudy

25

+ 25

3

+0.08

07.5

29.98

29.85

29.920

sw

light

cloudy

26

3

17

-5.04

07.0

29.80

29.8229.835

NNW

modt.

cloudy

27

-10

1!)

17.42

04.5

30.00

29.87 29.933

NW

strong

fine and clear

2S

7

20

15. OS

07.0

30.15

30.00 30.078

NW

fresh

fine and clear

29

+ 5

5

+0.33

01.7

30.08

29.7029.960

West

strong

cloudy

30

U

S

4.92

04.0

29.74

29.03

29.078

Most

strong

cloudy

+28

-20

+7.75

00.1

30.40 29.2S29.!),S3
1 1

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 135

After ten P.M. the stationary light shifted more to the southward, and then ,,^^-'-

Novemb
gradually disappeared. At ten P.M. on the 18th this phenomenon assumed

a similar appearance in the S.b.W. quaiter. On the evening of the 23d the
Aurora Borealis made its appearance in the N.W., vivid coruscations shoot-
ing at times across the zenith to the opposite horizon. The gold leaf of the
electrometer was not perceptibly affected by it. On the morning of the 24th
it was again faintly seen in irregular streams of white light, extending from
the western horizon to the zenith: for several hours the same night also
this extraordinary phenomenon was visible from the south-east round by
south to west, being principally confined to a space about five degrees above
the horizon. The magnetic needle, which was attentively watched, was
not at all affected by any of these phenomena. On the 26th, both in the
morning and evening, the Aurora again appeared from south-east to south-
west, the brightest part being about ten degrees above the horizon,
and with pencils of rays shooting upwards towards the zenith. In almost
every instance it is observable that the light, however irregularly disposed
in other respects, has a tendency to assume an arch-like form ; but I think
a plane bisecting the arch would more generally have coincided with the
true than the magnetic meridian, in the phenomena we had here an opportu-
nity of observing. This was particularly the case on the morning of the 27th,
when at six A.M. the Aurora formed one broad continuous and well-defined
arch, its centre passing rather to the southward of the zenith, and its legs
appearing to rest upon the horizon at east and west. For several hours on
the evening of the 2ftth it was seen in the south-east, with rays darting ra-
pidly up nearly as high as the zenith. There is almost always one stationary
patch of light near the horizon, appearing, as it were, the source whence
the shifting or variable part of the phenomenon proceeds. It will be seen
from about this period how much more frequently the Aurora seemed to
issue from the south-eastern quarter than from any other during the rest of
the Avinter.

On the 1st of December there was a space of many miles in which none of Decemb.
tlie " old" ice was visible. The sea was here for the most part covered with ^'" '
a very thin sheet of " young" ice, probably the formation of a single day,
since the westerly wind had driven the floes off" the land. The whole of this
was in motion with the tide, which breaking the thin floes left several spaces
of clear water. It was observable tliat though a considerable frost-smoke
arose from the young ice, it was not so dense as that from the clear water.

136 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821.
Dccemb.

immediately over every pool of which a little thick cloud floated, correspond-
ing as well in size as in situation with the pool from whence it issued. A
niunber of dovckies were swimmins^ about the point ; and it being desirable
if possible to obtain some of them for the sake of ascertaining their j)lumage
at this season, we hauled the small boat over and launched her. Mr. Ross
succeeded in killing one of the birds which was preserved as a specimen, but
it was with great difficulty that the boat avoided being carried away from the
shore by the young ice. I was on this account afraid of repeating the attempt
during the rest of the winter. One grouse was seen on shore; it appeared
entirely white, except having its tail black near the tij).

I was this day under the necessity of closing in my stern dead-lights, and
fixing the cork-shutters between the double window-frames of my cabin, the
temperature having lately fallen rather low at night ; in consequence of which
one of the chronometers (No. 369 of Arnold) had stopped on the 2Gth of
November. We had before this time banked the snow up against the ships'
sides ; but it was now thrown higher, and its thickness at the bottom increased
to about four feet. Besides this a bed of snow, three feet deep, was subse-
quently laid on the deck, over my cabin, and also on the forecastle over the sick-
bay, to assist in retaining the w-armth in those parts of the ship, an office which
it seemed to perform very effectually. It was impossible, however, as the cold
increased, to keep up a tolerably comfortable temi)orafuv(' in the cabin, if the
fire was suffered to go out for several hours : for instance, the night after
the above arrangements had been made, the fire was out for only six hours;
and the consequence was, that the thermometer fell to 27°, and could be got
Sun. 2. no higher the following day. in the after part of the cabin, though only nine
feet from the stove, than 33°. This was indeed a most inclement day, the
temperature of the atmosphere having for the (irst time fallen to — -27°,
accompanied by a fresh wind from the northward and westward.

At six in the evening of the .5th there was a halo round the moon, with
a confused appearance of a paraselcna on the lower part of it. This halo,
as I have often observed with others, had the appearance of being oval, the
vertical diameter seeming to be the longest; but on measuring them with a
sextant the deception became evident.

From six till ten P.M. on the 11th, a halo appeared about the moon, with
three paraselense, two at the sides and one above it. This halo varied in its
degree of clearness as the haziness of the atmosphere became greater or less,
and was sometimes a little tinged with colour. A more rare phenomenon

OF A NORTHWEST PASSAGE. 137

1821

than this was noticed at seven A.M. on the 20th, by the officer of the watch, Deeemb
namely, that the moon in rising liad assumed the appearance of two. On '-^'"^"
hearing this I went on deck, and saw an inverted image of the moon below
and nearly touching that luminary, which was about half a degree high at the
time, thus :

Mr. Scallon told mc that the image had at iirst been as distinct as the moon
itself, and it was nearly so when I saw it. This phenomenon continued
about five minutes, the barometer being 29.48, and the thermometer 20°,
with very clear weather at the time.

A white hare was seen on shore on the 5th, as were two or three others in
the course of the winter. It is difficult to conceive how these animals find
subsistence while the snow lies deep on the ground, unless indeed they
become in a certain degree torpid during the winter. At Melville Island,
where in the summer they were found in considerable numbers, we never
saw one, nor even the track of one, before the month of June.

The wind freshened from the S.E. at night, and blew a gale from that Thur. 6.
quarter all the following day, the thermometer keeping up to about zero as
usual, with the wind in that direction.

At the time of sunset, this afternoon, and for half an hour afterwards, Mon. 10.
the sky exhibited a beautiful red colour near the southern horizon, and a
soft rich purple to the northward. A great deal of clear water was
observed in the offing, and at night, a dark water sky hung over it.
This appearance was darker, and served better to define the exact ex-
tent of the open water during the winter nights than I ever saw it under
any other circumstances, probably in consequence of the uninterrupted
whiteness of every other object. The cold increased to — 27° once more
at midnight on the 10th, as indicated by the thermometer on the ice, but the
ships continued warm and comfortable. A register-thermometer kept near
the chronometers in the book-cases of the cabin indicated in general a

138 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

18'21. jfiifii,)iii„i temperature of 50° to 53°, and frequently during the day was as
'-'Y^ higli as 60°. The temperature of the lower deck at midnight was usually
about 50°, without any other fire than that in the warming apparatus.

Tues. 11. On the 11th, the wind being northerly and the weather tolerably clear,
stars of the third magnitude were visible to the naked eye, as late as forty
minutes i)ast eight apparent time, those of the second magnitude till a quarter
past nine, and of the first till ten o'clock ; after which the sky became rather
overcast. This may serve to give some idea of the degree of light at this
period. The twilight was of course of long duration, and the redness pro-
duced by the sun's rays was sometimes very plainly visible for more than
three hours after his setting.

The temperature of the sea-water in the fire-hole was 29° and, by the same
thermometer, that at the bottom in six fathoms and a half was 30°. The de-
position of small snow, which I have remarked as almost always going on in
these regions in the winter, took place this evening in occasional showers, so
thick as to oblige us to cover the instruments with which we were observing,
though the stars were plainly visible all the time, and the night was in every
other respect what would generally be called clear.

A great squeezing of the young floes took place at the S.E. point of the

Wed. 12. island on the 12th. The noise it makes when heard at a distance A'cry much
resembles that of a heavy waggon labouring over a deep gravelly road ; but
when a nearer approach is made, it is more like the growling of wild ani-
mals, for which it was in one or two instances mistaken. It was however
rather useful than otherwise to encourage the belief that bears were abroad,
as, without some such idea, people are apt to become careless about going
armed.

Thur. 13. On the 13th, the thermometer fell to— 31°on the ice, being the greatest
degree of cold we had as yet experienced. There was, notwithstanding this,
a great deal of open water in the offing, covered only by a very slight sheet
of young ice. A favourite walk with the officers during the winter was
round the S.E. point, where there was in consequence a hard and beaten
path upon the snow. The rapid tide which ran here, always kept the point
clear of ice, whenever there was any open water at all ; and accustomed as
we had before been in the winter to a sea perfectly frozen up, it can scarcely
be conceived what a relief it was to the tedious monotony of our situation,
to see water naturally in a fluid state and in motion, with birds swimming
about in it, even at this inclement season of the year.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 139

ng to — 5° in the course of the 17th, the weather ap-
peared warm to our feelings. It proved favourable also for another play

The thermometer rising to — 5° in the course of the 17th, the weather ap- ^^2'-

Decemb.

Moil 17

which had been fixed for this night, and the " Poor Gentleman" was per- '
formed by the officers in so admirable and feeling a manner as to excite un-
common interest among the men, and to convince me more than ever of the
utility of our theatrical amusements. The 18th was a remarkably clear day Tues. 18.
without any of that cloudiness which usually hung about the southern hori-
zon. The sun was therefore clearly visible at noon, when such was its oval
shape that its horizontal diameter exceeded the vertical by 4'. 07". We had
light in the cabin for reading and writing for three hours and a quarter with-
out candles, and about five hours for convenient walking.

We had about this time occasion to notice, that ever since our arrival in
the bay, a gradual, though slow, alteration had been taking place in the size
of the numerous grounded masses of ice in-shore, occasioned by every tide
leaving a thin additional coat all round the surface of each ; so that by this
time, only a narrow passage could be found between some of them, Avhere
at first there had been a large space. In the course of the winter, also, a
number of them were split and upset by the great rise of tide, which, to-
gether with the cracking of the floe, and the occasional overflowing of the
water upon it near the beach, made the landing extremely bad. This in-
convenience was particularly felt by Mr. Fisher, whose various avocations
led him most on shore during the hours of darkness.

On the 21st, it blew strong from the N.W., with clear weather overhead, Frid. 21.
and some snow-drift below. We remarked, however, that the snow was still
much less minute than at Melville Island, and therefore less easily raised by
the wind into drift. The peculiarity before remarked of its adhering to the
masts and rigging still continued also. I had three hours' daylight for
writing in the cabin this day, the light being admitted only by the sky-light,
and the weather unfavourable on account of the snow-drift.

The shortest day had now passed, and all that could be remarked upon it
was, that nobody seemed to consider it a matter of much interest one way or
the other. On the former occasion, when novelty combined with the peculia-
rity of our situation to give it more importance, it seemed to constitute a sort
of era in our winter's calendar and excited a more than ordinary sensation in
our minds. The case was now very different ; our wintering was no longer
an experiment, our comforts were greatly increased, and the prospect of an
early release from the ice as favourable as could be desired. Under these

T 2

140 SECOND VOYAOE FOR THE DISCOVERY

^^2^- circumstances, it may easily be imagined liow light the winter sat upon us,
v-»-r»^ and with what comparative indiftorencc we now regarded the passing ot

the shortest day.
Mon. 24. On the evening of the 24(li, being Christmas-eve, the ship's companies
were amused by tlie officers performing the two farces of " A lloland for an
Tues. 25. Oliver," and the " INIayor of Garratt." On Christmas-day, divine service
on board the Fury was attended by the officers and crews of both ships.
A certain increase was also made in the allowance of provisions, to enable
the people to partake of Christmas festivities to the utmost extent which our
situation and means would allow ; and the day was marked by the most
cheerful hilarity, accompanied by the utmost regularity and good order.
.A^mong the luxuries which our Christmas dinner aftbrded was that of a joint
of English roast beef, of which a few quarters had been preserved for such
occasions, by rubbing the outside with salt, and hanging it on deck covered
with canvass. The low latitude in which our last summer's navigation was
performed would have rendered its jjreservation doubtful without the salt.

Considering it interesting to try whether any difference could be detected
in the rate at which sound travels at low temperatures, as compared with
that usually assigned to it, we commenced a series of experiments for
that purpose, by measuring a base completely across the ice in the bay,
and noting by a chronometer the interval between the flash and report of a
six-pounder gun fired several times at the extremity of it. An account of
these experiments will be given in its proper place.
Sun. 30. For the last two days with the thermometer on the ice indicating a tem-
perature of — 27° to — 30°, that of the Fury's lower deck continued from 61
to 64°, aflbrding a convincing proof of the efficacy of our warming apparatus.
To assist in preventing the escape of warm air, and the consequent conflen-
sation of the vapour near the ladder-hatchways, which must unavoidably be
frequently opened during the day, screens had been in the early part of the
winter fixed round the lower part of them, and this plan will I believe be
always found necessary under similar circumstances. In spite of every pre-
caution however, the immediate neighbourhood of the ladders must always
be colder than the rest of the deck, owing to the rush of cold air which in-
variably takes place on the opening of the doors. I may here take the op-
portunity of remarking, that the construction of a ship appears in one respect
unfavourable for preventing the escape of the warm air generated by the fires,
and the admission of cold from the external atmosphere. 1 allude to all the

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 141

openings of a ship's inhabited deck into the open air, occurring/rom above, '§21.
so that besides the tendency to restore an eqnilibriura occasioned by the
rarefaction of the air below, that operation must be much assisted by the
comparative specific gravities of the two atmospheres ; the warm by its
lightness, constantly struggling to ascend through every open crevice, and
the cold by its weight, as incessantly forcing itself downwards. A considera-
tion of this circumstance will perhaps set in a still stronger light the value of
placing cork or some other slow conductor of heat, as a lining for the deck
above, while it also points out the necessity of stopping up as far as practi-
cable every hole and cranny communicating with the cold superincumbent
atmosphere. On the same account there can be little doubt that, at every
opening of our hatchway-doors during the winter, a larger volume of warm
air rushed out than would have escaped by a door of equal size, placed below,
or on a level with the inhabited deck *.

The sea presented to-day a large open space to the south-eastward, but
the temperature of the atmosphere being low it was almost entirely coated
with a sheet of young ice. In some clear pools near the point a single flock of
more than fifty dovekies were swimming about, besides other smaller ones.
"While continuing the experiments on sound this evening, Mr. Fisher and
myself remarked that Sirius, which was nearly on the meridian at the time,
exhibited the most beautiful violet and blue colours that can be imagined.
The violet was to the wcstAvard, which was the direction in which the moon
was, and the Aurora was playing about at the time. 1 thought I had never
before seen any thing so brilliant ; the play of prismatic colours in a cut
diamond comes the nearest to it.

The concluding month of this year presented more frequent as well as
more brilliant displays of the Aurora Borcalis than we had noticed at an
earlier period of the winter. On the evening of the 2d, we observed it
constantly appearing, from five till ten o'clock, in one quarter of the heavens
or another, but entirely confined to the southern side of the zenith. It
consisted sometimes of luminous blotches or small clouds, at others of
coruscations shooting upwards, and a stationary light always perceptible
near the horizon from S.S.E. to S.AV. The light was white or yellowish
white, and the compass was not affected. On the evening of the 3d, it

* The passage to an Esquimaux hut is in this respect better placed than our doors ; for,
being rather below the level of the apartment, the warm air constantly floats above it in the
dome of the hut, having no outlet but tlirough the materials of which it is constructed.

142 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. j^igp appeared ia little white spots, resembling the nebulie in the heavens,
<^-r^ as viewed by a telescope, or the milky-way on a very clear night. I may
here remark by the way, that tl\is last beautiful feature of the heavens very
seldom appeared here, for, notwithstanding the notion generally entertained
of the extreme clearness of the atmo!?pherc under a polar sky, we have always
found the very reverse to be the fact. It is true, indeed, that with a nor-
therly or westerly wind, the sky was generally what woidd be called clear ;
but there is scarcely one night in twenty when the heavenly bodies, if viewed
through a telescope, do not appear surrounded with more or less haze. In-
deed, it very seldom happens that a considerable deposition of minute snow
may not be observed to take place, oven in the clearest nights in these regions.
While making lunar observations on the evening of the 4th, Mr. Ross
and myself remarked a meteor falling from the S.E. to N.W., being about
40° high when it disappeared. It fell so slowly as to be visible for four
or five seconds, but was in every other respect like the falling stars, as
they arc called, seen in other parts of the world. At eleven P.M. the
Aurora was seen fonning an arch, about 5° high in the centre, and ex-
tending from S.S.W. to S.E. The magnetic needle of Alexander's compass
was not perceptibly affected during its continuance. At half-past two P.M.,
on the 5th, the wind being light from the E.S.E., and the atmosphere not
very clear, though free from clouds, the electrometer was tried, but without
effect, the gold leaf not being in the least degree excited.

On the afternoon of the 14th, the Aurora began to shew itself as soon
as it was dark, consisting principally of rays shooting up from the horizon
in the E.b.N. towards the zenith, and sometimes passing through but very
little beyond it, towards the opposite side of the heavens. Just before ten
o'clock, however, a much finer display of this phenomenon presented itself
than we had yet seen this season. There still remained a place near the
horizon at E.b.N., whence a bright light seemed constantly to issue, and if
any part of the phenomenon could be said to continue uniformly the same,
it was the leg of a broadish arch in that point, which scarcely ever changed
its place, or the intensity of its light. The arch was at times completed, or
thrown over to the W.S.W., being 15° high in the centre, and generally
about 2° broad, though in this respect it was irregular and somewhat vari-
able. The loAver part of the arch was always well defined, the space under
it appearing dark, as if a black cloud had been there, which, however, Avas
not the case, as we saw the stars in it luiobscurcd except by the light of the

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 143

Aurora. The upper side of the arch was never well defined; but its light J^"-'-,
was gradually softened off, so as to mingle with the azure of the sKy, and
often sent up coruscations towards the zenith.

Thus far description may give some faint idea of this brilliant and extra-
ordinary phenomenon, because its figure here maintained some degree of
regularity ; but during the most splendid part of its continuance, it is, I
believe, almost impossible to convey to the minds of others an adequate con-
ception of the truth. It is with much difference, therefore, that I offer the
following description, the only recommendation of which jjerhaps is, that it
was written immediately after witnessing this magnificent display.

Innumerable streams or bands of white and yellowish light appeared to
occupy the greater part of the heavens to the southward of the zenith, being
much the brightest in the S.E. and E.S.E., from whence it had indeed often
the appearance of emanating. Some of these streams of light were in right
lines like rays, others crooked and waving in all sorts of irregular figures,
and moving with inconceivable rapidity in various directions. Among these
might frequently be observed those shorter collections or bundles af rays,
which, moving with even greater velocity than the rest, have acquired the
name of the "merry dancers," which, if I understand aright the descriptions
given of them by others, I do not think I ever saw before. In a short time
the Aurora extended itself over the zenith, about half-way down to the
northern horizon but no farther, as if there was something in that (juarter
of the heavens which it did not dare to approach. About this time, how-
ever, some long streamers shot up from the horizon in the N.W. which soon
disappeared. While the light extended over part of the northern heavens,
there were a number of rays assuming a circular or radiated form near the
zenith, and appearing to have a common centre near that point, from which
they all diverged. The light of which these were composed appeared to
have inconceivably rapid motion in itself, though the form it assumed and
the station it occupied in the heavens underwent little or no change for
perhaps a minute or more. Suppose, for instance, a stream of light to have
occupied a space between any two of the stars, by which its position could
be accurately noticed, the light appeared to pass constantly and instanta-
neously from one to the other, as if, when a portion of the subtle fluid of
which it is composed had made its escape and vanished at the end next one
of the stars, a fresh supply was uninterruptedly furnished at the other. This
effect is a common one with the Aurora, and puts one in mind, iis far

144 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. jjg jfj. n^otion alone is concerned, of a person holding a long ribbon by one
v.*-r>>^ end, and giving it an undiilatory motion through its whole length, though its
general position remains the same. One of the most striking of the various
locomotive properties of the Aurora is that which it often has laterally, by
which I mean in the direction perpendicular to its length. This motion,
compared with the other, is usually slow, though still very rapid in the " merry
dancers," which seem to observe no law with regard to the rest of the pheno-
menon. When the streams or bands were crooked, the convolutions took
place indifferently in all directions. The Aurora did not continue long to the
north of the zenith, but remained as high as that point for more than an hour ;
after Miiich on the moon rising, it became more and more faint, and at half-
past eleven was no longer visible.

The colour of the light was most frequenUy yellowish-white, sometimes
greenish, and once or twice a lilac tinge was remarked, when several strata,
as it were, appeared to overlay each other, by very rapidly meeting, in
which ca^e the light was always increased in intensity. The electrometer
was tried several times, and two of Kater's compasses exposed upon the
the ice, during the continuance of this Aurora, but neither was percep-
tibly affected by it. We listened attentively for any noise which might
accompany it, but could hear none, but it was too cold to keep the ears
uncovered very long at one time. The intensity of the light was some-
thing greater than that of the moon in her quarters. Of its dimming the
stars there cannot, I think, be a doubt. We remarked it to be, in this
respect, like drawing a gauze veil over the heavens in that part, the veil
being most thick, when two of the luminous sheets met and overlapped.
The phenomenon had all the ajjpcarance of being full as near as many of the
clouds commonly seen, but there were none of the latter to comjmrc them
with at the time. 1 may in conclusion remark that, notwithstanding the
variety and changeableness displayed by this Aurora, there was throughout
a perceptible inclination in the various parts of it to form an irregular arch
from E.b.N. over to S.W.b.W.

From seven till ten P.M., on the 20th, while engaged in making observa-
tions upon the ice, we observed the Aurora almost constantly appear-
ing, though varying in its form and situation. It commenced with a
number of vertical coruscations from the S.E., south, and N.W. horizons,
darting nearly as high as the zenith. This being discontinued after half an
hour, the leg of an arch appeared at E.S.E., inclining towards die south,

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 145

which remained nearly unaltered for three qiiarters of an hour, its light being '821.
of a yellow cast and remarkably brilliant. After this an arch was gradually vI^-y-v-'
formed by the light extending over to W.N.W., the brightest portion of it
being still that in the eastern quarter. The arch was irregular and some-
times not continuous, but divided into a number of luminous patches like
nebiihc. We also noticed, and now remembered to have done so once before,
that there were in some places narrow but long horizontal separations of the
light, appearing like so many dark parallel streaks lying over it, which, how-
ever, they were not, as the stars were here most plainly visible. The mag-
netic needle was not affected. This night was one of the clearest we had
during the winter, the milky-way appearing unusually bright and v, ell-defined.

On the 2.2d, the electrometer was tried, the wind being light from the
N. W., with overcast weather, and some very small .snoAV falling; but no
perceptible effect was produced upon the gold leaf. In the evening, the
Aurora appeared, like a white cloud in the E.S.E. At half-past nine,
an irregular arch extended from that point of the horizon to the S.W.,
the breadth being from one to two degrees, thougli constantly varying, and
its height in the middle ten degrees. "NVhen this kind of arch appears most
perfect, it is less frequently than any other kind attended with coruscations,
or very rapid motion in the light. When these do accompany it, they are
almost invariably observed to proceed from the upper side of the arcli only.

In the evening of the 23d, tliough the vvind was from tlie N.W., a
number of small roundish clouds, very unusual here at this season, rose
from the S.E., and the sky was very prettily illuminated in the intervals by
the Aurora. These clouds remaining quite dark in their appearance, ex-
cept about their edges, even during the most brilliant display of the Aurora,
seemed to indicate that the latter plienomenon was the most distant of the
two. The light of the Aurora was, as usual, much the brightest in the S.E.
quarter. This phenomenon again made its a])pearance very beautifully, on
the 24th, resembling, in most particulars, that described on the 1-lth. It was
principally confined to the southern half of the heavens, and the diflerent
streamers and coruscations, though almost infinitely varied, had an evident
tendency to arch from E.b.S. over to the opposite horizon. The " merry
dancers " were also playing about with indescribable rapidity, and many of
the sheets of light, when they overlapped in meeting, had a very perceptible
lilac tinge.

On the morning of the 28th, the Aurora Borcalis appeared faintly to the

V

146

SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1821. westward, from 4 to 6 o'clock. Early on the following morning, it was ob-
Decemb. served to form an arch of very bright light from S.E. to S.S.W., its centre
being 30° high. In its general form it was quite stationary, as indeed the
more perfect arches usually arc, but varied occasionally in the intensity
of the light, and also in its continuity. From tlie time that the daylight
began to leave the heavens in the afternoon, the Aurora again appeared,
commencing in the S. E. b. E. with very long coruscations or streamers,
which afterwards shot past the zenith over to the N.W. At 9 o'clock, the
light had become concentrated into a low arch, 4° high in the centre, well
defined at the lower edge, but not so at the upper. The legs were at first
situated in the E.S.E. and S.W.b.W. quarters, but the former gradually
shifted about two points more to the south. At one time in the evening,
and before the phenomenon had assumed the more regular arch-like form
above-mentioned, we observed for the space of a few minutes together the
same radiated appearance about the zenith as that described on the 14th.

\

\

This changed pretty suddenly into an irregularly circular band of light, like
a ribbon, thus :

or

and then again returned to the radiated form, but neither of these appear-
ances continued very long. There was a great deal of the lilac tint observ-
able this evening, and the effect of the sheets of light in obscuring the stars
was again too evident to admit a doubt.

The frequency and ill success with which we had tried the electrometer
made us almost despair of ever detecting any electricity in the atmosphere,
but on the "evening of the 13th the chain being observed to tremble very
much, we thought the motion might have been occasioned by this cause.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 147

On applying the electrometer, however, the gold leaf was not in the slightest Ugcemb
degree affected. We afterwards found it to have arisen from the Avind acting
upon the plank at the mast-head in a certain angle, the same effect being
once or twice afterwards produced with a breeze in the same direction.

On the arrival of the last day of the year, it was impossible not to expe-
rience very high gratification in observing the excellent health and spirits
enjoyed by almost every officer and man in both ships. The only invalid in
the Expedition was Reid, our carpenter's mate, and even he was at this
period so much improved, that very sanguine hopes were entertained of his
continued amendment. In consequence of the effectual manner in which
the men were clothed, particularly about the feet, not a single frost-bite had
occurred that required medical assistance even for a day, and, what was more
important to us, not a scorbutic symptom had appeared.

To increase our ordinary issue of anti-scorbutics, liberal as it already was,
Ave had from the commencement of the winter ado])ted a regular system of
growing mustard and cress, which the superior warmth of the ships now
enabled us to do on a larger scale than before. Each mess, both of the offi-
cers and ships' company, was for this purpose furnished with a shallow
box fdled with mould, in which a crop could generally be raised in from
eight or ten days. The quantity thus procured on board the Fury now
amounted to above fifty pounds' weight, and before the arrival of spring to
nearly one hundred pounds ; and, trifling as such a supply may appear to
those who are in the habit of being more abundantly furnished, it will not be
considered to have been without its use, when it is remembered how complete
a specific for the scui-vy/res/j vegetable substance has invariably proved. In
consideration of the salads thus raised, Mr. Edwards recommended our re-
serving the cranberries intended to have been issued during a part of this
winter, until circumstances might render them more essentially requisite
to the health of the ships' companies. This arrangement was accordingly
adopted and the event fully justified its propriety.

With respect to the occupations which engaged our time during this
season of unavoidable inactivity, I can add little or nothing to my former
account of the manner in which we passed the winter at Melville Island ; for
the two situations were so nearly similar, and our I'esources necessarily so
limited in this way, that it was not easy to produce much variety in the
employment of them. It may be imagined, and was indeed anticipated by
ourselves, that want of novelty was on the present occasion a disadvantage

u 2

148 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

1821. liiielv to render our confinement more tedious than before; but this by no

D^cemb. ■' . . •'

means appeared to be tlic case : for the men sufficient employment may

always be found to prevent the possibility of their being idle ; and I have
already noticed the auxiliaries, to which we had recourse to assist in pro-
moting this end ; while most officers have resources within themselves, of
which scarcely any situation or circumstances can divest them. "What with
reading, writing, making and calculating observations, observing the various
natural phenomena, and taking the exercise necessary to preserve our
health, nol)ody I believe ever felt any symptoms of cnnin during our conti-
nuance in winter quarters.

Among the recreations which affi^rded the highest gratification to several
among us, I may mention the musical parties we were enabled to muster,
and which assembled on stated evenings throughout the winter, alternafely
in Captain Lyon's cal)in and my own. IMore skilful amateurs in music might
well have smiled at these our humble concerts ; but it will not incline them
to think less of the science they admire to be assured that, in these remote
and desolate regions of the globe, it has often furnished us with the most
pleasurable sensations which our situation was capable of affiirding: for
independently of the mere gratification afibrded to tiie ear by music, there
is perhaps scarcely a person in the world really fond of it, in whose mind
its sound is not more or less connected with " his far-distant home." There
are always some remembrances which render them inseparable, and those
associations are not to be despised which, while we are engaged in the per-
formance of our duty, can still occasionally transport us into the social circle
of our friends at home, in spite of the oceans that roll between us.

With oiu' time thus occupied, our comforts so abundant, and tlie prospect
to sea-ward .so enlivening, it would indeed have been our own faults, had
we felt any thing but enjoyment in our present state, and the most lively
hopes and expectations for the future.

ABSTRACT

of th

e METEOROLOGICAL

JOURNAL kept on

board His Majesty's Ship

Fury

, at Winter Island, durin

g the Month of December, 1821.

' I'ahrenheit's Thcr-
momeler.

^ - 2

Barometer.

Prevailing
WiuJs.

Prevailing

Day

M»xi-
muni.

Mini-

Mem.

n: X i
1) I. 5

Moxi-

Mini-

.Mean.

Di-cction.

Velocily.

Weather.

1

o o
-10 ]-19

o
-17.54

o
61.7

iacbcl
29.81

29.71

29.773

NNW

light

fine and clear

2

19 [ 27

23.07

01.0

29.92

2l>.80

29.553

NNW

modt.

fine and clear

3

24 1 29

20.83

60.5

30.00

ii0.90

29.945

NW

modt.

fine and clear

4

14 22

17.67

59.2

30.01

29.90

go. mo

NW

modt.

fine and clear

5

1 17

5.73

62.0

29.90

29.74

29.843

SE

light

fine

C

+ I 1

+ 0.33

02.5

29.^2

29.74

29.777'

SE

fresh

cloudy

7

2

1

0.33

01.0

29.00

29. k3

29.875.

ESE

light

clondy

8

2

10

- 4.25

Ci.O

29. S2

29.70

29.775'

1

North

light

fine

9

-10

20

10.33

59.2

29.70

29.00

i9.C83

NW

liglit

fine

10

14

24

17.50

58.6

20.60

29.00

£9.010

NW

muut.

cloudy-

U

18

22

20.50

55.5

29.77

29.62

29.708

NNW

light

fine

12

18

21

19.21

53.4

29. 8i

29.02

29.745

North

lisht

fine

13

18

25

22.25

54.6

30.03

29.86

29.953

NW

li^Lt

fine

14

24

27

25.50

55.1

30.12

30.05

30.0921

NW

light

fine

15

13

24

18.33

53.7

30.11

29. '0

29.953

WNW

fresh

cloudy

16

9

13

11.12

53.3

29.70

29.00

29.037

WNW

modt.

cloudy and drift

17

5

10

8.42

55.4

29.50

29.10

29.285

.SE

fresh

cloudy

>«|

5

18

10.38

]

58.7

29.03

29.34

29.52.3

North

light

fine

19

7

18

13.00!

5S.2

29.62

-9.45

29.493

NW

From Strong
lu Lighl.

cloudy

20

2

v,l

9.00[

60.3

29.90

29.50

29.72^

North

light

fine

21

5

14

11.33

00.1

29.91

29.70

29.853

NNAr

fresh

cloudy

22

2

10

4.07

00.0

29.68

29.40

29.487

NW

light

cloudy and snow

23

1

8

4.00

03.5

29.72

29.40

29.!587J

NW

light

cloudy

21

0

G

3.07

00.4

29.80

29.70

29.702

NAV

modt.

cloudy

25

+ -'

S

+ 1.00

01.8

29.61

29.37

29.470

SSW

fresh

cloudy with drift

2C

2

3

-l.OH

02.5

29.16

29.27

29.338

SE

fresh

cloudy with drift

27

„2

U

5.00

03.4

29.72

29.46

29.578

NNE

ligl.t

fiue.

28

8

21

10.70

05.25

30.03

29.7229.912

North

modt.

fine

29

21

231

22.42

66.25

30.12

30.00 30.102

1

a.m. north J
p.m. NW X

modt.

fine

30

22

23

23.33

62.00

30.12

29.92 30.028

NW

ligbt

fine

31

21

25

23.08

59.25

29.88

29.0829.705

1

NW

modt.

fine

+ 2

-29

-12.94

59.64

30.12

1
29 102 9. 7t

150 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISC0\T:RY

January
Tues. 1

CHAPTER VII.

MANY FOXES CAUGHT CONTINUED OPEN WATER IN THE OFFING PARTIAL DISRUP-
TION OF THE ICE IN THE BAY METEOROLOGICAL PHENOMENA AND TEMPERATURE

OF ANIMALS ARRIVAL OF A TRIBE OF ESQUIMAUX FIRST MEETING AND SUBSE-
QUENT INTERCOURSE WITH THEM ESQUIMAUX IN WANT OF PROVISIONS — SUPPLIED

WITH BREAD-DUST — SOME ACCOUNT OF A SEALING EXCLRSION WITH THEM FRESH

DISRUPTION OF THE ICE IN THE BAY CLOSING OF THE WINTER THEATRE — ME-
TEOROLOGICAL PHENOMENA TILL THE END OF FEBRUARY 1822.

1822. The first day of the new year was a very severe one in the open air, the
thermometer bcing^ down to — 22°, and Ihe wind blowing strong from the
north-west. The cftcct of a breeze uj)on the feelings is well known to every
person, even in comparatively temperate climates, but at low temperatures
it becomes painful and almost insupportable. Thus, with the thermometer
at — .55°, and no wind stirring, the hands may remain uncovered for ten
minutes or a quarter of an hour without inconvenience ; while with a fresh
breeze and the thermometer nearly as high as zero, few people can keep
them exposed so long without considerable pain. A high wind also had
great effect in occasioning a general decrease of temperature in most parts
of the ships, not by its gaining admission into the inhabited apartments, but
by favouring the rapid abstraction of heat from without.
Wed. 2. About noon on the 2d, Captain Lyon observed a considerable body of
snow taken up by the wind and whirled round in a spiral form like that of
a watcr-spout, though with us the breeze was quite light at the time. It
increased gradually in size till lost behind the south-east point. As a proof
of the difficulty which the hares must find in obtaining subsistence during
the winter, these animals were at this time in the habit of coming alongside
the shij)S upon the ice to pick up what they could from our rubbish heaps.
A fox or two still entered the traps occasionally, and our gentlemen in-
formed me that they had always been most successful in catching them after

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 151

a southerly wind, which they attributed with great probability to the smell ^^--■
of the ships being thus more cxten^iivcly communicated over the island. v,^-r-^*
One or two of these poor creatures had been found in the traps with their
tongues almost bitten in two. The traps made use of for catching these beau-
tiful little animals Avere formed of a small cask, having a sliding door like
that of a common mouse-trap, and were baited with oiled meat or blubber.
The whole number caught during the winter was between eighty and ninety,
of which more than seventy were taken before the end of December. In a
single trap of Captain Lyon's, no less than fifteen were caught in the course
of four hours, on the night of the 25th of November ; and the people en-
gaged in watching the trap remarked that no sooner had one of these ani-
mals been taken out, and they themselves retired a few yards, than ano-
ther entered it. So stupid indeed arc they in this respect that, in seve-
ral instances, those which had escaped from the ships entered, and were
re-caught in the same traps as before.

Of a great number of foxes weighed by Captain Lyon during the winter,
the average weight was eight pounds, but they varied from nine and a half
to seven, and he observed that the males, though larger than the females,
were not so fat. The fur of the whole of them when first caught was of
the purest white, except in two or three individuals of a bluish colour,
which appeared to be of a different species. The great variety of dis-
positions displayed by those which were kept for taming was very re-
markable, some being gentle and quiet from the time of their first coming
on board, and others remaining wild and intractable in spite of every
kindness and good treatment. Our dogs became familiar enough even to
play Avith them ; but the foxes Avere, on their part, never entirely free from
apprehension on this account. The noise they make AA'hen irritated is a
Aveak half-stifled sort of bark, but they have also a more shrill and piercing
cry Avhen much frightened. When placed Avith their houses upon the ice,
they Avcre constantly endeavouring to burroAv in the snow Avithin the circle
of their chains, and one of them, Avhere the snoAv lay deeper than usual,
soon formed for himself a secure and sheltered ajjartment under it. M'hen
depriA^ed of the means of doing this, they are far from being proof against
the scAcrity of the season, for tAvo or three died on board the Fury entirely
from this cause, though furnished Avith good kennels. Of those Aviiicli Avere
taken better care of, not one remained on board alive when avc Avcnt to
sea, the greater part having gradually Avasted away, though well fed and

152 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

ise:. iioiiscd ; and the rest which were thriviiis: better made tlicir escape to the

.liiniaiv. ^ *

«.*-^-ifc^ shore.

We had hitherto found tlic thermometer on board stand from two to five

(Ifcrices liigher than that on tlic ice, owing to tlic warm atmospliere created

Sat. 5. by the fires. On tlie 5th at noon, however, tlie difterencc amonnted to 9^,
that on board standing at — 22°, when the other indicated a temperature of
— 31°. We did not know to wliat cause to attribute this, but two or three
degrees may fairly be deducted on this account from the mean temperatures
given in tlie Meteorological Abstract througliout the w'inter.

Some port-wine, wliieli was stowed in bins in tlie slop-room, having a
week or two before been found partially frozen, a further examination took

.Sat. 12. place on the 12th, when two or three bottles were found broken, and the
>vinc entirely frozen in thin lamina- not tudike the plates of white mica,
and from one-eighth to two-eighths of an inch in thickness. White wine was
frozen into one ma.ss, retaining its colour and tran.slucency, and assuming
the apj)earance of very clear amber. The circumstance of our never having
met with so inuch loss in this way, in the course of a much more severe
winter at Melville Island, induced us to examine into the cause ; when we
found it arose from a different stowage of the wine, which in the present
instance had been allowed to come in contact with the ship's side, but had
before been a foot or two removed from it.

Sun. 13. On the 13th we were no less surprised thasi gratilied to see almost as
much open water to the south-east and north-east of the island, as we had
ever yet observed. It was covered indeed with a very thin coating of
young ice, but a cloud of frost-smoke rose freely from it, wliich is never
the case many hours after its formation. A floe of young ice, on wliich
some of the officers had Avalked a day or two before to a considerable di.s-
taiice from the shore, having now^ disappeared, I considered it prudent to
direct, in addition to the general precautionary orders, that no person
should in future venture outside of the grounded masses in the bay.

3Ion. 11. An ermine, of which the tracks had been traced the preceding day up
the Ilecla's stern, and even on board her. Captain Lyon to-day succeeded
in catching in a trap. This beautiful creature was entirely white, ex-
cept a black brush .to its tail, and a slight tinge of the usual sulphur or
straw colour on the root of the tail, and also on the fore part of the fore-
legs. The little animal being put into a convenient cage seemed soon to
feel himself perfectly at home, eating, drinking, and sleeping without any

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 153

apparent apprehension, but evincino' a very decided determination to resent , '^^^•

1 1 . rT,.,.. Jamiarv.

a too near approach to tlie wires or his new habitation. .' — .^

There was to-day a very thick deposit of snow ahuost constantly occur-
ring, though the weather might very well be called clear. The winter at-
mosphere of these regions is indeed seldom or never free from it, as may
readily be seen by placing an instrument in the open air for an hour or
two ; that of to-day only differed from the usual deposit in the degree in
which it took place. At one P.M. a thermometer on the north side of the
post on the ice stood at — 32°, and the other, exposed to the sun's rays on
the south side, only indicated a temperature one degree higher.

There was to-day a great deal of terrestrial refraction, the ice and land
to the westward being thrown up by it into a thousand fantastic and ever
varying shapes. The thermometer was —31°, and the barometer at 29.73
inches, under which conditions of the atmosphere the smoke was observed
to ascend quite freely from the stove-pipes. At one P.M. the snow upon
the black paint-work of the stern, which was exposed directly to the suns
rays, was falling off in little pieces and leaving a wet mark behind it.
This circumstance recalled to our recollection the anxious impatience with
which, at ]Melville Island, we were watching for this symptom of returning
warmth, four or five months later than this.

At thirty minutes past one on the 18th, the thermometer on the north FriJ. 13.
side of the post stood at —37°, while another with its bulb coated with
black rose to —26°, when exposed to the sun's rays on the south side.

At a late hour this evening the stove-pipe of my cabin caught fire, which
gave us cause for a momentary alarm, but buckets and water being at hand
it was soon extinguished. This accident was occasioned by a quantity of
soot collected in the stove-pipe, and yet was not altogether to be attributed
to neglect in the persons appointed to sweep the whole of them twice a
week. As the cause of it is such as is not likely to be anticipated by per-
sons living in temperate climates, and as the knowledge of it may be ser-
viceable to somebody destined for a cold one, I shall here explain it. The
smoke of coals contains a certain quantify of water in the state of vajjour.
This in temperate climates, and indeed till the thermometer falls to about
10° degrees below zero, is carried up the chimney and principally dif-
fused in the atmosphere. When the cold becomes more intense however,
this is no longer the case ; for the vapour is then condensed into water
before it can escape from the stove-pipes, within which a mass of ice is, in

X

154 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. consequence, very speedily formed *. The vapour thus arrested must ne-
cessarily also detain a quantity of soot, which being subsequently en-

closed in the ice as the latter accumulates, the brush generally used to
clean the pipes cannot bring it away. By any occasional increase of tem-
perature, either in the external air or in the (ire below, the ice sometimes
thaws, pouring down a stream of water into the fire and bringing with
it a most pungent and oppressive smell of soot. For these reasons, as well
as to avoid accidents of the nature above alluded to, it is necessary to
sweep the pipes much more frequently than in warmer climates, and even
occasionally to thaw the ice out of them by a fire made expressly for the
purpose.

The thermometer, which had fallen to — 38° the preceding night, stood at

Sun. 20. — 40° at nine A.M. on the 20th, being, as it afterwards proved, the lowest
temperature we were destined to experience for this winter. The thermo-
meter rose to — '36° at noon, and was ten degrees higher when exposed to
the sun's rays, the weather being tine and clear and the wind very light.

Tues. 22. The 22d was a very severe day in the open air, in consequence of a fresh
wind blowing, which also occasioned the temperature of the Fury's lower
deck to fall for the first time, though only for an hour, to 48°. The incon-
venience of a cold night was felt in a greater degree, however, by the
officers who, notwithstanding a most uncomfortable and even painful tem-
perature for stage-dresses, persevered in amusing the men by the theatrical
performances that had been fixed for this evening, and accordingly produced
the two farces of " Raising the Wind" and "The Sleep-walker," to the
infinite gratification of their audience.

About this time we were surprised to find that one of the Ilccla's anchors
on shore had come home, in consequence of the cable becoming more tight
from the ship. This was perhaps occasioned by the ice, which was detached
from the shore every tide, receiving, in the manner before described with
the grounded masses, a certain daily though small addition, by which means
it had imperceptibly receded, taking the ships with it. It was necessary
therefore in future, to keep the cables more slack, to avoid disturbing or
Frid. 35. injuring the anchors. On the 25th, being about the time of the highest

* When the weadier was not very severely cold, and a part of the vapour escaped from
the pipe of the galley-fire, the fore-rigging was always coated with ice, from the smoke
passing by it.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 155

spring-tide, we began to think that the ice might one day remove us rather 1^22.
more forcibly than by the slow process just related, for we found at day- v^i^v^
light, to our great surprise, that a portion of the floe belonging to the bay,
and which we had considered as quite fixed for the winter, had now been
broken off and removed, leaving the clear water within four or five hundred
yards of our sterns. A cloud of frost-smoke was issuing from it, and a flock
of dovekies swimming about in it.

On the 26th, we flew a kite to the height of three hundred and seventy- Sat. 26.
nine feet, (as obtained by geometrical measurement,) with a Six's register-
thermometer attached to it. This after it had been up a quarter of an hour
indicated a JH?«?/»mn of — 23f°, the temperature upon the ice, by the same
thermometer tried before and after being — 241°.

Mr. Pulfer the carpenter of the Hecla in taking a walk round the S.E.
point, on the 27th, was somewhat startled at suddenly observing a large Sun. 27.
bear at no great distance from him, and prudently retreated to the ships
before Bruin saw him. It is commonly believed by the Greenland sailors,
who have certainly the best opportunities of judging, that these animals are
not generally disposed to retreat from one man, though they invariably fly
from a party.

On the 29th there was a fresh breeze from the N.W., which on the fol-Xues. 29.
lowing day increased to a gale more to the westward. In this instance the \Ved.30.
thermometer seemed to rise with the wind, namely, from — 26° in the morn-
ing to — 18° at midnight. The thermometer fell again on the 3lst, at theThur.31.
same time with the wind ; but these two phenomena did not often appear
to have the same connexion as at Melville Island. The month of January
closed with cold though rather overcast weather, and we thought we had
escaped very favourably with a mean temperature of — 22° 96'.

The appearances of the Aurora Borealis during January were generally
more distinguished for their frequency than their brilliancy, or for any ex-
traordinary forms which this phenomenon presented. Towards midnight,
on the 13th, the weather being clear, it appeared in a very bright arch from
south to N.E., being 10° to 15° higher in the centre. It afterAvards assumed
a wavy or serpentine form, which constantly varied, and smaller streams of
light seemed to be continually meeting the larger, from near the zenith.
From midnight till two A.M. on the 24th, it continued very bright and
generally extended from east, where it was most brilliant, to W.N.W. The
following evening, an arch of the Aurora assumed the most perfect

X 2

156 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

'8-J'~- bii(l"c-lil<c form I ever saw. It extended from S.E. to N.W., on the south-

Januarv. '^_

^.^-O (>rn side of the heavens, both its edges bein<» Avell defined, which is very
rarely the case. At seven A.M. on the following morning, it appeared again
in a form still more novel, three complete arches being now visii)lc;; the
middle one, which was (he brightest, passing through the zenith and the
others, which were in the centre about 20° distant from it on each side, gra-
dually closing till they joined it at the east and west points of the horizon.
It was impossible not to be struck with the general resemblance in the form
of this phenomenon to that I have frequently mentioned, as assumed by the
clouds in the polar regions at particular seasons*: this coincidence may
possibly serve to throw some light on the nature and peculiarities of the
Aurora. For several hours on the same night, this meteor formed a tole-
rably well-delined arch from E.S.K. to W.N.W., being 0° high in the
centre, reaching from one horizon to the other, and confined entirely to the
southern side of the heavens. Early on the morning of the IGth, it was seen
for an hour and a quarter much in the same situation, and on the following
evening it appeared faintly in almost every part of the heavens.

From eleven P.M. till past midnight, on the I8th, it once more appeared
very bright from W. to S.E., having at times a very rai)id and irregular
motion. Whenever tlie light was most concentrated it was also the brightest,
and almost always, in that case, we observed it assume an arch-like form in the
soudiern part of the heavens. This was particularly the case on the evening
of the 19th, when there appeared two concentric though not altogether con-
tinuous arches, extending from S.E.b.E. to W.S.W., the highest being 8° to
10' above the horizon, but in this respect at times slowly varying. At eleven
P.M., after thus remaining Avithout any very remarkable alteration for above two
hours, it suddenly became extremely variable, shifting its j)lace latcraUtj witli
a prodigiously rapid motion, but still keeping within the general limits above
mentioned, both in bearing and altitude. In this lateral motion, which was
somewhat of the kind I have endeavoured to describe on the 14th of Decem-
ber, it seemed, as it were, to roll over from one end of the arch to the other,
while at the same time nmnberless lighter and less brilliant coruscations were
emitted from its upper margin. Whenever the phenonT^non occupied the
smallest space in the heavens, the light was invariably the most intense, and
often when several sheets of it appeared to unite, in the manner before

• Account of the Voyage of 1819-20, pp. 141, 144, 164.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.

157

explained, the lilac tint was quite vivid ; in general, its colour was yellowish. '^2^'
Stars of the second magnitude were almost obscured by it.

Towards the end of January, this phenomenon appeared frequently in the
S.E. and E.S.E., but it was generally faint, and unmarked by any peculiarity
requiring farther notice. The electrometer Avas frequently applied to the
mast-head chain, and the magnetic needle constantly watched during all
these appearances, but neither of these was on any one occasion sensibly
affected. The only other meteorological phenomena that need be notic<>d
about this period were one or two instance^; of parhelia and paraselena*,
sometimes tinged with the prismatic tints, and sometimes colourless, but
always situated at the angular distance of about 22j° on each side of the sua
and moon, and usually upon halos, more or less distinct and perfect.

A sheet of young ice was several times formed and dislodged by the tides
within the points of our bay but ; the water continued open to the south-east-
ward with every northerly or westerly wind, and numerous dovekies were
swimming about near the shore : neither did the land animals altogether
desert us, a few foxes being still occasionally caught in traps, and one or two
hares killed while literally feeding alongside the ships on our rubbish heaps.

The following temperatures of animals just after death were principally
taken by Captain Lyon, to whom I am indebted for them : —

Tetnperat
*

ure

of

ibe Animal.

The Atmosphere

Nov. 15,

1821.

. An Arctic fox

. 106|

0
-14

Dec. 3,

J,

Ditto

• 101}

— 5

» ))

»

Ditto

. 100

- 3

„ 11,

„

Ditto

. 101|

-21

„ 15,

,5

Ditto

. 99i

— 15

„ 17,

„

Ditto

. 98

-10

„ 19,

,,

Ditto

993

— 14

Jan. 3, 1822.

Ditto

. 104i

-23

„ 9,

,,

. A ■white hare

. 101

—21

„ 10,

„

. An Arctic fox

. 100

— 15

„ 17,

,,

Ditto

. 106

-32

„ 24,

n

Ditto

. 103

— 27

,, »

„

Ditto

. 103

—27

» ,,

,, •

Ditto

. 102

— 25

„ 27,

„

Ditto

. 101

-32

Feb. 2,

,1 •

A Wolf

. 105

-gr

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on

board His Majesty's Ship

Fury, at Winter Islmd, during the Month of Januarij, 1822.

Fahrenlieifs
Thermometer.

Barometer.

Prevailing
Winds.

Prevailing

Day

6ls

I'-'i

Weather.

muui.

Mini-
uiom.

M.-.U.

MaM-

MiM-

M«i>.

Direction*

\ tlocit)-.

1

O

-IG

O

-22

° 1

-19.79

o
GI.OO

itichc«

29.02

inehf.

29.55

iii<'h<-i

J9.593

KW

fresh

fine

2

18

27

22.08

57.33

29.09

29.57

J9.617

iNNW

niudt.

dear

3

17

26

21. 5s;

59.22

29.75

29.C6

29.723

NE

light

cloudy

4

11

21

15.(.>

60. 5

29.C9

29.15

29.517

NW

modt.

hazy and snow

6

19

26

22.50

59.06

29.72

29.70

29.710

NW

light

fine

C

17

22

19.04

55. 5

29.81

29.70

29.S05

M'e.st

modt.

hazy

7

13

21

1S.4C

.59.75

29.70

29.59

29.027

WNM'

modt.

cloudy

8

17

20

19.33

58. 5

29.99

29.60

29.800

WNW

strong

cloudy

9

18

22

20.04

54. GO

30.01

29.78

29.952

NNW

light

fine

10

7

13

9.12

60.33

29 70

29.17

29.565

East

light

cloudy

n

6

IG

11.29

60.00

29.76

.29.47

29.582

East

modt.

hazy

12

16

21

19.90

00. 5

29.8>(

29.80

29.847

NW

fresh

cloudy

13

20*

26

22.67

59. 5

29.80

29.72

29.757

North

light

clear

14

19

26

23.73

57.33

29.85

29.80

29.827

North

light

clear

15

19

25

22.2,-.

53.25

29.81

29.70

29.753

NW

li^'bt

fine and clear

IG

18

25

20.29

60.25

29.70

29.G4

29.GS3

MNW

light

fine and clear

17

15

27

1S.G2

58.75

20.69

29.G3

29.652

North

light

cloudy

18

25

31

28.40

co.oo

29.74

29.70

29.713

NNW

: light

fine and clear

19

28

33

30.00

58.25

29.95

29.75

29.855

West

light

fine and clear

20

27

37

33. CO

58.25

30.12

29.94

30.035

NW

light

fine and clear

21

31

371

33.29

54.00

30.17

30.12

30.137

NW

modt.

clear

22

25

32

28.33

53.25

30.13

30.09

30.110

NW

fresh

hazy

23

29 32

30.71

51.25

30.20

30.13

30.205

NNW

modt.

clear

24

15 31

21.92

56.00

30.20

29.S7

30.118
29., 577

NNW

light

cloudy

25

14

27

19.54

.57.00

29.70

29.48

E. to N.

fresh

cloudy and snow

2G

22

30

26.46

54.00

29.51

29.42

29.406

NNW

fresh

clear

27

31

34

32.79

52. 5

29.73

29.52

29.G20

NW

modt.

fine

2s

30

37

34.00

52.00

29.S7

29.73

29.(^05

NNW

light

fine

29

27

37

S0.5S

52.00

29.98

29.89

29.922

WNW

fresh

clear

30

14

26

18.67

i 52.66

30.03

30.00

30.022

West

from light
to fresh

fine

31

14

24

18.25

j 55.00

30.02

29.94

29.9S0

WNW

strong to
light

hazy
tine

—6

-374

-22.90

i

i 56.81

30.26

29.42

•29.794

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 1,59

On the morning of the 1st of February it was reported to me that a num- ^®^^'
ber of strange people were seen to the westward, coming towards the ships
over the ice. On directing a glass towards them we found them to be Esqui-
maux, and also discovered some appearance of huts on shore, at the dis-
tance of two miles from the ships, in the same direction. I immediately set
out, accompanied by Captain Lyon, an officer from each ship, and two of
the men, to meet the natives who, to the number of five-and-twenty, were
drawn up in a line abreast and still advanced slowly towards us. As we ap-
proached nearer they stood still, remaining as before in a compact line, from
which they did not move for some time after sve reached them. Nothing could
exceed their quiet and orderly behaviour on this occasion, which presented
a very striking contrast with the noisy demeanour of the natives of Hudson's
Strait. They appeared at a distance to have arms in their hands, but what
we had taken for bows or spears proved to be only a few blades of whalebone
which they had brought, either as a peace-offering, or for barter, and which
we immediately purchased for a few small nails and beads. Some of the
women, of whom there were three or four, as well as two children, in this
party, having handsome clothes on which attracted our attention, they
began to our utter astonishment and consternation to strip, though the ther-
mometer stood at 23° below zero. We soon found however that there was
nothing so dreadful in this as we at first imagined, every individual among
them having on a complete double suit. The whole were of deer-skin and
looked both clean and comfortable.

However quietly the Esquimaux had awaited our approach and still con-
tinued to conduct themselves, there was as little apprehension or distrust
visible in their countenances or manner as it was possible for one strange set
of persons to evince on meeting another. As soon, therefore, as wo had
bought all that they had to sell, and made them a number of valuable pre-
sents, we expressed by signs our wish to accompany them to their huts, with
which they willingly complied, and we immediately set out together. On
our way the Esquimaux were much amused by our dogs, especially by a large
one of the Newfoundland breed, that had been taught to fetch and carry — a
qualification which seemed to excite unbounded astonishment ; and the chil-
dren could scarce contain themselves for joy, when Captain Lyon gave them
a stick to throw for the dog to bring back to them. A child of five or six
years old, thus amusing itself on such a day and in such a climate, formed by no
means the least characteristic figure of our motley group. An old and infirm

160 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

Fehnfarv '"'*"' supported by a stick wliicli indeed he much needed, was soon left behind
^■^■Y-K^ us, his companions seeming to take no notice of his infirmities, and leaving
him without reluctance or apology to find his way home at his own pace.
When we had approached the huts within a few hundred yards, three of the Es-
quimaux went on before us, having previously explained that they were going to
confine their dogs, lest being frightened at our coming they should run away.
When it is remembered that these habitations were fully within sight of the
ships, and how many eyes were continually on the look out among us for any
thing that could afford variety or interest in our present situation, our sur-
prise may in some degree be imagined at finding an establishment of five
huts, with canoes, sledges, dogs, and above sixty men, women, and chil-
dren, as regularly and, to all appearance as permanently fixed, as if they
had occupied the same spot for the whole winter. If the first view of the
exterior of this little village was such as to create astonishment, that feeling
was in no small degree heightened, on accepting the invitation soon given us,
to enter these extraordinary houses, in the construction of which we observed
that not a single material was used but snow and ice. After creeping through
two lo^»' passages, having each its arched door-way, we came to a small cir-
cular apartment of which the roof was a perfect arched dome. From this
three door-ways, also arched and of larger dimensions than the outer ones,
led into as many inhabited apartments, one on each side, and the other facing
us as we entered. The interior of these presented a scene no less novel
than interesting. The women were seated on the beds at the sides of the
huts, each having her litde fire-place or lamp, with all her domestic utensils
about her ; the children crept behind their mothers, and the dogs, except the
female ones, which were indulged with a part of the beds, slunk out past us
in dismay. The construction of this inhabited part of the huts was similar
to that of the outer apartment, being a dome formed by separate blocks of
snow, laid with great regularity and no small art, each being cut into the
shape requisite to form a substantial arch, from seven to eight feet high in
the centre, and having no support whatever but what this principle of build-
ing supplied. I .shall not here further describe the peculiarities of these
curious edifices, remarking only that a cheerful and sutficient light was
admitted to them by a circular window of ice neatly fitted into the roof of
each apartment.

We found our new acquaintance as desirous of pleasing us, as we were
ready to be pleased ; so that we were soon on good terms with thcra all.

-T^r^

E

.-.-.^'V-ftiS..

■^^

y-':^ ^ i

^5f

--,>■ ;-,->;'.

'V

February

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 101

While wc were engaged in examining every part of their huts, thoir whole '8-2-2.
behaviour wa^ in the highest degree orderly, respectful and good-humoured.
They eagerly received the various articles that were given them, either in ex-
change for their own commodities, or as presents, but on no occasion impor-
tuned us for any thing, nor did the well-known .sound of " pilletay " once
escape from them. We had also great reason to believe that these people
possessed, in no ordinary degree, the quality of honesty, a quality the more
desirable to us, as we had on shore, besides the house and observatory, all
our boats and other articles, which, had they been disposed to pilfer, it
would have required all our vigilance to guard. If we dropped a glove or
a handkerchief without knowing it, they would immediately direct our at-
tention to it by pointing, and if the owner had left the hut before they disco-
vered it, would run out after him to return it. Numberless instances of a
similar kind occurred in the course of our subsequent communication with
them, .some of which I shall hereafter have an ojjportunity of relating.

After remaining with them a couple of hours, and proposing to spend the
following day amongst them, we set out on our return to the ships. Being
desirous of trying their disposition to part with their children, I proposed to
buy a fine lad, named Tooloouk, for the very valuable consideration of a handsome
butcher's knife. His father, apparently understanding our meaning, joyfully
accepted the knife, and the boy ran into the hut to fetch his mittens, which
seemed to be all that he cared for in leaving his home. He then set off with us
in high spirits, and at first assisted in drawing a sledge we had purchased to
carry our things ; but as he began, by our additional signs, more clearly to
comprehend our true meaning, he gradually relaxed in his zeal to accompany
our party, and being afterwards overtaken by a number of his companions,
he took an opportunity to .slink off among some hummocks of ice, so that
when we arrived on board Toolooak was missing.

. On our reaching the ships, these people expressed much less surprise and
curiosity than might naturally have been expected on their first visit, which
may, perhaps, in some measure be attributed to their being in reality a less
noisy kind of people than most of the Esquimaux to whom we had before
been accustomed. Quiet and orderly, however, as they were disposed to be,
this first visit shewed them to be as fond of merriment as their countrymen
are usually considered ; for, on Captain Lyon's ordering his fiddler up on the
Hecla's deck, they danced with the men for an hour, and then returned in
high glee and good humour to their huts.

162 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

18-22. Qp oyf return on board we were informed that, durin? our absence in the

February n . • i i •

mornins^, a nock of thirteen wolves, the first yet seen, crossed the ice in

the bay, from the direction of the huts and passed near the ships. These
animals, as we afterwards learned, had accompanied or closely followed the
Esquimaux on their journey to the island the preceding day ; and they proved
to us the most troublesome part of their suite. They so much resemble the
Esquimaux dogs that, had it not been for some doubt among the officers who
had seen them whether they were so or not, and the consequent fear of doing
these poor people an irreparable injury, we might have killed most of them
the same evening, for they cavne boldly to look for food within a few yards
of the Fury, and remained there for some time.

In order to prevent our people from occasioning the Esquimaux any dis-
turbance or apprehension, I directed that only six from each ship shoidd be
allowed to visit the huts at one time, and that they should then be always
accompanied by an officer. A strict prohibition was, at the same time, issued
against the smallest article of the ships' stores being given to the people
without permission, on pain of severe piuiishment.
Sat, 2. At an early hour on the 2d, we set out with a large party on our proposed
excursion to the huts. The natives received us with great cordiality though
with somewhat more noisy expressions of pleasure than before ; and we soon
began a more minute examination of their habitiitions and furniture in which
they readily assisted us, except that they always sat very closely on the deer-
skins which composed their beds, under which were stowed such articles as
they were least willing or able to dispose of. They sold however a great
number of their things without reluctance ; and it was indeed astonishing to
see with what eagerness they would, for the mere sake of change and variety,
barter some of their most indispensable articles for the veriest trifles in our
possession. For instance, a single sewing-needle, of which they possessed
abundance not much inferior to our own, procured from them a large well-
sharpened pmma*, or man's knife made of stout iron, for which in point of
absolute utility a hundred needles would not have been a fair equivalent.
Various other instances of the same kind occurred by which indeed they were
not ultimately losers, though they certainly would have been so had our inter-
course ended here.

* For an explanation of the mode of accenting the Estjuimaux words used in the course of
this Journal, I must refer to the remarks immediately preceding the vocabulary at the end of
the last chapter.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 163

• We dined in the huts, and the Esquimaux gladly partook of our biscuit and ^'^2--

February

meat, and even of a little wine which however they did not relish. We

returned on board about sunset, much gratified with the interesting day we
had passed ; having laid the foundation of that perfect confidence and
good understanding which, with little or no interruption, afterwards subsisted
between us and our new acquaintance.

On the morning of the 3d, a number of these people were observed to set Sun. 3.
ofFover the ice to the south-west to bring, as we conjectured, either some more
of their people or of their property from their last place of abode. On walk-
ing out to the huts after divine service, however, we found they had been
seal-catching and had succeeded in taking four. The very small quantity
of food which they had in their huts at first coming, consisting of a little veni-
son and the flesh and blubber of the whale and seal, induced us to suppose
they had left some of their provision behind, and that they would return for
it as occasion demanded. But we now found that, even at this rigorous sea-
son, they were entirely dependent in this way on their daily exertions ; and
that they had only removed into their present quarters on account of the
failure of their summer's store, and of the greater facility of obtaining seals
at Winter Island than where the sea was more closely and continually frozen.

On the 4th a number of Esquimaux came to the ships and we took the op- Mon. 4.
portunity of getting them to go through the process of building a snow-hut
for our amusement and information. From the quickness with which they
completed this, our surprise at the sudden appearance of their village ceased ;
as we now saw that two or three hours would be more than sufficient to
have completed the whole establishment just as we at first found it. They
were then taken on board and derived great amusement from our organ, and
from any thing in the shape of music, singing, or dancing, of all which they
are remarkably fond. Nor can I here omit a striking instance of the honesty
of these people which occurred to-day. Some of the gentlemen of the Hecla
had purchased two of their dogs, which had the preceding evening made their
escape and returned to the huts. After the departure of the Esquimaux to-
day, we were surprised to find that they had left two dogs carefully tied up on
board the Fury, which on inquiry proved to be the animals in question, and
which had been thus faithfully restored to their rightful owners.

On the 5th a number of the natives came on board according to promise Tues. 5.
to rebuild the hut in a more substantial manner, and to put a plate of ice into
the roof as a window, which they did with great quickness as well as care,

Y 2

104 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

Fohntar ' ^^^"^'"*' of tlic womeii cheerfully assisting in the labour. The men seemed
'-^'^*-'" to take no small pride in shewing in how expeditious and workman-like a
manner they could perform this; and the hut w'ith its outer passage was soon
completed. From this time they were in the constant habit of coming freely
to the ships; and such as itwa< not always convenient to admit, usually found
very profitable employment in examining the heaps of ashes, sand, and other
rubbisli on the outside, where their trouble was well repaid by picking up
small scraps of tin or iron. All that they found in this manner we allowed
thein to consider their lawful [)roperty : but were very particular in preventing
their handling any thing on l)oard without permission.

The wolves had nov/ begun to do us some damage ; for not even the sails
that were fastened round the house and observatory could escape their
ravenous fangs, and they had thus in the course of a single night nnuh in-
jured two of our studding-sails. We set traps for them on the ice ; and also
lirge shark-hooks secured with chains and baited with meat ; but the former
they entered and destroyed, and the latter were always found broken or bent,
without securing the depredators. These animals were indeed so hungry
and fearless as to take away some of the Esquimaux dogs in a snow-house
near the Hecla's stern, thotigh the men were at the time within a few yards of
them.

From the circumstance of Captain Lyon and myself having accidentally
gone into different huts on our first visits to the village, (for with this name
I believe we must venture to dignify the united abodes of more than sixty
hu\nan beings,) particular individuals among the Esquimaux had already
in a manner attached themselves to each of us. Captain Lyon now in-
formed me that one of his acquaintance, a remarkably iine and intelligent
young man named At/ok-tt, had given iiim to understand that lie had some-
Avhere or other seen Kabloomt* people like ourselves only a few months ago.
This being the case there seemed no reason why, if it were made worth his
while, he should not be able to see them again in the course of next summer.
Anxious to profit by this unexpected mode of communication, I requested
Captain Lyon to endeavour to direct Ayoket's attention to the scheme of
conveying a letter from us to the persons of whom he spoke.
Tluirs. 7. On the 7th I paid another visit to the huts, w^here I found scarcely any
body but women and children, the whole of the men, with the exception of
the two oldest, having gone on a scaling excursion to the north-eastern side

* Eui'opean.

February

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 165

of the island. One of the women named Illgliuli, a sister of tlie lad Toolooak, „ ^82-2
who favoured us with a song, struck us as liavi^g a remarkably soft voice, an
excellent ear, and a great fondness for singing, for there was scarcely any
stopping her when she had once begun. We had, on their first visit to the
ships, remarked this trait in Iligliuk's disposition, when she Avas listening for
the first time to the sound of the organ, of which she seemed never to have
enough ; and almost every day she now began to display some symptom of that
superiority of understanding for which she was so remarkably distinguished.
A few^ of the women learned several of our names to-day, and I believe all
thought us Angekoks * of a very superior class, when we repeated to them
all round, by the assistance of our books, the names of all their husbands
obtained on board the preceding day. On our way back to the ships we
saw a party of them^ with their dogs, returning over the hill from the north-
eastAvard ; and we afterwards met another of eight or ten who had walked
round by the south-east point on the ice, all alike unsuccessful, after being
out in the wind for six hours with the thermometer from eighteen to twenty-
two degrees below zero. Thus hardly did these people obtain their daily
subsistence at this severe season of the year !

A wolf being caught in one of the traps this evening which was so close as
to be easily watched from the ship, a party of the officers ran out to secure
the depredator, and fired two balls into the trap at once to despatch him.
Finding after this that he continued to bite a sword that was thrust in, a third
shot Avas fired at him. The trap Avas then sufficiently opened to get his hind
legs firmly tied together, after Avhich being considered tolerably secure he
Avas pulled out of the trap, Avhich, hoAvever, his head had scarcely cleared
AA hen he furiously flcAv at Mr. Richards throat, and Avould certainly liave done
him some serious mischief had not that gentleman, with great presence of
mind, seized the animal in his turn by the throat, squeezing him Avith all his
force between both hands. This made the AAolf relinquish his first attempt,
and ISIr. Richards only suffered by a bite in his arm and another in his knee,
Avhich, on account of the thickness of his clothes, Avere happily not scAcrc
ones. As for the Avolf he prudently took to his heels, though two of them
Avere still tied together, and being favoured by the momentary confusion occa-
sioned by his late rencontre Avith Mr. Richards, succeeded in escaping his pur-

* Sorcerers, or wizards, pronounced as Avritten aboAe in Greenland ; but at Winter Island
Ang-et-kook ; and by the people at Igloolik An-nat-ko.

166 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. guers. He was found dead the following day at the distance of three-quarters
l-eliruary . a j

v-^-^ of a mile from the ships.

Ftid. 8. On the Sth we were visited by a musical party of females, consisting only of
a few individuals expressly inviteil for this purpose. A number of the officers
assembled in the cabin to hear this vocal concert, while Mr. Henderson and
myself took down the notes of their songs, for which indeed they gave us
every opportunity, for 1 thought they would never leave off. We afterwards
amused them by our little band of llutes and violins, and also by some songs,
with the whole of which they were extremely well pleased. I feared several of
them, and especially Iligliuk, would have gone into fits with delight when we
introduced into our song some of their names mingled with our own. While
most of us were thus employed. Captain Lyon took the opportunity of making
drawings of some of the women, especially oi' Togolat, the prettiest of the party,
and perhaps of the whole village. She was about six and twenty years of age,
with a face more oval than that of Esquimaux in general, very pretty eyes
and mouth, teeth remarkably white and regular, and possessing in her carriage
and manners a degree of natural gracefulness, which could not be hid even
under the disguise of an Esquimaux .woman's dress, and, as was usual with
Togolat, the dirtiest face of her whole tribe. Her husband Ewtrat, a little
ugly man of about iive-and-forty, was the only individual among them laying
claim to the title of Angetkook, and was in reality a sensible obliging man,
and a first-rate seal-catcher. They had two children, one of which, a little
girl, Togolat still occasionally suckled and, according to custom, carried in the
hood behind her back ; the other a boy about eight years of age, quite an
idiot, deaf and dumb from his birth, and squinting most horribly with both
eyes.

Finding that these poor creatures were now really in want of food, for the
men had again returned from an unsuccessful excursion, I was happy to avail
myself of a hint given to me by Captain Lyon to furnish them occasionally
with a small supply of bread-dust, of which we had two or three casks in
each ship. Our present party was therefore, in addition to other articles,
supplied with several jxtunds, which they immediately expressed their in-
tention to take home to their children. Several of them visited the ships as
Sat. 9- usual on the 9th, and among the rest Ka-oong-ut and his son Toolooak. The
old gentleman was not a favourite with us, being the only one who had yet
begun to tease us by constant begging. We had often expressed displeasure
at this habit, which after a day or two's acquaintance began to be extremely

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 167

troublesome ; but I had to-day to take cognizance of his stealing a nail, of which, ^^^'•
though not a very serious offence, I determined to take rather a serious notice, v-*-,-^^
as it might otherwise lead to more extensive theft. I therefore collected all
the other Esquimaux who were onboard, and having in their presence ex-
pressed great indignation at this conduct, turned the offender away in disgrace.
Some of those best acquainted with us were afterwards taken into the cabin,
where our sentiments were more fully explained to them. Among these I was
not sorry to have Toolooak and Iligliuk, who would not fail to report at the
huts all our proceedings, but who did not appear to consider themselves in the
slightest degree implicated in their father's offence, or concerned in his dis-
grace. The people of the huts being much in want of food, we again dis-
tributed some bread-dust among them, taking care to send a portion to the infirm
old man, Hik-kei-erci, by Okotook, the husband of Iligliuk, a fine active manly
fellow of about two and thirty, who, as we were pleased to find the next
day, had punctually executed his commission.

On the 10th the mercury in the barometer, which had been gradually but Sun. 10.
very slowly falling for several days preceding, had got down to 28.78 inches,
which is here remarkably low. It continued so with very little variation for
sixteen hours, and then rose much more quickly. The wind had during this
interval remained constantly from the northward and westward, and generally
moderate, with now and then some snow falling, but we could perceive no-
thing in the weather that seemed to coincide with this unusual indication in
the barometer.

The Esquimaux went out to endeavour to catch seals as usual, but returned
unsuccessful after several hours' -labour. As it was now evident that their
own exertions were not at all times sufficient to procure them food at this
season, and that neither indolence nor any idea of dependence on our charity
induced them to relax in those exertions, it became incumbent on ife care,
fully to attend to their wants, and by a timely and judicious application of the
slender resources we had set aside for their use, to prevent any absolute suf-
fering among them. We therefore sent out a good meal of bread-dust for
each individual, to be divided in due proportion among all the huts. The
necessity of this supply appeared very strongly from the report of our people,
Avho found some of these poor creatures actually gnawing a piece of hard
seal-skin with the hair on it, while few of the huts had any lamp alight. It
must be remembered that the failure of their seal-fishery always involves a
double calamity, for it not only deprives them of food, but of fuel for their

168 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. lamps. When this is the case, not to mention the want of warmth and light in

February

the huts, tliey are also destitute of the means of melting snow for water, and can

therefore only quench their thirst by eating the snow, which is not only a com-
fortless but an inefFectual resource. In consequence of this, it was surprising
to sec the (juantity of water these people drank whenever they came on boarfl ;
and it was often witli dlHiculty that our coppers could answer this additional
demand. 1 am certain that Toolooak one day drank nearly a gallon in less
than two hours. Besides the bread-dust, we also supplied them to-day with
a wolf's carcass which, raw and frozen as it was, they cat with a good appe-
tite; and indeed tiiey had not the means of cooking or even thawing it. I
cannot iicre omit a pleasing trait in their character, observed by our people
who carried out their su])plies ; not a morsel of whicli woul<l the grown-up
jjeople touch (ill they had first supplied the wants of their hungry little ones.

Mou. 11. On the lltli, the weather was severely cold, the wind blowing fresh from
the north-west, with the thermometer from — 26° to — 30°. Notwithstand-
ing the severity of the day, a few of the Esquimaux eaine on board, anrl
among the rest Siokobeid who, on account of being the tallest and stoutest
man of the tribe, had been distinguished by our people with the name of
" the Commodore." He brought with him his son Toonvk, a boy five or six
years of age, who became a great favourite with us, and whose clean deer-
skin clothes and ruddy face now gave him a very pretty and interesting ap-
pearance.

About this time we were grieved to find that our invalid. Held, \vas once
more attacked by his complaint, rendering such repeated bleedings necessary as
to reduce him very low, and to convince Mr. Edwards that liisi lungs were not
in a state to bear his returning strength. As if some fatality attended our
carpenters, Mr. Fiddis had also, for some time past, been occasionally com-
plaining of weakness, trembling, and sickness; but, except these two, we
had not, for several weeks, had an individual in the sick-list.

Tues. 12. On the morning of the 12th Okotook and his uncle Anmneelia, a sensible
and worthy man about five-and-forty years of age, coming on board from
their fishing, we shewed them the stage and scenery that were just put u]),
and invited them and their wives to the play about to be performed this
evening. They accordingly went back and brought the women, who under-
stood they were to be present at some diversion, though they did not well
know what. It was enough, however, with Iligliuk just to make the motion
of turning the handle of the organ, Avhich, conveying to her mind the idea

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 169

of music and merriment, was always sure to put her immediately into high 182-2.
spirits. As they came three or four hours before the performance of " John v^-r^'
Bull" was to commence, they began to grow tired and impatient, especially
when it became dusk and candles were brought into the cabin. The men
then explained that it would soon be dark, and that, in returning late to
their huts, they should disturb the people who would then be fast asleep
there. Finding that they grew uneasy, I made no objection to their return-
ing, and sent them off loaded with bread-dust and some oil for each of their
lamps. They remained long enough, however, to have a peep at Mrs. Brul-
grudderi/, whose dress, when they were informed it was that of a kabloona
nooUti-d, (European wife,) they were very anxious in examining, and seemed
to grieve at going away without witnessing the diversion which this and other
preparations seemed to promise.

On the 13th our friends at the huts Avere fortunate in procuring three seals, Wed. 13.
an event that created great joy at the village. Mr. Allison, who happened to
be there when one of these prizes was announced, informed me that there
was a general outcry of joy ; all the women hurried to the doors of the huts,
and the children rushed to the beach to meet the men dragging along the
prize. One of these little urchins, to complete the triumphant exultation with
which this event was hailed, instantly threw himself on the animal, and,
clinging fast to it, was thus dragged to the huts. Each woman was observed
to bring her odtkooseek, or cooking-pot, to the hut where the seal was dis-
sected, for the purpose of receiving a share of the meat and blubber.

Some light snow fell in the forenoon, though the day was otherwise clear.
A thermometer exposed to the sun's rays* at noon stood at — 9°, that in the
shade being 10" lower than this. The snow was melting on the black paint-
work and in other situations equally favourable. Another wolf, being the
third, w£is entrapped this evening, and Mr. Skeoch undertook to make a ske-
leton of it for preservation as a specimen of these animals.

* It is here necessary to explain that the " temperatures in the sun" registered in this Jour-
nal, were taken by a thermometer suspended on tlie south side of an unpainted upright post,
at the distance of one hundred yards from the ship ; those " in the shade" by a correspond-
ing thermometer on its north side. This explanation is necessary, because, in certain situa-
tions, such as under tlic lee of the house, or the ships' sterns, where mudi heat was radiated,
the snow was frequently melting, when in places not thus favourably situated, the sun pro- -
duced no such effect.

170 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

182-2. Q^ ^jj(> j5tj^ it ijie^v a strong gale from S.W. to W.N.W., and the thermo-

rebruary c? o

^,^>v-v/ meter, either on account of the strength of the wind or its having occa-

Fnd. 15. gi^jjgjjy soHic southlng in it, rose to — 4°, being the highest temperature
registered in our journals since the •27th of Dcceml)cr preceding. I had
agreed with Okotook to accompany him on a scaling-cxcursion, but the day
proved too inclement, the Esquimaux not going out themselves, though it was
not very often that the weather could prevent them. Considering it desirable
to increase by all the means in our power the chances of these people giving
information of us, we distributed among several of the men large round
medallions of sheet copper, having these words punched through them : —
" H. B. M. S. Fury and Hecla, All well, A.D. 1822." These we suspended
by a piece of white line round their necks, giving them to understand that
they were to shew them to any Kabloona people they might ever meet with in
future. Similar ornaments, but of a smaller size, were subsequently pre-
sented to many of the women, having on them the words, " Fury and
Hecla, 1822."

Sat. 16. Early on the morning of the 16th, observing a party of the Esquimaux
equipped with spears passing near the ships, I joined them, accompanied
by Mr. Bushnan and one or two others. Having crossed the point of the
island they walked over the ice to the eastward, where we did not overtake
them till they had got above a mile and a quarter from the shore. This party
consisted of eight persons, among whom we were glad to find Arnaneelia,
Okotook, Toolooak, Pootooaloo/c his elder brother, and one or two others
whom \vc knew. They had by this time, however, separated into two or
three different parties, stationed at the distance of half a mile from each other
along the edge of the floe, beyond which to the eastward there was clear
water as far as we could see for frost-smoke.

The party we at first joined were seated on a high hummock of ice, with
their spears in their hands, looking out for seals. After we had talked to
them for a few minutes, Okotook suddenly started up and set off along the
edge of the ice, without giving us or his own companions the least warning.
The latter seemed so much accustomed to this, that they took no further
notice than by immediately following him, and we did the same ; the whole
party walking at a very quick rate, and the natives keeping their heads
constantly turned towards the sea to look out for seals. After being thus en-
gaged for an hour and a half, wc judged, from the motions of a party at some
distance beyond us, that they had game in view. As we approached them,

•'^_..v;^>;^-^f.-^j«?7^'^!»^->»KSi-1

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 171

Okotook evidently began to be apprehensive that we. who did not understand •^^2.
the matter, would spoil their sport. To prevent this, he did the most civil v,*-r>^
thing that could well have been devised, which was, to send his companions
one by one to the spot, and to remain with us himself, keeping us at such a
distance as to allow us to see their proceedings, without alarming the animal
they were in pursuit of. The other seven Esquimaux, now forming one
party, disposed themselves into a single line, so as to make as small an appear-
ance as possible in the direction in which they were going, and in this manner
crept very cautiously towards the margin of the floe. On a sudden they all
stooped down quite low, to hide themselves, and continued thus a quarter of
an hour, during which time they prepared their lines and spears; and then,
when the animal appeared to be intercepted from their view, again took the
opportunity of gaining a few paces upon him in the same cautious manner as
before. When they had been thus occupied for a full hour, alternately creep-
ing and stooping down, the seal which had been lying on the ice took the
water, and they then gave up their chase. During this time, Okotook could
scarcely restrain his impatience to be nearer the scene of action ; and when we
produced a spy-glass, which appeared to bring his companions close to us, he
had not words to express his surprise and satisfaction. In a short time he
held it as steadily as we did, and explained by signs every motion he observed.

As soon as they had given up the seal they had been watching, the whole
party seemed with one accord to turn their steps homeward, in which direc-
tion, being that of the ships also, we were by this time not sorry to accom-
pany them. We were now between three and four miles north-east of the
ships, and full a mile and a half from any part of the shore. In the open
water beyond the floe, the tide was running two knots to the northward, and
as the ice on which we stood had been formed only within the last fortnight,
and a sheet as substantial as this had before been carried away by the stream,
it was impossible not to feel some apprehension lest we might thus be de-
tached from the shore, an accident that has been known to happen to Esqui-
maux ere now *, and has probably more frequently befallen them, when
none have survived to tell the tale.

As we returned towards the land, we came to a small rising on the level
surface of the floe not larger than a common mole-hiU, and of much the same
shape, at which one of the Esquimau.x immediately stopped. His com-
panions, still walking on, called us away, explaining that what we saw was the

• Crantz. London Edition, 1820, Appendix, p. 310.

z s

172 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. Yvork of a seal, and that it was probable the animal was about to complete his
v-^v-v^ hole and to come up on the ice, in which case the man would endeavour to
kill him. We watched the man at the hole, however, with a glass, for more
than half an hour, observing him constantly putting his head down towards the
ice, as if in the act of listening for the seal, but without otherwise changing
his position ; after which, he followed us on board without success.

If, however, a man has any reason to suppose that a seal is at work beneath,
he immediately attaches himself to the place, and seldom leaves it till he has
succeeded in killing the animal. For this purpose, he first builds a snow-
wall about four feet in height, to shelter him from the wind, and, seating him-
self under the lee of it, deposits his spear, lines, and other implements upon
several little forked sticks inserted into the snow, in order to prevent the
smallest noise being made in moving them when wanted. But the most
curious precaution to the same effect consists in tying his own knees together,
with a thong, so securely as to prevent any rustling of his clothes which
might othenvise alarm the animal. In this situation, a man will sit quietly
sometimes for hours together, attentively listening to any noise made by the
seal, and sometimes using the kcip-hdtid; an instrument hereafter described,
in order to ascertain whether the animal is still at work below. \S'hen he
supposes the hole to be nearly completed, he cautiously lifts his spear, to
which the line ha.<. been previously attached, and as soon as the blowing of
the seal is distinctly heard, and the ice consequently very thin, he drives it
into him with the force of both nnns, ;uul then cuts away with his pan/ta the
remaining crust of ice, to enable him to repeat the wounds and get him out.
The Jieiliek is the only seal killed in this manner and, being the smallest, is
held, while struggling, either simply by hand, or by putting the line round
a spear with the point stuck info the ice. For the ogid-e, the line is passed
round the man's leg or arm ; and for a walrus, round his body, his feet being
at the same time firmly set against a hummock of ice, in which position these
people can from habit hold against a very heavy strain. Boys of fourteen or
fifteen years of age consider themselves equal to the killing of a ncitiek, but
it requires a full-grown person to master either of the larger animals.v
Sun. 17. On the 17th, a number of the Esquimaux coming before the church ser\ice,
we gave them to understand, by the sun, that none could be admitted before
noon, when they quiedy remained outside the ships till divine service had been
performed. We then endeavoured to explain to Iligluik that every seventh
day they must not come to the ships, for, without any intention of offending.

.■:TlW'5r???H!S?

f

<$''

I

^\

\

li

I

I

iS^

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. I73

they had become rather an annoyance in this way. They now brought with '^■^■'^•
them a great many little canoes and paddles, sledges, figures of men and v.#-y-^'
women, and other toys, most of them already bespoke by the officers and men,
and the rest for sale.

There was to-day a great deal of open water to the southward, and it had
once more approached us within half a mile, the ice at the mouth of the bay
having broken off and drifted away. Mr. Crozier, who visited the huts,
found that the Esquimaux, as well as ourselves, had been induced to attempt
the destruction of their followers, the wolves, by setting a trap for them not
unlike ours, except in the materials, which consisted only of their staple com-
modity, ice. They had indeed great occasion to employ some such means
to destroy these rapacious animals, which had already carried off" one or
two of their dogs, and threatened nightly to repeat this outrage.

Toolooak, who now considered himself as quite piniU-ged to find his way Mon. 18.
into the cabin without a conductor, and was not backward in thus practising
his newly-acquired art of opening and shutting the door, sat with me for a
couple of hours on the 18th, quietly drawing faces and animals, an occupa-
tion to which he took a great fancy ; and we often were reminded, by this
circumstance, of a similar propensity displayed by his amiable countryman,
our lamented friend John Sackhouse. We soon found that Toolooak pos-
sessed a capacity equal to any tiling he chose to take an interest in learning ;
and could he at his present age have been voluntarily removed from his com-
panions, and his attention directed to the acquirement of higher branches of
knowledge than that cf catching seals, he would amply have repaid any pains
bestowed upon his education. I had always entertained great objection to
taking any such individual from his home, on the doubtful chance of benefit-
ing himself, or of his doing any service to the public as an interpreter. My
scruples on this head had hitherto been confined (o the consideration due to
the individual himself, and to the relatives he leaves behind. In our present
case, however, not the smallest public advantage could be derived from it ;
for it had long ago become evident that we should soon know more of the
Esquimaux language than any of them were likely to learn of English in any
reasonable period of time : I was therefore far from desiring to receive from
Toolooak an answer in the affirmative, when I to-day j>]ainly put the ques-
tion to him, whether he would go with me to kablaom nooiia (European
country). Never was a more decisive negative given than Toolooak gave to
this proposd. lie eagerly repeated the word Na-o (No) half a dozen times.

174 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

'322. and then told me that if he went away his father would cry. This simple
^/-^^^^ but irresistible appeal to paternal affection, his decisive manner of making it,
and the feelings by which his reply was evidently dictated, were just what
could have been wished. No more could be necessary to convince those who
witnessed it, that these people may justly lay equal claim with ourselves to
these common feelings of our nature; and having once satisfied myself of this,
I determined never again to excite in Toolooak's mind another disagreeable
sensation, by talking to him on this subject.

Besides the toys and models I have mentioned above, as articles of barter
with these people, we also employed them more usefully in making wooden
shades for the eyes, after their own method, as the time was fast approaching
when some such precaution would become necessary to guard the eyes from
the excessive glare of reflected light, I There was also a considerable tradt
established in mittens, wliich beiuj: made of prepared seal-skin, and nearly
water-tight, were particularly serviceable to our men when constantly handling
tlie leadlines in the summeri In this manner we contrived to turn our new
acquaintance to some little account.
Tiies. 19. On the morning of the 19th, the thermometer, for the second and last time
this winter, fell to — 39° on the ice, being within one degree of the lowest
temperature we here experienced. It was curious to see how clearly about
this period a space continued to be marked out in the sky by the frost
smoke, shewing where there was still clear water, though in some parts too
distant for us to distinguish. This phenomenon consisted of a dark cloud-
like appearance, rising from a very fine point at the horizon, about S.W.b.W,,
thence increasing in altitude to about 3° in the S.b.E., where it was highest,
and again coming to a point about N.N.E. The contrast between this cloud
of vapour and the white snowy sky was often peculiarly striking, particularly
at night and when the moon shone bright. ^Vllenevcr the clear water was
near us, the frost-smoke that issued from it obscured from our sight the more
distant appearance I have now described ; in the first case it resembled a
fog when close at hand, and in the second precisely what seamen understand
by the name of "fog-bank."

Among the natives who visited the Fury to-day was Ewerat, of whom I
have already spoken as Ang-d-fcook, or chief-sorcerer of the tribe, a dis-
tinction with which he had made some of our gcnUemen acquainted at one
of their earliest visits to the huts. Being desirous of seeing him perform
some of the tricks, which had acquired for him this pre-eminence, I requested

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 175

him to indulge me ^v^th a sight of them. After some little demur, he began p*^^^'
to make his lips quiver, then moved his nose up and down, gradually closed ..^^v^^
his eyes, and increased the violence of his grimaces till every feature was
hideously distorted ; at the same time, he moved his head rapidly from side
to side, uttering sometimes a snuffling sound, and at others a raving sort of
cry. Having worked himself into this ridiculous kind of frenzy, which lasted
perhaps from twenty to thirty seconds, ho suddenly discontinued it, and
suffered his features to relax into their na'Jaral form ; but the motion of his
head seemed to have so stupified him, as indeed it well might, that there
remained an unusual vacancy and a drowsy stare upon his countenance for
some time afterwards. Being prosserl to repeat this piece of buffoonery, he
did so two or three times; and on one occasion Togolat asked him in a serious
tone some questions respecting me, which he as seriously answered. In
general however the women paid little attention to his grimaces, and the
whole ended with a hearty laugh from all parties.

I had to-day some conversation with a woman named Appokiuk, whom
Iligliuk had mentioned as having seen Kabloona people before us. This
woman was gifted, however, with such a volubility of tongue, that speak-
ing as she did in a language very imperfectly known to us, she gave
no time for questions, and therefore afforded litde information. All we
could make out for certain was, that she had within a year past seen two
Kabloona Oomia/c, (whether ships or boats was still doubtful*) and that her
husband was now far away. From all this we concluded that she had been
far enough to the southward to see the Hudson's Bay ships in the course of
their annual voyage ; and this account gave us very sanguine hopes of being
thus able to communicate with them by means of some of the Esquimaux.

On the 20th a number of our new friends having been allowed upon the Wed. -20.
upper deck, an old woman, named Ai/iig-gu-louk, stole our cooper's punch,
which she was shewing to her companions alongside the Hccla just after-
wards, when Lieutenant Hoppner observed it and sent her back with an
escort. It was impossible not to admit that the fault was chiefly on our
side, in permitting these poor people to roam about too freely amidst
temptations, which scarcely any thing human could have withstood ; but
as it was necessary to take some notice of it, I went through nearly the
same process as with Kaoongut, and dismissed her with great appearance of

• These people apply the word oomiak to any vessel larger than a canoe.

176 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. indignation to the huts. Wc were glad to find that their wants had there
v-*-r^ been well supplied to-day, three seals having been caught. They had
lately indeed been tolerably successful in general, and had required
but little of our assistance. Mr. Elder observing one of their dogs at-
tacked by several wolves, and hastening to the spot with his gun, found
that these animals had made such quick work in the partition of their prey,
that though he reached the scene of action in a few minutes, and the dog
had at first made considerable viosistance, only one of its hind legs re-
mained, each wolf having run off with his share. It is remarkable that
these creatures had never entered our traps since the moon had declined
to the southward, whereas n(»t a night elapsed before that without their going
to them. The Esquimaux had in theirs caught only a fox.

Tliur.2i. During the eclipse of the sun, which took place to-day, the diminution
of light was very considerable, but the weather was unfavourable for ob-
serving it for any useful purpose. Captain Lyon remarked that some of
the Esquimaux, who were on board the Ilccla at the time, were a good deal
alarmed at this phenomenon, Mhich indeed made a general bustle among
them. Two of them were found on the ice lying on their faces, but it was
not ascertained whether their superstitions on this subject were the same
as those of their brethren in Greenland.

Mr. Henderson being desirous of seeing something of the customs of
these people during the hours of darkness, obtained my permission to
pass the night at the huts, accompanied by Mr. Griffiths. Soon after they
left the ships in the evening it came on to blow strong from the north-west,
with much snow-drift, so that losing the tracks they with difficulty found
the village. The wind quickly increased to a hard gale, and the thermo-

Krid.-22. meter rose from — 2j° at six P.M., to — 1G° at four the following morning.
Our gentlemen returning on board in the course of the forenoon, we
were pleased to hear that they had met with every attention, and
especially from Okotook, with whom they lodged. As they had slept
in Kaoongut's hut, one side of which was occupied by Okotook and
his family, the old fellow thought it a good opportunity to make up the
quarrel occasioned by his dishonesty ; and he accordingly made his appear-
ance on board to-day for the first time since that event. Tolooak was de-
puted to bring his father down into the cabin, where a formal reconcilia-
tion took place, to the great satisfaction of the latter, who had found out
that to be out of favour with us was attended with the serious consequence

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 177

}cin'; also out of pocket. It was laiiijliublc to observe the pains he now '^22-

? ' . , - , , , . February

L to impress on tlie mincl oi every person he saw, that he was no longer ^,*->-N./

•^likloke, by which name he had lately been distinguished ; for he

ncd to tliiuk that my receiving him again into favour was a perfect

)lution from his offence.

he gale continued to blow from the north-west throughout the day,

igh the barometer gradually rose from 29.73 to 29.93 inches. Two

:ns were seen: these birds, which were observed frequently in the

■se of the winter, were almost always seen in a single pa r at a time,

their plumage remained perfectly black as in the summer.

n the 23d I paid another visit to the huts, and found the greater part Sat. 23.

he men absent on their scaling excursions. We thought however that,

?pt on pressing occasions, one man was left in each hut to keep an eye

the conduct of the women, and this was the case to-day. The huts

in the interior assumed a somewhat different appearance since I had

seen them ; the roofs were much blackened by the smoke of the
ps, and the warmth had in most parts given them a glazed and honey-
bed surface : indeed the whole of the walls had become much thinner
hawing, so that the light was more plainly visible through them. The
V also on which the lamps stood was considerably worn away, so as to
Toy in great measure the regularity of the original plan of construction,
hcse changes might be added that of a vast (juantity of blood and oil

now defaced the purity of the snowy floor, and emitted effluvia not

agreeable to European noses; so that, uj)on the whole, it may be ima-
d that our first impressions of the comfort and cleanliness of these ha-
tions were more favourable than their present state was calculated to
te.

o the original apartments they had now also added various smaller
es for stores, communicating with the huts from within, and looking
ctliing like our ovens, though without any door to them.j, "In some of
e tliey deposited their ui)per jackets, which they usually take ofl' in
ing into their huts, as we do a great coat; while in smaller ones, like
c shelves in a recess, they kept various articles of their Kablooana
es. These and similar alterations and additions they were constantly
ing throughout the winter; for their inexhaustible materials being always
and, it required but little time and labour to adopt any arrangement

might suit their convenience.

2 A

178 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822 After distributing a number of presents in the first four huts, I found on
— >^ entering the last, that Pootooalook had been successful in bringing in a seal,
over which two elderly women were standing, armed with large knives, their
hands and faces besmeared with blood, and delight and exultation depicted
on their countenances. They had just performed the first operation of di-
viding the animal into two parts, and thus laying open the intestines. These
being taken out, and all the blood carefully baled up and put into the
oolkooieek, or cooking-pot, over the fire, they separated the head and flippers
from the carcass and then divided the ribs. All the loose scraps were put
into the pot for immediate use, except such as the two butchers now and then
crammed into their own mouths, or distributed to the numerous and eaeer
by-standers for still more immediate consumption. Of these morsels the
children came in for no small share, every little urchin that could find its way
to the .slaughter-house, ninning eagerly in and, between the legs of the men
and women, presenting its mouth for a large lump of raw flesh, just as an
English child of the same age might do for a piece of sugar-candy. Every
now and then also a dog would make his w^ay towards the reeking carcass, and
when in the act of seizing upon some delicate part, was sent off yelping by
a heavy blow with the handles of the knives. When all the flesh is disposed
of, for a portion of which each of the women from the other huts usually
brings her ootkooseck, the blubber still remains attached to the skin, from
which it is separated the last; and the business being now completed, the two
parts of the hide are rolled up and laid by, together with the store of flesh
and blubber. 1 During the dissection of their seals, they have a curious cus-
tom of sticking a thin filament of skin, or of some part of the intestines, uf)on
the foreheads of the boys, who are themselves extremely fond of it, it being
intended, as Uigliuk afterwards informed me, to make them fortunate seal-
catchers, i-^

The seals which they take during the winter arc of two kinds, the Ntitiek,
or small seal (plwcu liispldaj, and the Ogiike, or large seal Cphoca barbataj.
These and the El-ii-tk, or Walrus, constitute their means of subsistence at
this season ; but, on this particular part of the coast, the latter arc not very
abundant and they chiefly catch the ncitick. The animal we had now seen
dissected was of that kind, and with young at the time. A small one taken
out of it had a beautiful skin which, both in softness and colour, very much
resembled raw silk ; but no inducement could make Pootooalook part with it,
he having destined it for that night's supper.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 179

After quitting this scene of filth, I found, on returning to Kaoongut's hut, p'^-^-
that Toolooak had been no less successful than his brother, and that the

same operation was also performing here. Having, therefore, explained to
Ilio-liuk that none of them were to come to the ships the following day, I
had no inclination to see the process repeated, and was glad to take my
leave.

We observed a great deal of open water to the southward, about three
miles from the land, with the usual cloud of frost-smoke hovering over it.
The ice on which we had accompanied the Esquimaux a few days before had
now entirely disappeared, and on that side of tlie island the clear water again
washed the shore.

On the 24th no natives visited the ships, in consequence of my injunction Sun. 24.
to that effect. This, however, was the only Sunday on which they complied
with it, partly, I believe, from their not rightly understanding what we wished,
but perhaps more from their not much piquing themselves on sacrificing any
convenience of their own to that of others. A great number of dovekies,
whose plumage appeared still whiter than before, were swimming about off'
the point, but the risk of sending a boat among the young ice in the tide-
way was too great to attempt it. The weather was remarkably fine and plea-
sant, the wind being light from the north-west ; but the thermometer was low
during the day, and fell to — 32° at midnight. At noon, on the 25th, it was Mon. 25.
at — 28° in the shade, and at — 16° in the sun. The temperature of the sea
at the surface, and that at the bottom in the seven fathoms were both 28°
by the same thermometer.

The 26th was a clear and moderate day, and the thermometer gradually Tues. 26.
rose to — 9° at midnight. The wind became easterly for a few hours, and
then suddenly veered again to the northward. Our theatre closed this night
for the season with the two farces of " The Citizen," and " High Life below
Stairs." The ships' companies testified the gratification which they had derived
from these performances in their own way, namely, by three hearty cheers at
the fall of the curtain ; and the officers, I am confident, considered their
trouble more than repaid by this expression of the men's feelings.

The veering of the wind to the nordiward soon produced its usual effect of Wed. 27.
reducing the temperature of the atmosphere, and the thermometer rapidly
fell till it had reached —37°. On the 28th, Okotook and Iligliuk coming -pij^^ 28.
on board, an occurrence took place, which, as it shews the disposition of
the Esquimaux, and especially of one of the most intelligent and interesting

2 A 2

180 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

18-22. amonff them, I may licre relate. Some time before, Ilisrliuk, who, iVom the
tt-bruary V '' . • i • i i ' i

y^~,-s^ .superior neatness and cleanliness with which she perlbrmed her work, was by

tiiis time in great request as a sempstress, had promised to cover for mc a
little model of a canoe, and ha<l in fact sent it to me by the serjeant of ma-
rines, though I had not rightly understood from the latter from which of
the Avomen it came. Believing that she had failed in her promise, I now
(axed her with it, wiicn she immediately defended herself with considerable
warmth and seriousness, but without making me comprehend her meaning.
Finding that she was wasting her words upon me, she said no more till
an hour afterwards, when the serjeant accidenttdly coming into the cabin, she,
with the utmost comj)osure, but with a decision of manner peculiar to herself,
took hold of his arm to engage his attention, and then looking him steadfastly
in the face, accused him of not having faithfully executed her commission to
me. The mistake was thus instantly explained, and I thanked Iligliuk for
her canoe ; but it is impossible for mc to describe the ((uiet, yet proud, .satis-
faction displayed in her countenance, at having thus cleared herself from the
imputation of a breach of {)romise.

There being among the presents with which we were supj^lied a number
of pikes, we presented two or three of these from each ship to the most de-
serving of the Esquimaux, to serve as staves for their spears ; and valuable
ones they proved to them. Upon each pike were marked by snuiU nails
<lriveninto the wood the words " Fury and Ilccla, ly-2-2."

Almost the whole of these ])eople were now affected with violent colds
and coughs, occasioned by a considerable thawing that had lately taken
place in their huts, so as to wet their clothes and bedding ; though, as
will be seen by the Rleteorological Register, we had as yet experienced
no great increase of temi)erature. From the nature of their habitations,
however, their comfort was greater, and their chance of health better when
the cold Avasmore severe. On this account they began to make fresh alte-
rations in these curious dwelling-places, either by building the former apart-
ments two or three feet higher, or adding others that they might be less
crowded. In building a higher hut they construct it over, and, as it were,
concentric with the old one, which is then removed from within. It is
curious to consider that, in all these alterations, the object kept in view was
coolness, and this in houses formed of snow !

Some of them had caught a wolf in their trap ; but we found that nothing
less than extreme want could have induced them to eat the flesh of that

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 181

which we had eriven them, as now that they had other food, they would not ^'^-^•

.... . . February

touch it. Only four wolves at this time remained alive of the original pack, \^r^
and these were constantly prowling about near the ships or the village.

The month of February closed with the thermometer at — 32°, and though
the sun had now attained a meridian altitude of nearly sixteen degrees, and
enlivened us with his presence above the horizon for ten hours in the day,
no sensible effect had yet been produced on the average temperature of the
atmosphere. The uniformly white surface of snow on which at this season
the sun's rays have to act, or rather leaving them nothing to act upon, is
much against the first eftbrts to produce a thaw ; but our former experience
of the astonishing rapidity with Avhich this operation is carried on, when
once the ground begins to be laid bare, served in some measure to reconcile
us to what appeared a protraction of the cold of winter not to have been
expected in our present latitude.

ABSTRACT of the JMETEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept

on board His Majesty's Ship

Fctir, at Winter Island, duric

<r the Month of

o

February, 1822.

Day

Fahrenheit's Ther-
mometer.

i i

3 J

' Barometer.

Prevailing
Winds.

Prevailing M^eather.

Maxi-

uiiim.

Miui-
Diuin.

Moan.

! .M..xi-
nium.

liiulll.

Mean.

Dirt-cti&u.

Velocity

1

-1°9

-2°4

o

-ao.92

o
55.5

intlifs
30.01

29.99 30.000

1

NW

liglit

fine

2

19

28

23.12

54.7

30.03

29.9930.008

NW

light

fine

3

27

32

28.92

5S.0

30.04

29.00 29.968

NNW

light

fine

4

30

31

32. C7

.M.S

29.90

29.79 29.811)

KNW

light

fine

6

30

34

31.54

S4.3

29.79

29.76,29.780

NNW

Ught

fine

C

23

32

27.33

33.5

29.83

29.72,29.703

NW

modt.

cloudy

7

15

27

21.42

54.0

29.65

20.49,29.550

NNAV

light

hazy

8

191

30

25 .29

57.1

29.57

29.18 29.525

WNW

light

cloudy

9

15

31

20.25

55.0

29.37

28.80 29.011

NW

light

cloudy

10

20

32

20.40

34.7

28.93

28.7828.801

NbW

light

hazy and snow

11

21

30

20.08

55.6

29.31

28.9129.117

North

modt.

clondy

12

22

32

24. 9i

54.6

29.34

29.20 29.290

NNW

modt.

cloudy

13

15

28

22.33

56.0

29.32

28.99 29.110

NW

light

cloudy

14

13

31

25.29

54.7

29.52

29.41

29.472

NNW

modt.

cloudy

15

4

19

9.92

58.6

29.37

23.2829.315

sw

strong

hazy and drift

10

14

28

23.42

58.7

29. 3j

29.2929.318

NWbN

light

clear

17

17

30

22.92

58.2

29.26

29.14 29.193

NNW

light

fine

18

27

37

31.17

56.2

29.37

■.29.15 29.250

NW

modt.

hazy

19

31

37

33.33

54.2

29.74

29.43 29.582

NW

modt.

fine

20

25

36

30.42

54.2

29.92

29.78 29.872

NW

modt.

fine

21

20

30

25.17

52.2

29.85

29.7229.793

NW

fresh

clear and drift

22

16

25

19.67

52.2

29.93

29.75 29.842

NNW

strong

hazy

23

19

25

21.33

52.0

29.99

29.93 29.932

NAV

strong

hazy and drift

24

24

31

27.42

51.5

30.01

29.9329.907

1

NW

strong
10 light.

A.M. drift P.M. fine

25

20

31

28.71

51.7

30.03

30.0130.020

1

N. to W.

light

clear

2C

9

32

17.73

52.2

29.98

29.80 29.898

1

NbE

light

hazy

27

lOi

35

18.54

52.5

29.70

29.54 29.593

North

light

fine

28

30

36

32.42

53.0

29.80

29.63

29.733

North

light

fine

- 4

-37

-24.97

1 54.6

30.04 28.78 29.593

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 183

CHAPTER VIII.

CHARTS DRAWN BY THE ESQUIMAUX ILLNESS AMONG THEM A JOURNEY PERFORMED

ACROSS WINTER ISLAND SUFFERINGS OF THE PARTY BY FROST FURTHER NOTICE

OF THE ESQUIMAUX CHARTS DEPARTURE OF SOME OP THESE PEOPLE, AND A SEPARATE

VILLAGE EST.\BLISHED ON THE ICE VARIOUS METEOROLOGICAL PHENOMEN.\

OKOTOOK AND HIS WIFE BROUGHT ON BOARD ANECDOTES RELATING TO THEM

SHIPS RELEASED FROM THE ICE BY SAWING.

Little as we considered ourselves to stand in need of any auxiliary re- a?^^?*
sources for the complete occupation of our time during the winter, it must ^^^^^
be confessed that the arrival of the Esquimaux served in no small degree to
enliven us at this season; and, from the quickness with which the last month
had appeared to pass by, we were not sorry to have dispensed with the
necessity of putting to the test w'ith what degree of patience we might other-
wise have borne the remaining period of our confinement.

Our invalid, Reid, continued about this time much the same as before,
being sometimes better and sometimes worse, but without any permanent
or material alteration in either way, except that which a long and tedious
confinement must necessarily produce. We had now" also an addition to our
sick-list in the ship's cook, who complained of a severe pain in the upper
part of his thigh, the bone of which had been shattered several years before
by a musket-ball. It was for a few days uncertain whether this pain was
rheumatic, or whether any matter was forming in the wound. The latter,
however, proved to be the case, and an incision having been made, the cook
was able to return to his duty in a short time.

The thermometer rose gradually from — 35° on the morning of the 1st of
March to — 11° at night, and on the following day it had reached + 2°, being Sat. -2.
the first time we had seen it above zero since Christmas. This increase of
temperature had been accompanied, or perhaps caused, by a change of Mind

184 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

from tlic north-west by south to south-east; from whicli quarter it soon
freshened to a gale, with much snow-drift. On the 3d it again drew round
Sun. 3. to the nordiward, but continued to blow as strong as before. During this
time the mercury in the baroinctor did not fall below 29.94 inches, and that
during a short intermission of the gale on the 2d.

In the midst of this inclement weather a number of the Esquimaux were out
upon the ice to the southward, some of them at the distance of a mile and a half
from the land, with large spaces of clear water intervening between it and
them ; the very ice on which they trod being in rapid motion with the tide, and
themselves enveloped alternately in a cloud of frost-smoke or a tremendous
snow-driit, which often obscured them from our sight. They seemed, how-
ever, to think nothing of this, or at least to consider themselves amply repaid
for their risk and labour, by procuring abundance of seals or sea-horses on
most of these excursions. They were indeed so well furnished at this time,
that even our biscuit was occasionally refused.

I to-day procured from little Toonck a string of bones, which on inquiry
we found to belong to a land animal called by the Esquimaux Kabkc-arioo,
and which we certainly had never met with. From the description given us
by these people on this and several other occasions, we considered it likely
to be the wolverene ; but it must be extremely rare in those parts of America.

On the 4th we had a long visit from Okotook and Iligliuk, who both looked
Mon. 4. very ill and svcre labouring under severe coughs. In the course of our con-
versation I found from Okotook, that the man whose tent I had visited in the
summer up Lyon Inlet, Avas named Arnulooa, and that he was uncle to Oko-
took, being the brother of his mother Illiimca, now at Winter Island. We
found iudoed that they knew the whole history of our visit; for they not only
described and named the persons we saw, but related the exact manner in
which Mr. Sherer's drinking-cup had been stolen, its being secreted in the
boot of Arnalooa's wife, and their expulsion from our tents in consequence.
We subsequendy discovered that Appokiuk, the woman already mentioned as
having somewhere seen Kabloona oomiak, was one of Arnalooa's wives, though
now separated from him, and that she was one of the party in question who
had visited our tents in the summer, though our short intercourse did not
allow us immediately to recognise her features. It turned out therefore that
the only oomiaks she had ever seen were our own boats on that occasion ; and
this was a striking instance out of many in which we at first totally misappre-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 185

hended these people's meaning, in consequence of our ignorance of their '^22.

, March.

language. , v^v-w

Being extremely desirous of ascertaining what the Esquimaux knew of the
coast to the northward of our present station, we to-day drew out roughly on
a large sheet of paper the conformation of the land in this neighbourhood,
and as far to the westward as Repulse Bay, and then requested Iligliuk to
continue it to the northward. She readily understood our meaning, and with
a pencil soon traced various indentations in the coast, together with several
islands, on one of which called Amitioke, at the distance of sixteen days'
journey, she informed us she was born. As it would afford no interest to re-
late the various surmises, hopes, and fears, which this and several other Esqui-
maux charts subsequently gave rise to in our minds, it will only be necessary
in this place further to remark, that our first inquiries did not produce any
very satisfactory information as to the relative position or trending of the
coast beyond Winter Island, and that it was not till long after this time that
we were enabled duly to appreciate the geographical knowledge which they
possessed.

Whatever uncertainty existed however on this subject, or whatever might
be the information we could hope to obtain from the Esquimaux in the course
of our further communication with them, our business was to see and not to
speculate. If, as might reasonably be expected from the nature of the coast
lately examined, that upon which we hoped soon to recommence our discove-
ries was also indented by inlets and fringed with numerous islands, it had
long before occurred to Captain Lyon and myself in the course of our con-
versations on this subject, that considerable time might be saved to the ships,
during the short season of navigation about to commence, by sending a party
by land to complete as much as possible of that examination before the ships
were released from the ice. As it was requisite that this should be accom-
plished before the commencement of a general thaw, by which the return of
the party might have been altogether prevented, preparations were now made
for a journey of this nature ; and Captain Lyon offering his services to com-
mand the Expedition, the proper number of individuals were selected to com-
mence their arrangements under his orders. As one of the Esquimaux with
whom we were well acquainted might prove of service on such a journey,
Captain Lyon's friend Ayoket, who was in every respect the most eligible for
the purpose, was informed of our intentions and a proposal made to him to
accompany the party to " Iligliuk's country."

2 B

186 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. w^c iiad no^v succeeded in taking the last wolf in a trap, the Esquimaux
having caught two, and the other eleven having been entrapped or shot near

the ships. The natives were greatly relieved by the extirpation of these
ravenous animals which were constantly alarming them at the huts ; and we
were ourselves not sorry to have got rid of them so soon.

I'hur. 7. On the 7th the wind got round from north to south-west and increased to a
strong gale from that quarter, which continued without intermission and with
almost constant snow the whole of the 8th. It was remarkable that the mer-
cury in the barometer was stationary at 30.31 inches for eight hours on the
niglit of the 7th and the morning of the 8th, though the wind had then been
blowing strong for more than half a day. The thermometer again rose to +-2°
this morning.

To ascertain the thickness of the ice formed in the bay since the close of
the last autumn, a hole was dug in a part where no separation had taken place
since the commencement of the winter's frost, and where in fact we had seen
it commence. The thickness of the floe was here four feet seven inches,
being the produce of exactly five calendar months. The ice was hard, brittle,
and transparent till within six or eight inches of the lower surface, where it
became soft and porous, allo\ving the water to filter slowly through it.

The Esquimaux were fortunate in killing another walrus which we met them
dragging in high spirits towards the village. They usually divide these huge
animals on the spot into four or five parts, each of which with its proportion
of the intestines is sewn up so as to resemble a seal at a little distance. Four
or five dogs, if they have them at hand, are fastened to each of these, and the
man who attends them frequently rides home upon it as on a sledge.

Sat. 9. The wind moderated on the 9th, but continued from the south-west, and a
great deal of snow fell. The mildness of the weather (the thermometer having
got as high as + 13°) continued to incommode the natives in their huts
more and more, and severe coughs and catarrhs were still epidemic among
them. Some of the women had quite lost their voices, and almost every indi-
vidual was more or less a sufferer from the constant dripping of water from
the roofs of their apartments.

Sun. 10. On the evening of the 10th, while I was sitting in my cabin, the door opened
gently and in walked Toolooak, who very unceremoniously seated himself on
the opposite side of the table, and soon began to display not only his usual
good humour, but a degree of archness for which we had before scarcely given
him credit. As a specimen of this, though by no means the only one with

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 187

which he treated us, I had no sooner ffone into the gun-room to drink tea, ,l^''^^.'

March

than Toolooak, who was now alone in the cabin, took it into his head to play \-*-y-w
my servant a trick ; for which purpose he boldly rang the bell, and when the
sen-ant came, laughed at him very heartily for his pains. After levying con-
tributions by way of supper on all the officers' messes, he wrapped himself up
in all the skins we could muster, and slept soundly on my lockers till the
morning, when after a hearty breakfast he took his departure, well pleased
with his entertainment, but still more with the various presents he took with
him.

On the I2th, Okotook came, according to an appointment previously made, Tues. 12.
with a sledge and six dogs to give me a ride to the huts, bringing Avith him his
son Sioutkuk who, with ourselves, made up a weight of near four hundred
pounds upon the sledge. After being upset twice and stopping at least ten
times, notwithstanding the incessant bullying of Okotook, and as it seemed
to me, more bodily labour on his part to steer us clear of accidents, than if
he had walked the whole way, we at length arrived at the huts, a distance
of two miles, in five-and-twenty minutes. Of this equipment, and their usual
modes of travelling, I shall have occasion to speak more fully in another
place.

I found that several fresh alterations had been made in the huts since my
last visit, all however of the same kind, and having in view the same object
as those last described. In these alterations they seem to consult the con-
venience of the moment, and to do it all by such unanimous consent that no
consultation or diiference of opinion ever appears to exist about it. So much
snow-drift had now collected about the huts, that their external appearance
was as much altered as that of the interior, and it was difficult to trace any re-
semblance to the original village, or even to perceive its present limits. The
snow was now as high as the roofs on every side, so that one might walk com-
pletely over them, and, but for the round plates of ice composing the window's,
without suspecting the little hive of human beings that was comfortably esta-
blished below. This however was not always done with impunity, when the
thawing within had too much weakened the roofs, in which case a leg some-
times made its way through, and discovered in what parts repairs were
becoming necessary. The natives were at this time extremely well furnished
with seals' flesh for food, and oil for their lamps, and all they would accept
from us (except meat which we could not afford to give) was water, and this

2 B 8

188 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

'822. they swallowed in such quantities whenever they came to the ships, that it
v-#-v^ was impossible to furnish them with half as much as they desired.

We had before this time communicated to Ayokct and his countrymen our
inti'ntion of sending a party of our people to the northward in the sprini^ ;
and Captain Lyon had displayed to him all the charms of a brightly polished
brass kettle, of greater magnitude than had perhaps ever entered into an
Esquimaux imagination, as an inducement among various others for him to ac-
company the Kabloonas in their excursion. The prospect of such riches was
a temptation almost irresistible ; but enterprise is not the genius of an Esqui-
maux, and Ayoket,we soon began to perceive, had no fancy for the proposed
(rip, which all his friends persisted in saying could never be accomplished.
This was evidently to be attributed, in no small degree, to jealousy of any one
individual among them being thus selected ; and the brass kettle was speedily
the means of increasing the distance to " lligliuk's country " from sixteen
to twenty-four days' journey. We had long, indeed, observed that this feel-
ing of jealousy was easily excited among these people ; but what is extraordi-
nary, it never displayed itself (as is most usual) among themselves, but was
entirely vented upon us, who were, though innocently, the authors of it. As
an instance of this, a man of the name of Karrctok refused to take from me
a strong and useful pair of scissors as a present, because, as he did not hesi-
tate to assure me, I liad given Okotonk a pike which was more valuable. To
shew him that this temper was not likely to produce any thing to his advan-
tage, I took back the scissors, and having sent him away went to my
dinner. Going accidentally on deck an hour afterwards, 1 found Karrctok
still on board, who having had time to reflect on his folly now came up
to me with a smiling face, and begged hard for the scissors, which of course
he did not get. Many similar iastances occurred, both to Captain Lyon and
myself.

To this discouragement on the part of his friends, was added on that of
Ayoket the same wavering and inconstant disposition which most other
savages possess, rendering it impossible to place any dependence on his pro-
mises and intentions for two hours together. Indeed the more our scheme
was pressed upon his attention, and the more he saw of the actual prepara-
tions for the journey, the less doubtful his intentions became ; and arrange-
ments were therefore made for completing the party without him. For the
reasons now given, it was equally impossible ever to direct the attention of

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 189

the Esquimaux, with any hope of success, to our scheme of their conveying .l^'^^-
letters to the Hudson's Bay settlements. >-»-y-^

On the 13th and 14th, the weather was extremely mild, the thermometer
getting as high as +9;,°; and as this took place with a north-west wind, which
was usually the coldest, we began to flatter ourselves that the spring was now
indeed advancing by rapid strides. On the evening of the 14th, though the
thermometer was no higher than +4°, the atmosphere had a degree of softness
in it so pleasant to our sensations that, as one of the quarter-masters not un-
naturally however unphilosophically remarked, " it felt exactly as if it was
going to rain " — a phenomenon, however, that was not so near as we then
expected. This apparent turn in the season induced me to allow Captain
Lyon to put in execution a plan he had proposed, of going out with his in-
tended party for one day, for the double purpose of affording them a little
practice, and of ascertaining the breadth and nature of the channel which he
would have to cross on the ice, in order to reach the main land. As the plan
of the journey partly depended upon this, I agreed to his proposal of setting
out for this purpose on the following day, taking with him a tent, blankets
and provisions for three days in case of accidents.

At seven A.M. on the l.iJth, Captain Lyon and his party left the ships ; Frid. 15.
the thermometer being as high as zero, and a moderate breeze blowing
from the northward though accompanied by considerable snow-drift ; an
annoyance which it now required much less strength of wind to create than
at the commencement of the winter, owing to the snow having become
more minute. From the very hour of Captain Lyon's departure the ther-
mometer began to fall rapidly, and the wind to increase ; till at midnight
the former had reached —32° and a hard gale blew from the north-west;
upon the whole it proved one of the most inclement nights for people to be
exposed to, that we had experienced in our present quarters, and therefore
created in our minds the most alarming apprehensions for the safety of our
travellers. It is scarcely less difficult to imagine than to describe the con-
trast between exposure to all the horrors of such tremendous inclemency,
and the fireside comforts we on board were enjoying. In this climate more
frequently than in any other does the mind turn to the

Poor naked wretclies, wheresoe'er they be.
That bide the pehing of tlie pitiless storm.

But now that some of our own companions were thus exposed, the idea came

190 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

-^^^ '• more forcibly home to our recollections, together with the utter hclpless-

v^-w ness, not to say hopelessness, of their situation.

Sat. 16. The wind and drift continued incessanUy on the 16th ; and as the ther-
mometer rose no higher than —20° during the day, our apprehensions for
Captain Lyon's party were by no means diminished. To send in quest of them,
would have been only to incur the certainty of otlier men being equally
exposed. Indeed this is one of the cases in which no assistance can be
oifered ; for any persons sent out with that hope must inevitably become
helpless in a short time, while the snow-drift would render it impossible to
trace those whom they were intended to assist. We had however i)rcpared
a party under Lieutenant Reid to be despatched the instant it moderated,
when to our infinite surprise and joy, at one P.M. Captain Lyon arrived on
board, having with great difficulty succeeded in conducting his party safely
to the ships.

If I have succeeded in imparting to the reader any idea of that apprehen-
sion for the safety of our absentees, which we ourselves experienced, he
will not be sorry at once to be presented with Captain Lyon's account of
this perilous though short excursion :

" At seven A.M., on the 15th, we proceeded towards the hills to the north-
ward of our winter-quarters. A strong wind arose soon after our starting,
and blew direcdy in our faces, bringing thick clouds of drift snow with it.
On ascending the sloping ground we found the sledge too much for us, and
it was with great difficulty dragged through the soft snow in which we
waded knee deep. The wind had now increased to a heavy gale, our utmost
view was bounded to twenty yards, and every time of resting to take breath
we all received severe frost bites. The sun having risen above the thickest
part of the drift snow enabled us to steer a direct northerly course, for we
expected in that direction to arrive at a small bay, which had been observed
by Cai)tain Parry and myself on our first arrival. At ten we were con-
firmed in our conjecture by descending suddenly and arriving at a quantity
of grounded ice, directed by which we made our way round the head of the
bay, and arrived on the side of a small hill a litUe after eleven. The ex-
treme severity of the weather determined me on pitching our tent, and wait-
ing until, in better weather, we could from the rising ground command a
view of our future route.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 191

" \Vhen the tent had been pitched an hour, and our party were all smokine '^■■^-•

11 f -1 o 1 1 -March.

to promote warmth, the temperature at our leet was 1 below sero, and
over head amongst the smoke + 7° ; in the outer air it wag — 5°, which
although of itself sufficiently cold was rendered doubly piercing by the
strength of the wind. John Lee was soon seized with a fit of shivering
and severe pains in the loins, to check which we put him into his blanket
and covered him with clothes which could ill be spared. A deep hole
being dug in the snow a fire was made with the greatest difficulty, and we
were made comfortable for a time by a warm mess of soup. I afterwarfis
found that it would be possible by extending our excavation to make a
cavern in which we might pass the night, for it would have been next to
impossible to continue in the tent. Some of the men were therefore set to
work, and had thus so good an opportunity of warming the mselves, that our
only shovel was lent from one to the other as a particular favour. At two P.^1.
the outer air was —15°, and zero was the temperature of the tent, when
Arnold's pocket chronometer stopped from the effects of the cold. By four
P.M. the cavern was finished and of sufficient size to contain us all in a
sitting posture. After taking some hot soup, Lee was removed to the
warmest place we could select and, making a fire, we managed by its smoke,
which had no vent, to raise the temperature to +20°, while outside it had
fallen to —25°. We now cleaned our clothes as well as possible from the
thick coating of snow-drift, and closing the entrance of the cave with
blocks of snow, we crept into our blanket bags, and huddled close to-
gether to endeavour to procure a little sleep. Our small dwelling had a
very close feel, which was perhaps not a little augmented by the reflection
that a spade alone could liberate us again after a night's drift of snow; and
our roof being two feet thick, and not of the most secure description,
there was no small probability of its breaking down on us, in which case,
confined as we were in our bags, and lying almost upon each other, we
should have but little chance of extricating ourselves.

" At daylight on the 16th we found the temperature at +26° until we dug
out the entrance, when it fell to -(. 15°, while outside it was —25°. We again
lighted our fire and, after sitting two hours in such thick black smoke that
we could not see our feet, succeeded in making some tea, which answered
a double purpose, as it served to thaw some meat which was frozen in
the canisters. At nine A.M. the gale was unabated, and the drift as

192 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. severe as ever. The tent M-as half buried in the snow, and I set all hands
to work at digging out the sledge, but it was so deeply sunk that our
efforts were unsuccessful, and in the attempt our faces and extremities were
most painfully frost-bitten. With all these difficulties before us, Mr. Palmer
and myself consulted together as to whether it would be most prudent to
endeavour to pass another night in our present precarious situation, or
while we were yet able to walk make an attempt to reach the ships, which
we supposed were about six miles from us. We could not see a yard of
our way, yet to remain appeared worse than to go forward, which last plan
was decided on. At thirty minutes past nine, having placed all our lug-
gage in the tent, and erected a small flag over it, we set out, carrying a
few pounds of bread, a little rum, and a spade. The wind being now in our
backs, we walked very briskly, and having an occasional glimpse of a very faint
sun through the drift, managed to steer a tolerable course. James Carr
having loitered a little behind us was suddenly missed, and by the most for-
tunate chance we saw him running across our path in search of us ; for had
he been ten yards farther off he might have been lost. After walking several
miles we came to grounded ice, and saw the tracks of Esquimaux men
and dogs, but these were so confused that we knew not which marks to
follow.

" Not knowing on which side of the ships we had arrived, we feared to go to
the southward or eastward, and accordingly went as nearly west as j)ossible,
in which direction we again crossed tracks. We now wandered amongst the
heavy hummocks of ice without knowing which track to pursue, and, suffer-
ing from cold, fatigue, and anxiety, were soon completely bewildered. Se-
veral of our party began to exhibit symptoms of that horrid kind of insensi-
bility which is the prelude to sleep. They all professed extreme willingness
to do what they were told in order to keep in exercise, but none obeyed ; on
the contrary they reeled about like drunken men. The faces of several
were severely frost-bitten, and some had for a considerable time lost sensa-
tion in their fingers and toes ; yet they made not the slightest exertion to rub
the parts affected, and discontinued their general custom of warming each
other on observing a discoloration of the skin. We continued for some
time to employ them in building a snow-wall, ostensibly as a shelter from the
wind, but in reality to give them exercise, for standing still must have proved
fatal to men in our circumstances. My attention was particularly directed

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 193

to Serjeant Spackman, who having been ropeatedly warned that his nose '^'-'^-
was frozen had paid no attention to it, owing to the state of stupefaction >-*-rw
into which he had fallen. The frost-bite had now extended over one side of
his face, which was frozen as hard as a mask, the eye-lids were stiff, and one
corner of the upper lip so drawn up as to expose the teeth and gums. My
hands being still warm, I was enabled to restore the circulation, after which
I used all my endeavours to keep him in motion, but he complained sadly of
giddiness and dimness of sight, and was so weak as to be unable to walk of
himself. His case was indeed so alaiTning, that I expected every moment he
would lie down never to rise again. Our prospect now became every
moment more gloomy, and it was but too evident that four of our party could
not survive another hour. Mr. Palmer, however, endeavoured with myself
to cheer the people, but it was a faint attempt as we had not a single hope to
give them. We had less reason to fear immediate danger to ourselves, in
consequence of having fur coats instead of woollen ones. Every piece of
ice, or even small rock or stone, was now taken for the ships ; and we had
great difficulty in preventing the men from running to the different objects
which attracted them, and losing themselves in the drift. In this state,
while Mr. Palmer was running round us to warm himself, he suddenly pitched
on a new beaten track; and as exercise was indispensable, we determined on
following it wherever it might lead us. Having taken the Serjeant under
my coat, he recovered a little and we moved onwards, when, only those who
have been in a similar state of distress can imagine our joy at finding the path
led to the ships, at which we arrived in about ten minutes.

" John Lee had two of his fingers so badly frost-bitten as to lose a good
deal of the flesh of the upper ends, and we were for many days in fear he
would be obliged to have them amputated. Carr, who had been the most
hardy while in the air, fainted twice on coming below ; and all had severe
frost-bites in difitrent parts of the body, which recovered after the loss of skin
usual in those cases." •' ''^

Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, some of the Esquimaux
had, by the foot and sledge marks, found their way to the ships on the morn-
ing of the 16th, assuring us, as we found to be too true, that in consequence Sat. 16.
of. the gale which prevented their going out for seals they had not any food,
nor a single lamp a-light at the village. In the course of the following day,

s c

194 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822 ^g j,^(j further proofs of the wretchedness which these poor people were en-
o*-v>J during at the huts ; for, though the weather was very little better than before,
above forty men and women besides some children came down to the ships,
and begged with more than their usual earnestness for something to eat. It
now once more became an act of humanity, and consequently of duty, to
supply them as well as we were able ; and all were admitted to partake of as
much bread-dust as they could cat, besides a quantity which they took away
with them. It had been long since Okotook and Iligliuk cared to accept
this kind of food from us, partly because our respect for the latter generally
ensured them something better, and partly because of late they had procured
plenty of seals ; to-day, however, they devoured it eagerly, and seemed
very well satisfied to take their share with the others. When the usual time
of departure came, they all discovered a wish to remain on board ; but as we
could not find lodging for the whole tribe, they were obliged very reluctantly -
to return. Nannow, a fine quiet young man whose native country is near
Chesterfield Inlet, and who, having only a sister here, used to live with
Okotook, begged very hard to remain on board, but as I did not like to give
the preference to one in particular, he also took his leave.

The wind abated towards night, after a gale which, both for duration and
strength, might well be called equinoctial. The indications of the barometer
on this occasion deserve to be noticed. The mercury had fallen with un^
usual rapidity from 29.46 inches at four P.M. on the 14th, to 28.80 at eight
A.M. on the 15th, at which time the gale may be said to have commenced.
What was remarkable, however, is that this was its minimum, and that from
this time the mercury almost constantly, though very slowly, rose to 29.19
on the evening of the 17th, when the wind moderated. On the following
day, the 18th, when the weather was quite fine, the barometer rose very
quickly to 29.84 at midnight, and continued to rise till it had reached its
maximum, 30 inches, on the evening of the 19th. It may be interesting to
notice that, during this three days' gale, which was certainly well calculated
to try the merits of our warming stove, the mean temperature of the Fury's
lower deck had been from 58° to 62°, and that the thermometer had never
stood lower than 56°. The temperature of the sick-bay was always above 60°.
Mon. 18. On the 18th, almost every man from the huts was out seal-hunting, and
three or four, as the women informed us. had gone to a considerable distance
for walruses, and Avith the intention of remaining out for the night in a snoAV
hut. Wliile the men were thus employed, their wives did not fail to use

OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 195

their endeavours also to procure food ; and I believe that every female be- '822.
longing to the village, without a single exception, made her appearance at -.^-y-^
the ships to-day, and was supplied with a proportion of bread-dust for her
family. It was pleasing to observe, that they were always punctual in re-
turning the buckets and bags which we lent them for carrying out their
provisions.

The fact of our ships not having required pumping out, either here or at
Melville Island, for several months together during the winter, naturally
led me to consider what was likely to be the reason of this extraordinary
tightness. It is true indeed, that after the first winter a certain quantity of
ice was subsequently found mixed with the coals which composed our bal-
last, but this quantity bore a trifling proportion to the ten or twelve inches
of water which found its way into the pump-well daily throughout the sum-
mer. It appears probable, therefore, that any small leak through Avhich the
water only slowly filters may become altogether stopped by its freezing,
whenever the temperature of the hold has fallen a few degrees below the
freezing-point of sea-water. For the latter being already cooled down as
low as in its fluid state it can be, will very readily freeze when, by its
entrance into the ship, it meets with a greater degree of cold, especially if
(as is very frequently the case) the leak should be about a metal bolt which,
by its conducting property, would very much favour the process of con-
gelation.

We had clear and very moderate weather on the 20th, and yet the ther-Wed. 20.
mometer fairly exposed to the sun's rays rose only to — 5°, or about 12°
higher than in the shade, and this with the sun twelve hours above the
horizon, and 24° high at noon. At night it blew a strong breeze from the
W.N.W., with considerable drift, notwithstanding which it is remarkable
that the mercury in the barometer remained at 29.80 inches, without the
alteration of a single hundredth part from ten P.M. on the 20th till four
A.M. on the 22d, being an interval of thirty hours. Except the breeze
above mentioned, which continued strong for four or five hours, the
weather was fine during this interval, and remained so for several days
afterwards.

A deeper drift of snow had collected round the ships during the last week,
and particularly at the time of the gales, than in the whole of the preceding
part of the winter. On one side of the Hecla was a bank seven or eight feet
deep, in which the men amused themselves by excavating houses, with large

2 c 2

19G SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. vaulted apartments like catacombs. The quantity of snow, however, around
'■J-.^^ the ships was never so great here as at Melville Island, in consequence of the
less frequent drifts, though its depth on shore and therefore the whole quan-
tity (hut fell was greater.

Tiic weather continued very fine for several days about this period, the
wind being from the north-west, and the thermometer from — 8° to — 24°.
Mon. 25. On the 25th some clear water opening now and then oft' the south-east point,
I sent Mr. Ross in the small boat to endeavour to kill some dovekies, of which
he procured one or two specimens. These birds and the ravens were the
only ones that kept us company occasionally throughout tlie winter.

The endeavours we had lately been making to gain from the Esquimaux
some knowledge of the geographical features of the land to the northward,
had at length been crowned with even greater success than we had antici-
pated, and some information of a very gratifying and interesting nature thus
obtained. I shall here, therefore, give some account of that information,
and of the progressive steps by which it was communicated, which may, at
the same time, serve to shew the kind and degree of dependence that is to
be placed in geographical notices thus obtained.

The first attempt made in this way, was by placing several sheets of paper
before Iligliuk, and roughly drawing on a large scale an outline of the land
about Repulse Bay and Lyon Inlet, and terminating at our present winter-
quarters. If information and not mere curiosity be the object, this in my
opinion is an indispensable precaution ; for that object can hardly be so well
obtained by leaving a savage to puzzle his way over fifty leagues of coast
already known, when by delineating it with tolerable accuracy, his concep-
tions, instead of being confused, may be assisted. Iligliuk was not long in
comprehending what we desired, and with a pencil continued the outline,
making the land trend as we supposed to the north-eastward, and giving
the names of the principal places as she proceeded. The scale being large,
it was necessary when she came to the end of one piece of paper to tack on
another, till at length she had filled ten or twelve sheets, and had completely
lost sight of Winter Island (called Nei/unmg-EJt-dmJ at the other end of the
table. The idea entertained from this first attempt was, that we should find
the coast indented by several inlets and in some parts much loaded with ice,
especially at one strait to the northward of her native island Amitioke, which
seemed to lead in a direction very much to the westward.

Within a week after this, several other charts were drawn by the natives

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. I97

in a similar way, principally by the desire of Captain Lyon and Mr. ^^'^'^■
Griffiths, who took great pains to acquire information of this nature, and iJ^
sent me copies of these productions. The coast was here delineated as
before, on a very large scale, but much more in detail, many more islands,
bays, and names being inserted. It was observable, however, that no two
charts much resembled each other, and that the greater number of them still
less resembled the truth in those parts of the coast with which we were
well acquainted. The only one deserving further notice in this place was
drawn by Iligliuk for Captain Lyon, of which an accurate reduction is here
given, and marked No. 1., the scale being about one-twelfth of that of the
original.

On an inspection of this curious chart, it will appear evident that, with
respect to the relative geographical position of the lands beyond us, (which
was in fact the only very interesting question we desired them to solve,)
it was calculated to give us ideas which our subsequent experience proved
to be erroneous ; making, for instance, the direction nearly the same from
Repulse Bay to Winter Island, as from the latter to Amitioke, though they
are in fact exactly at right angles. Being extremely desirous of obtaining
more certain information on this part of the subject, it occurred to me
to attempt the thing with Iligliuk on a smaller scale, such as might enable
her to keep in view at the same time every part of the coast to be delineated.
This attempt was also much favoured by our having lately obtained the Es-
quimaux words for the four cardinal points of the horizon, which were, there-
fore, previously laid flown by lines on the chart. Having, in addition to
this, delineated the usual portion of the coast, and made Iligliuk " box the
compass" repeatedly, so as to render her quite familiar with the exact rela-
tive position of the lands we had laid down, we desired her to complete the
rest, and to do it mikhee (small), when, with a countenance of the most grave
attention and peculiar intelligence, she drew the coast of the continent
beyond her own country, as lying nearly north, instead of east, from
Winter Island. The most important part still remained, and it would have
amused an unconcerned looker-on to have observed the anxiety and sus-
pense depicted on the countenances of our part of the group, till this
was accomplished, for never were the tracings of a pencil watched with more
eager solicitude. Our surprise and satisfaction may therefore, in soi^e de-
gree, be imagined when, without taking it from the paper, Iligliuk brought the

198 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. continental coast short round to the westward, and afterwards to the S.S.W.,
^J^^' so as to come within three or four days' journey of Repulse Bay. The coun-
try thus situated upon the shores of the Western or Polar Sea is called
AMoolee, and is inhabited by numerous Esquimaux ; and half-way between
that coast and Repulse Bay Iligliuk drew a lake of considerable size, having
small streams running from it to the sea on each side. To this lake her
countrymen are annually in the habit of resorting during the summer, and
catch there large tish of the salmon kind, while on the banks are found
abundance of rein-deer. To the westward of Akkoolee, as far as they can
see from the hills, which she described as high ones, nothing can be distin-
guished but one wide-extended sea. Being desirous of seeing whether
Iligliuk would interfere with Wager River, as we know it to exist, I re-
quested her to continue the coast-line to the southward of Akkoolee, when
she immediately dropped the pencil, and said she knew no more about it.
A few days after this, Ewerat drew a chart exactly corresponding with Ilig-
liuk's in all material points, and every subsequent conversation with these
people served to confirm this interesting information. A copy of Iligliuk's
second chart, being about half the size of the original, is here annexed, the
unshaded parts of the coast being those previously laid down for her, and
the rest her own performance.

The new and satisfactory prospect thus unexpectedly opened to us, of our
soon rounding the north-eastern point of America, recalled to my mind two
circumstances that had occurred during the examination of Lyon Inlet, in the
preceding autumn. The first was that, on the 9th of September, when on
the summit of the high hill which I ascended, I noticed a brightness in the
western sky so much resembling ice-blink, that I remarked it to the men
who were with me, and afterwards to Mr. Ross on my return to the tents.
The second circumstance now alluded to is, that, from a still higher hill, to
which I despatched Messrs. Ross and Bushnan on the 13th, they saw a great
deal of water to the W.N.W., with islands and capes ; but, as the sun had
just set, they could make out nothing more. As we had already determined
by the closest examination, that there was here no communication with it,
and as no idea could be entertained of the sea being only at the distance of
ten or twelve leagues in that direction, I came to the conclusion that it could
only bo a lake of larger dimensions than the numberless others with whicii
this country is covered. I had now, however, not the smallest doubt that it

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 199

was the sea which our gentlemen had then seen, and that both this, and the '^22.
blink observed by myself, might be considered as confirming very satisfac-

torily the accounts given by the Esquimaux.

The barometer rose to 30.41 inches in the night, being the maximum indica-
tion registered since the 18th of September preceding. It was so far, however,
from being the precursor of any thing unusually fine in the weather, that it
blew a fresh breeze from the W.N.W. on the 26th, which was followed by over- Tues. 26.
cast weather and small snow. To this succeeded a gale from the northward,
which came on with considerable violence on the 27th, and continued to Wed. 27.
blow incessantly during the two following days, accompanied by a high
snow-drift. The inclemency of the weather preventing the Esquimaux from
going out to fish, they were once more badly off for food and fuel. A ge-
neral supply of bread-dust was therefore furnished them from the ships,
which they now had learned to consider so much a thing of course, that few
of them thought it necessary even to go through the forms of their accus-
tomed Coyinnd (thanks). Siokobeut, alias the Commodore, was detected in
stealing a piece of beef from the Hecla's quarter, placing his little boy
Toonek to look out for any person coming. I do not know whether hunger
may not be considered some excuse for this act of petty larceny, but at the
time we thought it aggravated, in some degree, by their having just before
been fed with bread-dust on board.

When the weather moderated, which was not till the night of the 29th,
we found that the ice had once more separated in the offing, and had even
made some encroachments into the bay, the open water being now within
two hundred paces of the ships' sterns. It is certain indeed that, but for
the numerous grounded masses which had fixed themselves round the shores
of the bay, and which like so many piles held fast the floe into which we
were frozen, we should long ere this time have been drifted out to sea by
the total disruption of the ice from this part of the land. This observation
is only meant to apply to a bay which, like our present one, is in the imme-
diate neighbourhood of a part of the sea that, from some local cause, is
frequently open during the winter, and where very high and rapid tides
greatly favour the separation of ice from the shores. Wliere on the con-
trary the tides are small, there is reason to believe that a ship once frozen
into a bay in these regions, however exposed it may be, may be just as se-
cure during the winter as in the most sheltered harbour.

As a method, and the only one that occurred to me, of trying the average Sun. 31.

200 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1S22. depth of snow that had fallen at this period, I caused it to be accurately mea-
sured as it lay on the level surface of the ice in the bay in twenty-two dif-
ferent places, where there was no obstacle to create a drift. The mean
flepth thus obtained was four inches and a half, which, however, when com-
|)arcd with that on shore, even in parts the least likely to collect a drift,
appeared too small by half to be taken as a measure of the actual quantity
that had fallen. The fact seems to be that, while the irregularities of the
surface on shore prevent the possibility of judging of this with any great
accuracy, the smoothness and uniformity of the surface of the ice present
an equal difficulty, though in a contrary way ; a very moderate breeze being
sufficient during some months of die winter to carry it from tlie place where
it has fallen, unless it has time to consolidate itself before the coming on of
a breeze strong enough to disturb it.

The appearance of the Aurora Borealis was less frequent during March
than in the preceding winter months, in consequence of the increased dura-
tion of daylight at this period. Whatever slight variations might exist in
these appearances, it still continued a matter of constant remark to us, that
the phenomenon almost invariably commenced in the south-eastern quarter
of the heavens ; and it is perhaps worthy of notice that the same thing was
observed by Crantz in Greenland*. The arch-like form assumed by the
Aurora was also one of its almost invariable peculiarities ; the legs of the
arch lieing usually situated somewhere between the east and west points of
the horizon, and almost always occupying the southern side of the heavens.
The only instance of this phenomenon during the month of March, deserving
particular description, occurred on the evening of the 30th, when it made its
apjjearance as usual in the south-eastern horizon, from whence it soon diffiised
itself in a low but tolerably regular arch extending to the W.S.W. Again
at times it altogether vanished, and then as suddenly re-appeared much in
the same situation as before. We often fancied that this phenomenon exhi-
bited a light of greater actual intensity when the moon was above the hori-
zon than at other times, though its appearance was of course less splendid
on that account. Whether this was in reality the case or not, we had no
means of correcUy judging ; but some idea of its brightness may be formed
from the circumstance of its being often very distinctly visible when the

* See Craxtz, i. 48, whose very words would truly describe what we so frequently noticed
during lliis winter.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 201

moon was between her quarters and the full. The electrometer Avas tried i^-?-
during the continuance of this evening's Aurora, but no effect was perceptible s^-v-^
either on that or a Kater's compass.

On the 2d of April a thin sheet of bay-ice several miles square had formed Tucs. 2.
on the sea to the eastward and southward, where for two or three days past
there had been a space of open water. This was occasioned more by the wind
remaining very moderate, and the neap-tides occurring about this time, than
from any great degree of cold, the thermometer seldom falling below — 6° or
— 7°. The wind, however, settling in the south-east to-day, the main body
of ice, which had been scarcely visible in the offing, soon began to move
in-shore, forcing before it the young floe and squeezing it up into innumer-
able hummocks, which presently being cemented together by a fresh forma-
tion in their interstices, constituted an example of one of the ways in which
these " hummocky floes" arc produced, ofAvhich I have before so often had
occasion to speak. We were always glad to see this squeezing process take
place while the ice was still thin enough to admit of it ; as it thus became
compressed perhaps into one-iil'tieth part of the compass that it would other-
wise have occupied, and of course left so much the more open space upon the
surface of the sea. The temperature of the water at the bottom in eight
fathoms was to-day 28°, being the same as that of the surface.

Early in the morning the Esquimaux had been observed in motion
at the huts ; and several sledges drawn by dogs and heavily laden went
oft" to the westward. On going out to the village, we found one-half of the
people had quitted their late habitations, taking with them every article of
their property, and had gone over the ice, we knew not where, in quest
of more abundant food. The wretched appearance which the interior
of the huts now presented baffles all description. In each of the larger
ones some of the apartments were either wholly or in part deserted, the
very snow which composed the beds and fire-places having been turned
up, that no article might be left behind. Even the bare walls, whose
original colour w'as scarcely perceptible for lamp-black, blood, and other
iiltli, were not left perfect, large holes having been made in the sides and
roofs for the convenience of handing out the goods and chattels. The sight
of a deserted habitation is at all times calculated to excite in the mind a
sensation of dreariness and desolation, especially when we have lately seen it
filled with cheerful inhabitants ; but the feeling is even lieightened rather
than diminished when a small portion of these inhabitants remain behind to

2 D

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's Ship

Fury, at Winter Island, during the Month o( 3Iarch

, 1822.

Day

Fahrenlieil's
Thermometer.

Mean Tempc-

raturcoI'Lovver

Deck.

Haromcter.

Prevail!
Winds

I'revailing
M'^eather.

UIUID.

Mini-
mum.

Meiin.

M, 1 Vi-
nt iim.

Mini,
mum.

Mean.

Direction.

Velr>cil».

1

o

-11

-35

O

-24.25

o
53.0

itl.lt..:.

29.90

inrties.

29.83

iiK'li.-i.

29.808

West

fresh

fine

2

+ 2

10

3.. 37

53. G

29. S5

29.24.

29.535

ESE

strong

hazy and drift

3

- 6

19

14.50

51.5

29.52

29.27

29.390

North

strong

hazy and drift

4

20

2'J

25.37

50. 0

29.67

29.58

29.633

NW

light

clear

5

22

32

25.92

53.5

29.62

29.63

29.693

NNW

light

clear

6

17

at

19.83

50. 5

30.15

29.87

30.017

NW

light

clear

7

+ 2

11

4.83

51.0

30.31

30.17

30.258

s\v

strong

cloudy and drift

8

11

+ 2

+ 7.33

58.2

30.31

29.80

30.087

sw

fresh

cloudy

9

13

- 5

7.00

61.2

29.72

29.45

29., 508

SSWrounrU
byWtoNWj;

fresh

hazy and snow

10

— 8

13

-10. G2

GO.O

29.92

29.50

29.758

NW

fresh

cloudy

u

8

22

13.71

58.0

30.00

20.94

29.973

NNW

light

cloudy

12

8

21

15.07

GO.O

30.07

29.94

30.017

KW

modt.

clear

13

+ 5

11

0.17

G1.2

29.90

29.20

29.575

WbN i

at
times

cloudy

14

5

Oi

1.37

02.7

29.17

29.11

29.34S

North

light

fine

15

2

32

12.12

62 2

28.97

28.80

28.850

NNW

strong

hazy and drift

IG

-20

29

23.75

60.5

29.15

28.83

28. 960

NW

strong

hazy and much drift

17

10

30

17.75

58.0

29.27

29.10

29.205

WNW i

Sf]|]3ll9

at

times

cloudy

18

13

2.5

18.00

66.5

29.84

29.32

29.598

NW

modt.

clear

19

13

27

21 .25

57.0

30.00

29. HG

29.92S

NW

light

fine

20

15

2f.

19.42

59.5

29.90

29.80

29.853

WNW
WNW 1

light
fresh

fine

21

6

18

12.42

.57.5

29.80

29.80

29.800

and

sqaalls

hazy

22

12

24

18.00

59.2

29.94

29.80

29.872

WNW

light

fine

2S

11

23

1G.9G

59.0

30.06

29.95

29.998

NW

light

fine

24

8

21

14.17

57.3

30.22

30.07

30.144

North

light

cloudy and small snow

25

12

2.5

18.54

58.0

30.41

30.22

30.307

WNW

light

fine

26

1

20

9.62

56.5

30.41

30.21

30. 333

WNW

modt.

fine

27

4

9

C.12

.58.7

30.20

29.frl

29.957

North

light

hazy and small snow

28

6

10

7.92

57.5

20.57

29.05

29.233

NNE

strong

hazy and drift

29

+ G

2

+ 2.75

.59.7

29.10

29.02

29.048

NNE

strong

much drift

30

7

13

- 0.38

60.2

29.33

29.12

20.230

NbE

modt.

hazy and drift

31

7

1

14

2.00

C3.5

29.35

29,25

29.307

NW

light

cloudy

+13

-35

-11.64

58.2

30.41

28.80

29.688

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 203

endure the wretchedness which such a scene exhibits. This was now the ^^22.
case at the village where, though the remaining tenants ol" each hut had com- \J^^
bined to occupy one of the apartments, a great part of the bed-places were
still bare and the wind and drift blowing in through the holes which they
had not yet taken the trouble to stop up. The old man Hikkeiera and his
wife occupied a hut by themselves, without any lamp or a single ounce
of meat belonging to them ; while three small skins on which the former was
lying, were all that they possessed in the way of blankets. Upon the whole,
1 never beheld a more miserable spectacle, and it seemed a charity to hope
that a violent and constant cough with Avhich the old man was afflicted would
speedily combine with his age and infmnities to release him from his present
sufferings. Yet in the midst of all this he was even cheerful, nor was there
a gloomy countenance to be seen at the village. Almost all the men were
out ; and some of them had been led so far to sea ujwn the' floating and
detached masses of ice in pursuit of walruses, that Captain Lyon, who
observed their situation from the ships, had it in contemplation, in the course
of the evening, to launch one of the small boats to go to their assistance.
They seemed however to entertain no apprehensions themselves, from a
confidence perhaps that the south-east Avind might be depended uj)on
for keeping the ice close home upon the shore. It is certain, notwith-
standing, that no degree of precaution, nor any knowledge of the winds and
tides, can render this otherwise than a most perilous mode of obtaining sub-
sistence ; and it was impossible therefore not to admire the fearlessness as
well as dexterity with which the Esquimaux invariably pursued it.

Having distributed some bread-dust among the women, Ave told old
lllumea and her daughter Togolat that Ave proposed taking up our lodging
in their hut for the night. It is a remarkable trait in the character of these
people, that they ahvays thank you heartily for this, as Avell as for eating
any of their meat ; but both board and lodging may be given to them
Avithout receiving the slightest acknoAvledgment cither in AA'ord or deed. As
it Avas late before the men returned, I asked Togolat to get the rest of the
women to perform some of their games, Avith the hope of seeing somethin"-
thatAvas new. I had scarcely time to make the proposal Avhen she darted out
of the hut, and quickly brought every female that Avas left at the village, not
excepting eveii the oldest of them, Avho joined in the performance Avidi the
same alacrity as the rest. I could hoAVCAcr only persuade them to go through
a tedious song Ave had often before heard, Avhicli was now indeed somewhat

2 D 2

204 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

^^^2; modified by their insisting on our takiii"' our turns in the performance, all
April. ■' '^ ' . • 1 I

which did not fad to create among them never-ceasing merriment and laughter.

Neither their want of food and fuel, nor the uncertain prospect of obtaining
any that night, were sufficient to deprive these poor creatures of that cheer-
fulness and good-humour which it seems at all times their peculiar happiness
to enjoy.

The night proved very thick with small snow, and as disagreeable and
dangerous for people adrift upon floating ice as can well be imagined. If the
women however gave their husbands a thought or spoke of them to us, it was
only to express a very sincere hope that some good news might shortly arrive
of (heir success. Our singing-party had not long been broken up when it
was suddenly announced by one of the cliildren, the usual heralds on such
occasions, that the men had killed something on the ice. The only two men
who were at home instantly scrambled on their outer jackets, harnessed their
dogs, and set off to assist their companions in bringing home the game, while
the women remained for an hour in anxious suspense as to the extent of their
husbands' success. At length one of the men arrived with the positive intel-
ligence of tAVO walruses having been taken, and brought with him a portion
of these huge animals as large as he could drag over the snow. If the
women were only cheerful before, they were now absolutely frantic. A
general shout of joy instantly re-echoed through the village ; they ran into
each other's huts to communicate the welcome intelligence, and actually
hugged one another in an ecstacy of delight by way of congratulation. One
of them Arnalood, a pretty young woman of nineteen or twenty, knowing
that a doer belonffinsr to her husband was still at the huts, and that there was
no man to take him down on the ice, ran out instantly to perform that office ;
and with a hardiness not to be surpassed by any of the men returned,
after two hours' absence, with her load of walrus-flesh, and without even
the hood thrown over her head to shelter her from the inclemency of the
weather.

When the first burst of joy had at length subsided, the women crept one by
one into the apartment where the first portion of the sea-horses had been
conveyed, and whicli is always that of one of the men immediately concerned
in the killing of them. Here they obtained blubber enough to set all their
lamps alight, besides a few scraps of meat for their children and themselves.
From this time, which was nine o'clock, till past midnight, fresh cargoes were
continually arriving ; the principal part being brought in by the dogs, and

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 205

the rest by the men, who, tyinj^ the thong which held it round their waist, ^822.
dragged in each his separate portion. Before the whole was brought in how- >,*v^
ever, some of them went out three times to the scene of action though the
distance was a mile and a half.

Every lamp now swimming with oil, the huts exhibited a blaze of light, Wed. 3d.
and never was there a scene of more joyous festivity than while the opera-
tion of cutting up the walruses continued. I took the opportunity which
their present good humour afforded, to obtain a perfect head and tusks of
one of these animals, which we had not been able to do before ; and indeed,
so much were their hearts opened by the scene of abundance before them,
that I believe they would have given us any thing we asked for. This dis-
position was considerably increased also by their taking it into their heads,
that their success was in some way or other connected with, or even owing
to, our having taken up our night's lodging at the huts.

After viewing all this festivity for some time, I felt disposed to rest ; and
wrapping myself up in my fur coat, lay down on one of the beds which lUumea
had given up for our accommodation, as well as her keipi/c, or large deer-skin
blanket, which she rolled up for my pillow. The poor old woman herself
sat up by her lamp, and in that posture seemed perfectly well satisfied to
doze away the night. The singularity of my night's lodging made me
awake several times, when I always found some of the Esquimaux eating,
though after we lay down they kept quite quiet for fear of disturbing us.
Mr. Halse, who was still more wakeful, told me that some of them were
incessantly employed in this manner for more than three hours. Indeed the
quantity of meat that they thus contrive to get rid of is almost beyond
belief.

Having at length enjoyed a sound nap, I found on awaking about five
o'clock that the men were already up, and had gone out to renew tlicir
labours on the ice, so that several of them could not have rested more than
two or three hours. This circumstance served to correct a notion we had
entertained, that when once abundantly supplied with food they took no
pains to obtain more till want began again to stare them in the face. It was
now more pleasing to be assured that, even in the midst of plenty, they did
not indolently give themselves up to repose, but were willing to take advan-
tage of every favourable opportunity of increasing their store. It is certain
indeed that were these people more provident, (or in other words less glut-
tonous, for they do not waste much,) they might never know what it is to

206 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. xvant provisions, even during tlie most inclement part of the year. The

April.

state of the ice was to-day very unfavourable for their purpose, being broken
into pieces so small that they could scarcely venture to walk upon it.

Thui. 4. Tlic phcnomciiou frec|ucHily observed at Melville Island in the spring,
of the white clouds assuming the form of two continuous arches, with their
legs meeting near the east and west horizons, was finely displayed on the
4th, the height of the aiches in the centre, from the north and south
horizons, being from 50" to 70°. It was now more than a month since our
washed clothes had in j)art been dried by exposure to the sun's rays under
the ship's stern, which iiowcver it required two days of fine weather to
effect. As this space was small, and it was of importance to get rid as
soon as possible of the drying process on the lower-deck, we now built
upon the ice a thick wall of snow, seven feet high, thirty yards in length,
and exactly facing the south. Against this, though not touching it, was
suspended a long black-paintetl cloth, which absorbed so much heat from
the sun's rays that the clothes hung before it on lines were dried in a
few hours, though the thermometer in the shade was only from 5° to 9°
above zero.

Frid. 5. The morning of the 5th proved favourable for a journey I had in contem-
plation to the distant huts, to which Iligliuk, who had come to Winter
Island the day before, promised to be my guide. At six o'clock I set out,
accompanied by Mr. Busluian and two of the men, carrying with us a supply
of bread-dust besides our own provisions and blankets. As the distance
was too great for her son Sioutkuk to walk, we were uncertjiin till the
moment of setting out how this was to be managed, there being no sledge
at hand for the purpose. We found however that a man, whom we had ob-
served for some time at work among the hummocks of ice upon the beach,
had been employed in cutting out of that abundant material a neat and
serviceable little sledge, hollowed like a bowl or tray out of a solid block,
and smoothly rounded at the bottom. The thong to which the dogs were
attached was secured to a groove cut round its upper edge ; and the young
seal-catcher, seated in this simple vehicle, was dragged along witli great
convenience and comfort.

The ice over which we travelled was a level floe that had never suffered
disturbance since its first formation in the autumn, and with not more than
an inch and a half of snow upon it. The path being distinctly marked out by
tlie people, sledges, and dogs, that had before travelled upon it, one might.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 207

without any great stretch of the imagination, have almost fancied it a road 1^22,
leading over a lesel and extensive heath tov/ards a more civilized and sub- v^v^
stantial village than that which we were now approaching. Iligliuk walked
as nimbly as the best of us ; and after two hours and a half brisk travelling,
we arrived at the huts, and were received by the women (for all the men
were absent) with every expression of kindness and welcome. Each was
desirous of affording us lodging, and we had speedily arranged matters so as
to put them to the least possible inconvenience.

These huts, four in number, were in the mode of their construction exact
counterparts of those at Winter Island on our first visit, but being now new
and clean, presented a striking contrast with the latter, in their present
disordered and filthy state. What gave a peculiarity as well as beauty also
to the interior appearance of these habitations, was their being situated
on the ice, which being cleared of the snow, presented a flooring of that
splendid blue which is, perhaps, one of the richest colours that nature
affords. A seal or two having been lately procured, every lamp was now
blazing, and every ootkoosetic smoking with a hot mess which, together with
the friendly reception we experienced and a little warmth and fatigue from
travelling, combined in conveying to our minds an idea of comfort which we
could scarcely believe an Esquimaux hut capable of exciting.

On the arrival of the men, who came in towards evening, Avith two seals
as the reward of their labour, we were once more greeted and welcomed.
Arnaneelia in particular, who was a quiet, obliging, and even amiable man,
was delighted to find that my quarters were to be in his apartment, where
AneetJca, his wife, a young woman of about twenty-three, had already ar-
ranged every thing for my accommodation ; and both these poor people now
vied with each other in their attention to my comfort. The other two apart-
ments of the same hut were occupied by Kaoongut and Okotook, with their
respective wives and families ; it being the constant custom of these people
thus to unite in family groups, whenever the nature of their habitations
will allow it. Mr. Bushnan being established with Okotook, and the two
men with Kaoongut, we were thus all comfortably lodged under the same
roof.

Toolooak having been concerned in killing one of the seals just brought
in, it fell to his mother's lot to dissect it, the ndtick being the only animal
which the women are permitted to cut up. We had therefore an opportu-
nity of seeing this filthy operation once more performed, and entirely by the

208 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

J822. old lcul\' hciseir, who was soon up to her elbows in Wood and oil. Bci'ore a
\^~r^ knife is put into the animal, as it lies on its back, they pour a little water into
its mouth, and touch each flipper and the middle of the belly with a little lamp-
black and oil taken from the under part of the lamp. What benefit was ex-
pected from this j)reparat()ry ceremony we could not learn, but it was done
Avitli a degree of superstitious care and seriousness that bespoke its indis-
pensable importance. The boys came eagerly into the hut as usual, and held
out their foreheads for the old woman to stick the charms upon them ; and it
was not till now that we learned from Iligliuk the efficacy of this very useful
custom. As soon as this dirty operation was at an end, during which the nu-
merous by-standcrs amused themselves in chewing the intestines of the seal,
the strangers retired to their own huts, each bearing a small portion of the
flesh and blubber, while our hosts enjoyed a hearty meal of boiled meat
and hot gravy soup. Young Sioutkuk ate at least three pounds of solid
meat in the first three hours after our arrival at the huts, besides a tolerable
proportion of souj), all which his mother gave him whenever he asked it
without the smallest remark of any kind. We now found that they deiieudcd
on catching seals alonefor their subsistence, there being no walruses in this
neighbourhood. As they were several miles from any open water, their
mode of killing them was entirely confined to watching for the animals
coming up in the holes they make through the ice.

In the course of the evening, our conversation happened to turn on the
Indians, a people whom none of these Esquimaux had ever seen ; but with
whose ferocity and decided hostility to their own nation they seemed to be
well acquainted. They described also their peculiar manner of paddling
their canoes, and were aware that they made use of the kind of snow-
shoes which we shewed them. When I related to them as well as I was
able tlie massacre of the Esquimaux recorded by Ilearne, and gave them
to understand that the Indians spared neither sex nor age, it seemed
to chill them with horror, and I was almost sorry that I had told them the
story.
Sat. 6. The weather proved very thick on the 6th, with a heavy fall of snoAv, the
wind still blowing however from the N.N.W., and increasing almost to a
gale in the course of the day ; so that when wc set out on our return we could
scarcely distinguish an object an hundred yards before us. Toolooak was
deputed to accompany us with a sledge for carrying our baggage ; and after
some difficulty we contrived to get sight of the island, and arrived on board

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 209

before noon. I found from Captain Lyon that nothing worthy of notice had '^22.
occurred during my absence. The temperature of the atmosphere seemed ^-^-v"*-^
now to have taken a favourable turn, the thermometer keeping up to zero, or
above it, even with a northerly or north-west wind : we were therefore
enabled for the first time permanently to reduce the consumption of coals in
each ship, the lower-decks being now much too hot when the winter's propor-
tion was expended.

On the 7th, which was Easter-Sunday, a dinner of English beef was directed Sun. 7.
to be served, being part of that which was killed when the Nautilus leftus.
As we were apprehensive that this meat might be injured as the warmer
weather advanced, we issued what remained in the course of the spring,
except enough for one more Christmas dinner.

On the morning of the 8th, the thermometer was observed to fall from 6° Mon. 8.
to 2° immediately on a partial clearing of the atmosphere, and again to rise,
on its becoming overcast, to 10°, the wind continuing the same both in direc-
tion and strength. It shifted in the evening to the eastward, accompanied
by a fail of small snow, which continued the whole of the two following days.
On the 11th a difference was observed in the indications of the two thcrmo- Thur. ll.
meters on the ice, the reverse of that which generally took place.

North Thermometer. South Tliermometer.

At noon
„ 1 P.M.
„ 2 P.M.

The wind was light from the W.S.W. during this time, and though it blew
rather on the south than on the north side of the post, this seemed by no
means sufficient to account for the difterence, as even a strong breeze does
not usually produce such an eft'ect on a thermometer in the shade, though
very sensible to the feelings. There was no snow on either of the bulbs,
except a little which continued to fall, and the sun was peeping out at
times during the interval. A similar difFerence was again noticed a day or
two after.

20

.

11

23

•

13

13.5 .

,

13

h. ni.

North ThcrmODieter.

SouUi Tliermometer.

At 0 15 P.M.

o

30

o
18

„ 0 30 „

24

21

» 2 0 „

28

14

.. 6 0 „

10

A

The wind was very light from the east and south-east, with small snow, and

2 E

210 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. |.]jg weather quite overcast, except towards six P.M. For two hours in tlie

April. im ii-'i-i

forenoon, when the sun made an effort to appear, a parhchon, tinged with

the prismatic colours, appeared on each side of it ; and nearer to that object

by 30' was a halo of 22° 35' radius, also coloured, the red tint being as usual

next the sun. An instance or two of the parhelion being situated without

the circle have been mentioned * as occurring at Melville Island, but the

phenomenon appears to be a rare one.

We were now glad to begin making some shew of re-equipping the ships
for sea ; for though this was a business that might if necessary have been very
well accomi)lishcd in two or three weeks, it was better to employ the men in
occupations having an evident and determinate object, than in those less
obviously useful ones to which it was necessary to resort during the winter.
We therefore brought down some of the boats to the ships to repair, put up
the forge on the ice, and built a snow-house over it, and set about various
other jobs, which made the neighbourhood of the ships assume a busy and
bustling appearance.

I had to-day a visit from Okotook and Iligliuk, who, with their son, came in
upon their sledge from the distant huts. Being desirous of entertaining them
well, in return for their late hospitality, we provided abundance to eat, and
shewed them every thing about the ship that wc thought likely to amuse
them. Of all the wonders they had ever witnessed on board, there was no-
thing which seemed to impress them so strongly Avith a sense of our supe-
riority as the forge, and the work which the armourer performed with it.
The welding of two pieces of iron especially excited their admiration, and
I never saw Iligliuk express so much astonishment at any thing before.
Even in this her superior good sense was obsciTable, for it was evident
that the utility of what she saw going on was what forced itself upon her
mind ; and she watched every stroke of the hammer and each blast of the
bellows with extreme eagerness, while numbers of the other Esquimaux
looked stupidly on, without expressing the smallest curiosity or interest
in the operation, except by desiring to have some spear-heads fashioned
out by this means. Iligliuk Avas always very much entertained also by
pictures having any relation to the Esquimaux in other parts, and de-
rived great entertainment from a description of any difference in their
clothes, utensils, or weapons. Of these the sail in an Esquimaux boat

* Journal of the Voyage of 1819-20, p. 172.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 211

seemed particularly to attract her notice ; but in general she had no inclina- ^^■22-
tion to admit the inferiority of her own tribe to any other. She was always

extremely inquisitive about her own sex, whether Innuees* or Kubloonas,\is-
teninj^ with eager attention to any account of tlicir dress or occupations, and
in common, I believe, \\\i\\ all the rest of the Esquimaux, wondered how we
came to travel to their country without our wives. The assurance that many
among-us were not married, they received with evident incredulity.

We to-day cleared away the snow that had been banked against the ships'
sides, the use of which was proved a day or two after by the frost making a
large rent in the Fury's rudder and another in her stem. This covering
therefore should not have been removed so early. Mr. Fisher having now
concluded most of the observations and experiments for which the house
was built, it was taken down and the materials brought on board , the
transit-instrument and meridian-mark remaining as before, to enable him to
commence a series of observations for the pendulum, whenever the weather
should become warm enough for the clock to be set up in a tent. The con-
tinuance of comparatively temperate weather, though it was much colder
than we had expected at this season, induced us also to begin clearing and
turning up a small piece of ground as a garden for each ship, in Avhich we
hoped to produce something in the way of vegetable diet before our de-
parture, especially as we were now supplied with several glazed frames for
hot-beds. There was not at this time a bare spot of ground anywhere to
be seen, so that we had to clear away the snow, in some places two or three
feet deep, in order to find a space that would suit our purpose ; and it was
then so full of stones and frozen ground that it required great labour even
to prepare mould enough for the frames. These were however completed
in a few days and sown with mustard, cress, and pease, the latter having
been found to produce the greatest quantity of green substance at Melville
Island.

On the 13th a number of the natives from the Winter Island huts formed Sat. 13.
a second detachment, and set off for the other village. They carried
their goods on sledges as before, even to the exclusion of poor old Hik-
kciera, whom some of our gentlemen overtook crawling after his com-
panions with a stick, and who, but for their timely and humane remon-
strances, might that day have finished his pilgrimage on earth. They insisted
however on his being placed on one of the sledges, which was accordingly

* Esquimaux.

2 E 2

212 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

complied with ; but, on their arrival at the village, his companions left him
lying there till their huts were built. All the Esquimaux pressed our gen-
tlemen very strongly to sleep at the village, but one of the women gave
Mr. Bird an indiiR-rcnt specimen of her hospitality by picking his pocket of
a handkerchief, though not so dexterously as to escape detection. The few
who visited the ships to-day told us, that they were all about to leave Winter
Island on the morrow ; and Okotook and Iligliuk, who had not yet returned,
came on board among the rest to pay a last visit. I gave the former a large
j)iece of oak-wood for a bow and two arrows, a second iron spear-head, and
various other useful articles, to add to the stock of wealth he had from time
to time received from us. As these good folks found themselves perfectly at
home in my cabin, I was usually in the habit of continuing my occupations
when they were there, without being disturbed by them. Being now en-
gaged in writing, my attention was unexpectedly directed towards them by
Iligliuk's suddenly starting from her seat, moving quickly towards the door,
and without saying a word, cither to me or any of the officers present, hasten-
ing direcUy on deck. Okotook indeed, as he followed her out of the cabin,
turned round and said " Good-bye," of which expression he had learned
the meaning, and then, without giving us time to return the compliment,
they both hurried out of the ship, leaving us in some astonishment at this
singular leave-taking which we then supposed to be the last.
Mon. 15. A case or two of inflammation in the eyes, producing partial " snow-
blindness," having lately occurred, I directed a quarter of a yard of crape,
supplied for that purpose, to be furnished to each man, to be worn as a
short veil over the eyes. At the same time were issued to each individual
in the Expedition a pair of boots and Avarm stockings, being part of a supply
of warm clothing with which we had been furnished, to be served gratis at
my discretion. This liberal addition to the men's clothing was particularly
acceptable at this time, as we were shortly about to commence cutting the
ice round the ships, preyious to making any alteration in the stowage of their
holds. While preparations were making for this work, it was suggested to
me that, strongly as the ice was now cemented to the ships' sides, we might,
by cutting a trench round their bows to the depth of three or four feet, (taking
care not to admit the water,) have an opportunity of examining the planks,
and caulking the seams where they were most likely to require it. This
plan was adopted, and was found completely to answer the purpose for
which it was intended

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 213

On the morning of the 16th, the weather being extremely fine. Captain ^®^^?|'

Lvon left the ships, accompanied by Lieutenant Palmer and the rest of his '-'^^^
1 • 1 /• • • 1 • . • 1 1 • . „Tues. 16.

travelling party, and equipped tor remaining the night, with the intention of

effecting the object which on his former excursion the inclemency of the wea-
ther had rendered impracticable. We were glad to find tliat a very moderate
breeze from the north-west served once more to separate the ice, which had for
some days past been attached to the land, and to send it off to a considerable
distance. The thermometer being from 3° to 9° during the day, very little
frost-smoke rose from the clear water. Some hard well-defined clouds,
being nearly the first we had seen this season, appeared for a short time
to-day, and were welcomed as the harbingers of returning moisture in the
atmosphere. The Aurora Borealis was seen at night to the southward, and
extending at times in a broad band of light across the heavens, but at a low
altitude from east to west.

Early on the morning of the 17th the thermometer fell to — 12°, being the '^"

lowest temperature we had now experienced for some time. At ten A.M.
Captain Lyon and his party returned, having walked some distance beyond
the spot Avhere they had before been detained, and determined which must
be the route to be pursued whenever they set out on their intended journey.
They found the passage between the island and the continent to be from
one to two miles in breadth ; and that the hummocky nature of the ice
would not, as we had hoped, admit of their cutting off any of the distance
to be travelled between the island and the north-eastern point of land.

We could now begin to perceive, from day to day, that the snow on''^'*"'^- ^^■
shore was diminishing. How slow this process was may however be un-
derstood by the fact, that it was necessary to make a mark on some stone to
be assured that it was thus receding. Our snow-wall had indeed settled
down nearly a foot by the gradual diminution of the blocks of which it
was composed ; but the thawing had been artificially assisted by the black
cloth hung against it. Five ravens were seen to-day all quite black ; four
of them were flying in pairs.

On the 19th the wind veered by north to cast and south-east, and towards Ff'^l- 1^-
evening a good deal of snow fell of a softer and larger kind than we had
yet seen this year. In the afternoon, before the snow came on, the soutli
thermometer, exposed to the faint rays of the sun, stood for a short time as
high as 56°, that in the shade being at 14j°, but a light breeze springing up
immediately brought the two thermometers to nearly the same low tempe-

214 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

^^^r- raturc. This effect was invariably i)io(luce(l bv the wind suddcnlv blow-
April. -^ ' ■' :

:«-»-\-*-^ ing on a thermometer, when the mercury had been considcraltly raised by
Sat 20 exposure to the sun's rays. On the 20th the wind blew fresh from the north-
east, which only requires to be noticed because, for the last fortnight, we
had scarcely experienced a breeze, which in the language of a sea-log had
sufficient strength to be called " moderate." On the 21st Mr. Bird saw a
flock of seven birds, Mhich he took to be grouse.
Mon. 22 On the 2-2d a number of the Esquimaux came to the ships with a sledge,
and among the rest my late host Arnaneelia and his wife, the latter having
the front of her jacket adorned with numberless strings of beads that we
had given her, arranged with exact uniformity, to which, in the fashion of
their dresses and the disposition of their ornaments, these people always
rigidly adhere. Aneetka had scarcely reached the cabin when she pro-
duced a little ivory comb and a pair of handsome mittens, which she pre-
sented to Mr. Edwards, at the same time thanking him for the attention he
had shewn her on an occasion when she had been taken in a fit alongside
the Fury, from wliich she was recovered by bleeding, This expression of
gratitude, in which she was heartily joined by her husband, was extremely
gratifying to us ; as it served, in some degree, to redeem these people
in our estimation from the imputation of ingratitude, which is indeed one
of their greatest failings. They stated having seen two rein-deer the pre-
ceding day going over the ice to the main land. They spoke of this Avith
great pleasure ; and we were ourselves not displeased with the prospect
of changing our diet for a little venison. They now became extremely
urgent with us for wood to make bows and arrows, most of their own
having, with the childishness that accompanied their first bartcrings, been
parted Avith to our officers and men. Having several broken oars which
could be turned to little or no account on board, we were enabled, at a small
ex2)ense of useful stores, to furnish tliem very abundantly Avith wood for
this purpose. Arnaneelia also informed us that Okotook, who had been
unwell for some days, was now much worse, and seemed, as he described
it, to be labouring under a violent pulmonary complaint. On the circum-
stance being mentioned to Mr. Skeoch, he kindly volunteered to go to
the village, and accordingly took his seat on the sledge accompanied also
by ISlr. Shcrer. They carried with them a quantity of bread-dust to be dis-
tributed among the Esquimaux at the huts, their success in seal catching
having lately been indifferent.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 215

On the 23d, being St. George's day, which is commanded to be cele-
brated as the anniversary of His Majesty's birth-day, we commemorated
that event in the best manner our situation would permit, by dressing the "^^' ~ '
ships in flags at the mast-heads and making a certain addition to tlie allow-
ance of meat and spirits to the ships' companies. In the course of the af-
ernoon Mr. Skeoch returned from the huts, having left Okotook somewhat
relieved by a copious bleeding, but still labouring under a violent inflam-
matory complaint, requiring more comfort and attention than the huts were
capable of aftbrding. Mr. Skeoch said the Esquimaux had received him
very kindly, and expressed many thanks for his assistance.

In digging up the piece of ground for our garden, we found an incre-
dible quantity of bones scattered about and concealed under the little soil
there was. They were principally those of walruses and seals, and had
evidently been left a long time before by Esquimaux, in the course of their
Avandering visits to the island ; being gradually covered by the vegetable
mould formed upon the spot Avhich they helped to fertilize. Afterwards,
when the land became more clear of snow, this was found to be the case to
a much greater extent, every spot of ground upon the south-east point,
which was not absolutely a rock, being covered with these relics. Some
graves were also discovered, in one of which were a human skull appa-
rently a hundred years buried, and some pieces of wood that had pro-
bably been parts of spears or arrows almost mouldered to dust. Knowing
as we do the antiseptic properties of this climate, animal or vegetable sub-
stances in this state of decay convey to the mind an idea of much greater
age than they would in any other part of the world.

With a light southerly breeze to-day the south thermometer stood at
+ 12°, and the north at +2-3°. Besides the former instances of this dif-
ference which I have already mentioned, several other though less striking
ones, occurred in the course of the spring, for which a light breeze blow-
ing on the thermometer did not seem satisfactorily to account. Three pair
of grouse were seen by our gentlemen to-day in the course of their walks,
so that their return and that of the deer seem to have been Avell marked at
this period.

A number of Esquimaux came to the ships on the 25th, notwithstanding Thur. 25,
a strong breeze from the S.W.b.W., with a considerable snow-drift. From
these people we learned that Okotook's complaint had increased since Mr.
Skeoch's visit, and that he was now extremely ill. Mr. Bushnan immediately

1822.
April.

21 G SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

ottered to go to the huts for the purpose of bringing iiim on board, where,
by Mr. Edwards's kind attentions, and the enjoyment of warmth and
dryness, we hoped soon to recover him. Mr. Bushnan therefore without
waiting for the return of the sledges set out for the village at an early hour
in the forenoon, accompanied by the serjeant of marines. At eleven at night
our party returned on board, bringing on a sledge Okotook, Iliglink, and
their son. That Iliglink would accompany her husband I of course took for
granted and wished ; but as the boy could do us no good, and was moreover
a desperate eater, I had desired Mr. Bushnan to try whether a slight objec-
tion to his being of the party would induce Okotook to leave him with his
other relations. This he had cautiously done ; but the instant the proposal
was made, Okotook, without any remark, began to take ott' the clotlies he
had himself just dressed in to set out. No further objection being made,
however, he again prepared for the journey, Iliglink assisting him with
the most attentive solicitude. Before the invalid was suffered to leave
his ai)artment, some of the by -slanders sent for Ewerat, now b?ttcr known
to our people by the undignified appellation of " the Conjuror." Ewerat,
on this occasion, maintained a degree of gravity and reserve calculated to
inspire somewhat more respect than we had hitherto been disposed to
entertain for him in that capacity. Placing himself at the door of the
apartment opposite Okotook, who was still seated on the bed, he held
both his thumbs in his mouth, keeping up a silent but solemn converse with
his toonigow*, the object of which was, as Mr. Bushnan presently afterwards
found, to inquire into the efficacy and propriety of the sick man's removal.
Presently he began to utter a variety of confused and inarticulate sounds ;
and it being at length understood that a favourable answer had been given,
Okotook was carried out and placed on the sledge, Ewerat still mumbling
his thumbs and muttering his incantations as before. When the party took
their leave, there were a great many doleful faces among those that remained
behind ; and Mr. Bushnan said that the whole scene more resembled the
preparations for a funeral than the mere removal of a sick man. When the
sledge moved on, Ewerat was the only one who had not a "Good-bye!"
ready, he being as seriously engaged as at first, and continuing so as long as
our people could observe him.

Okotook was extremely ill on his arrival, having been three hours t)n the

* Familiar spirit.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 21 7

slcdi^e, and llighuk, who, as Mr. Bushnan told me, had scarcely taken her ^^ " jj'
eyes off her husband's face the whole time, seemed almost worn out with '-''y-w
fatigue and anxiety. A bed of wolf-skins being prepared for him, Okotook
was soon placed upon it, and such remedies applied as Mr. Edwards judged
necessary for his complaint, which was inflammation of the lungs to a degree
that, if left to itself, or even to Ewerat, would soon have proved fatal, or at
best have terminated in consumption.

On the 26th, a south-cast wind brought a heavy fall of snow in flakes Frid. 26.
much larger than before. The thermometers on the ice at noon stood at
2-3'' in both aspects. We heard from Ilhmiea, who came to see her son
Okotook, that a part of the natives had gone still farther to the westward upon
the ice, one spot not aftbrding sufficient subsistence for the whole of them.
Our patient felt much the better for a comfortable night's lodging, and now
submitted with great patience to the application of a blister, though I believe
his confidence in our mode of cure was afterwards shaken for a time by the
pain which it occasioned. Both he and Iligliuk, however, seemed very sensi-
bly to feel the comforts and advantages of their present quarters ; and a
" coyenna" (thanks) now and then fell from their lips. Nothing could
exceed the attention which the latter paid to her husband ; she kept her
eyes almost constantly fixed upon him, and seemed anxious to anticipate
every want.

One of Okotook's brothers had arrived from the huts, bringing with him
some walrus-flesh to tempt the appetite of the invalid, whose stomach, how-
ever, very fortunately for his complaint, was not disposed to this kind of deli-
cacy. Wlien his brother was about to return, Okotook took it into his head to
send his son away with him, probably because he heard they had the day be-
fore killed two seals, which afforded better feeding than we had to give him:
be this as it may, we were not sorry that he went, and the boy himself seemed
no less pleased; for without playfellows or amusement of any kind, his time
hung very heavily on his hands while he remained on board. It was amusing
to see Okotook take a dose of physic for the first time in his life to-day. He
knew its taste was not pleasant, but this was certainly not all that he
dreaded ; for before he put the cup to his lips with one hand, he held on by
his wife with the other, and she by him with both hers, as though they ex-
pected an explosion, or some such catastrophe, as the immediate effect of the
potion ; nor did he venture to relinquish his hold, till the taste began to
leave his mouth. The quantity of water which he drank in the course of

2 F

218 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

the four and twenty hours is beyond conception ; and the cabin fire could
scarcely, by the melting of snow, furnish enough for their consumption.
These people are extremely particular as to the purity of the water they
drink. Some that had been melted in our steamer, and which 1 thought
very good, neither of them would touch, or at least always spat out again. If
the water was much above the temperature of 32°, they also disliked it, and
immediately put snow into it to cool it down, lligliuk, who came on board
with one side of her hair loose, loosened the other also to-day, in conse-
quence of her fancying Okotook worse, though it was only the annoyance of
the blister that made him uneasy ; for even in this sequestered corner of the
globe, dishevelled locks bespeak mourning. It was not however with her
the mere semblance of grief, for she was really much distressed throughout
the day, all our endeavours not availing to make her understand how one
pain was to be removed by inflicting another.

Sat. 27. The wind still continuing to the southward and eastward, and the weather
extremely mild, on the 27tli, pools of water were, by the melting of the snow,
formed on our upper deck. The northern thermometer stood as high as 32^°
at two P.M., being the first instance this season of its rising above the
freezing point in the shade. The first snow-bunting was also seen to-day.
The mildness of the atmosphere did not long continue, for the wind backing

Sun. 28. to the W.N.W. on the 28th, the thermometer gradually fell till it had reached
zero at midnight, and — 6° soon after. The westerly wind, as usual, caused
a great deal of open water in the offing, within a few hours after its shifting
to that quarter. Another snow-bunting or two were seen on the 29tli, and
these little birds increased almost daily in numbers from this time. Snow fell

Mon. 29. very thick on the 29th, and it was generally remarked that we had more of it
about this period than during the whole of the winter-months. Our garden-
plots, from which two or three feet of snow had at first been removed, were
now more deeply covered by the fall of a single day. I may here notice that
our standing rigging did not slacken during any part of this winter as at Mel-
ville Island ; neither on the other hand did it tighten so as in the slightest
degree to injure the rope, the hounds of the ma.sts, or any of the iron work
of the dead-eyes.

Captain Lyon being desirous of having some little clothes made as models
of the Esquimaux costume, and thinking Iligliuk's present leisure afforded
her a good opportunity of making them, had yesterday obtained her promise
that she would do so. Okotook being now very much better, and she having

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 219

herself resumed her usual gaiety in consequence, I pressed her to commence '^^^•
her work and placed the skins before her, when she said that she could not '-^r^
do them here as she had no needles. These being supplied her, she now
complained of having no too/duo e-ivdlluo (rein-deer sinew) their usual thread.
This difficulty, unfortunately for Iligliuk's credit, was as easily overcome as
the other ; and when scissors, pattern-clothes, and all the other requisites
were laid before her, she was at length driven to the excuse that Okotook's
illness would not permit her to do it. Seeing us half laughing at the absur-
dity of these excuses, and half-angry at the selfish indolence which prompted
them, she at last flatly asserted that Okotook desired her not to work,
which, though we knew it to be a falsehood, the latter did not deny. We then
supposed that some superstition might be at the bottom of this ; but having
a little while after, by way of experiment, thrown Iligliuk some loose beads
upon the table, she eagerly employed herself for half-an-hour in stringing
them that not one might be lost; which proved that where her own gratifica-
tion or interest were concerned, Okotook's illness was not suffered to inter-
fere. This anecdote shews in a strong light that deep-rooted selfishness
which, in numberless instances, notwithstanding the superiority of Iligliuk's
understanding, detracted from the amiability of her disposition. The fact
was that she did not feel inclined so far to exert herself as to comply with
Captain Lyon's request; and the slight degree of gratitude and proper feel-
ing which was requisite to overcome that disinclination, was altogether
wanting.

I have related this anecdote just as it occurred Avith the hope of shewing
the true disposition of these people, and not with a view of unduly depre-
ciating the character of our friend Iligliuk. I am however compelled to ac-
knowledge that, in proportion as the superior understanding of this extraor-
dinary woman became more and more developed, her head (for what female
head is indifterent to praise !) began to be turned with the general attention
and numberless presents she received. The superior decency and even
modesty of her behaviour had combined, with her intellectual qualities, to
raise her in our estimation far above her com})anions ; and I often heard
others express what I could not but agree in, that for Iligliuk alone, of all the
Esquimaux women, that kind of respect could be entertained which motlesty
in a female never fails to command in our sex. Thus regarded, she had
alwa)-s been freely admitted into the ships, the quartermasters at the gang-
way never thinking of refusing entrance to " the wise woman ' as they called

2 F 2

220 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. ]^p,. Whenever any explanation was necessary between the Esquimaux and
v-««^(-^ us, Ilififliuk was sent for quite as an interpreter; information was chiefly ob-
tained throu£fh her, and she thus found herself rising into a degree of conse-
quence to which, but for us, she could never have attained. Notwithstanding
a more than ordinary share of good sense on her |)art, it will not therefore
be wondered at if she became giddy with her exaltation, assuming certain
airs which, though iniinitely diversified in their operation according to circum-
stances, perhaps universally attend a too sudden accession of good fortune in
every child of Adam from the equator to the poles. The consequence was
that Iligliuk Avas soon spoiled ; considered her admission into tlie ships and
most of the cabins no longer as an indulgence but a riglit ; ceased to return
the slightest acknowledgment for any kindness or presents ; became lisdess
and inattentive in unravelling the meaning of our questions, and careless
whether her answers conveyed the information we desired. In short, Iligliuk
in February and Iligliuk in April were confessedly very different persons;
and it was at last amusing to recollect, though not very easy to persuade one's
seli", that the woman who now sat demurely in a chair so confidently exj)ect-
ing the notice of those around her, and she who had at first with eager and
wild delight assisted in cutting snow for the building of a hut, and with
the hope of obtaining a single needle, were actually one and the same
individual.

Togolat came down to the ships to-day to see her brother Okotook ; she
was accompanied by Arnalooa, and on their arrival they were both sent for
into the cabin. We observed liowever that they required an unusual degree
of solicitation to make them go near Okotook, or even to the side of the cabin
where he lay concealed by a skreen ; and after all, they remained in the op-
posite corner next the door ; and having talked freely to the invalid for some
time, took their leave without seeing him. In the evening, after they wei'c
gone, we found that this unfortunate though well-intended visit was occasion-
ing great distress to Okotook, who talked for two hours almost incessantly
about " Arnalooa's having seen him," which it seems ought not to have been
the case. What misfortune was to be apprehended in consequence of this
event we could not learn ; but he spoke of it in a kind of agony, and was evi-
dently labouring under the influence of some powerful though absurd super-
stition respecting it. Towards night he sufft'red a dreadful bleeding at the
nose followed by much sickness at the stomach which, together with the
phantom of Arnalooa which still haunted his imagination, combined to make

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 221

him extremely unwell for some hours. The next day however he Avas free 1822.
from complaint of any kind, and began once more to put on a smiling coun- ^l^
tenance.

The caulking of our bows being now completed, the ships were released Tues. 30.
from the ice by sawing round them ; an operation which caused them to rise
in the water six inches and a half, in consequence of the increased buoyancy
occasioned by the winter's expenditure.

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL

kept on

board His Majesty's Ship

FuuY, at ^Yinte^• Island, dui

ing the Month of April, 1822.

Falireiilieit's
momeler

Thcr-

1
Barometer.

Prevailing
Minds.

Prevailing

Day

1

Mnxi-
mDn.

Mini-

Mnn.

« rf £

mum-

Mini-
muiii.

Mciin. 1

1

DitL'ctiun.

Velucity.

Weather.

- 4

O

- 8

o 1
-b.37|

6°1.7

29. -JO

ii.rhrs

29. Oj

inchft !

•29.132

NW

modt.

cloudy

2

+ 1

10

3.58

62 2

29.74

29.29

29.506

NW

light

hazy and snow

3

5

2

+0.83

04.5

29.83

20.79

29.813

1

East

modt.

hazy

4

5

10

1
-1.17|

61.0

20. s*

29.83

29.813

f AM. NE
iPiM. NW

light

clear

S

9

5

+2.08

65.0

29.90

29.80

29.875

North

light

clear

G

9

5

3.75

64.2

29.75

29.10

29.59-2

NNW

fresh

hazy and snow

7

0

0

-3.00

68.6

29.34

20.24

-29.278

NNW

fresh

hazy and snow

8

131

+ 1

+7.42

69.2

29.48

29.28

29.367

Nortli

light

cloudy and snow

9

9

- 9

3.S7

66.0

29.71

29.51

29.620

ENE

modt.

cloudy

10

12

+ 3

6.08

G2.5

29.90

29-74

-29.840

Nortli

light

cloudy and snow

11

13

2

7.71

68.2

29.98

29.90

-29.920

waw

light

cloudy and snow

12

17

-01

7.21

64.0

29.97

29.92

29.948'

1

ESE

light

cloudy and snow

13

6

1

1.87

63.2

30.10

30.00

30.000

East

light

fine

14

9

4

1.75

61.5

30.04

29.90

'29.955

NNE

light

cloudy

15

10

2J

2.96

57.5

29.84

29.82

•29.835

NNW

light

cloudy

IC

9

12

0.33

60.7

29.80

29.00

-29.095

\\N\V

light

fine

17

11

12

0.79

61.1

29.72

29.00

29. WO

WNW

light

cloudy

18

10

1

4.10

58.5

29.84

29.71

•29.798

sw

light

cloudy and snow

la

11

7

4.07

62.0

29.80

29.70

-29.783

C round tbe
I compass

light

cloudy and snow

20

12

+ 5

8.58

61.5

29.80

29.71

29.752

ENE

fresh

cloudy and drift

21

15

5

S.O'i

61.7

30.01

29.80

29.910

NE

light

cloudy

22

19

S

10.50

01.2

30.03

30.00

30.022

South

light

cloudy and snow

23

21

2

10.17

61.5

29.94

29.80

29.885

ground the
^ cunip&ss

light

variable, calm at times

24

13

- 1

5.87

61.7

29.77

29.73

29.742

SW

modt.

cloudy

25

19

+ 6

13.67

60.0

29.7h

29.70j29.733

SW

fresh

hazy and drift

26

23

16

21.12

63.0

29.70

29.57 29.643

SSE

fresh

hazy and drift

27

29

22

24.33

63.5

29.55

29.4929.508

SE

light

cloudy and snow

28

20

0

9.96

61.5

29.73

29.5229.623

West

light

cloudy and snow

29

9

— 5

3. 12

58.5

29.80

29.7429.780

1

•West

modt.

cloudy

30

10

4

7.88

69.5

30. OS

29.83

29.973

NW

light

cloudy

+29

-12

+5.51

62.7

30.10

1
29,05 29.738

1

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 223

CHAPTER IX.

INCREASED EXTENT OP OPEN WATER IN THE OFFING A TRAVELLING-PARTY DE-
SPATCHED TO THE NORTHWARD UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO RAISE VEGETABLES ON

SHORE DECEASE OF JAMES PRINGLE A PARTY OF ESQUIMAUX BUILD HUTS NEAR

THE SHIPS RETURN OP THE TRAVELLERS, AND ACCOUNT OP THEIR JOURNEY FIRST

APPEARANCE OF THE PLANTS BIRDS BECOME NUMEROUS COMMENCE CUTTING A

CANAL THROUGH THE ICE FOR LIBERATING THE SHIPS ILLNESS AND DECEASE OP

JOHN REID AND WILLIAM SOUTER BREAKING-UP OF THE ICE IN THE BAY ACCOUNT

OF WINTER ISLAND — ABSTRACT OF OBSERVATIONS MADE THERE.

For the last three weeks of the month of April the mean daily temperature 1822.
of the atmosphere had continued rather above zero, and after the 2d of I\fay \^Xj
the thermometer permanently continued above that point of the scale ; in ^ ' ''
which respect we were just a fortnight in advance of the summer of 1820 at
Melville Island, the difference of latitude between the two places being 8|°.
Notwithstanding this comparison, which we could not help thinking unfa-
vourable to our present station, or at least to the present season, it Avas fully
compensated by the enlivening prospect from the south-east point, where
there was, on the 1st of May, so large a space of clear water in sight, that
it Avas generally remarked we had not seen any so extensive since we entered
Hudson's Strait. A thin sheet of young ice continued to form on the sur-
face at night, but usually disappeared again in the course of the day. After
sunset, on the evening of the 2d, a thin horizontal streak or band of vapour Thur. 2.
appeared along the lower parts of the land : as the night advanced it be-
came thicker and more diffused, and at length, for the lii-st time this season,
the ships were for an hour or two enveloped in fog.

Okotook being now left without any of his own companions, Iligliuk
having accompanied some of the women to the village, passed a restless and

224 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

xinconifortablc day. His complaint being removed, and the sun shining
blight into the cabin, he frequently got up and walked about, casting many
a wisliful look through the windows, and expressing great anxiety to go on
deck, which however Mr. Edwards would not permit him to do. He had
indeed by this time learned to entertain no inconsiderable degree of super-
stitious reverence for that gentleman's directions, probably of the same
nature as those with which Ewerat might have inspired him in similar cases;
and ho was therefore induced, without difficulty, to give up the thoughts of
going on deck. He would then lie down again, and continue muttering to
himself in a low tone of voice for an hour together, rejjeatedly men-
tioning the name of his son, whom we fancied he Avished to have with him.
It was therefore no less a relief to us than to him when, in the evening
some of the natives arrived, bringing with them a piece of fine venison
which, as we were informed, they had been to a considerable distance to
fetch, it being part of a store concealed under a heap of stones the pre-
ceding autinnn. Okotook was once more happy when his friends arrived,
willingly admitted them to his bed-side, and talked for two hours with
great curiosity and interest of what had been going on at the huts during
his absence. We had occasion to remark that, from some superstitious no-
tion, Okotook would on no account permit the other young men to drink out
of the same cup with himself: the objection lying wholly on his side, it
had evidently no relation to any idea of contagion. Toolooak slept on the
same bed with our j)atient, and the others were comfortably lodged on the
lower deck.
Fiid. 3. On the following morning we found that our invalid was determined no
longer to sufter his present confinement, and that he had settled with his
companions that he should accompany them on their return. His original
comj)laint being entirely removed, and nothing remaining but debility,
]\Ir. Edwards thought it advisable rather to let him go without objection, than
to run any risk of his incurring fresh mental disquietude by remaining on
board alone. He was accordingly seated on the sledge, where however they
allowed him to remain an hour before they could make it convenient to set
out. Previous to his departure he received several useful presents, notwith-
standing which, on leaving the ship, he did not say a word as an acknoAV-
ledgment ; and, as he soon after removed to a more distant station, this was
the last we saw of Okotook.

The northern thermometer on the ice stood for a short time to-day, above 40°.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 225

The diminution of snow from the rocks was now going on much more rapirlly, 1S22.
and on mild days, such as this, a difference could be perceived in the aspect ,3v^
of the land in the course of four or five hours. Whatever thawing took
place, however, the snow seemed to be no sooner dissolved into water than
it was also converted into vapour ; for not a pool or stream of any kind was
yet to be seen. I must however make an exception in favour of a place
upon the ice where a line of sand had purposely been laid a day or two
before, reaching nearly across the bay, and passing just outside the ships,
Avith the intention of facilitating the thawing process by artificial means, and
of thus hastening the time of our release. Here the sand soon made a
trench for itself of considerable depth, in consequence of the heat absorbed
by it, but it required some labour occasionally to clear out the snow-drift
which subsequently collected there. Even this labour we soon after ceased
to bestow upon it, finding that nature would require our assistance on a
much larger scale if we desired to hasten our departure. There seemed no
doubt, however, that in some cases the plan might be of essential service.
The first flock of fifteen ducks, which proved to be of the long-tailed spe-
cies, were seen to-day, as also two silvery gulls. The wind becoming va-
riable, and at length settling from the eastward, the ice closed in with the
land ; but we now saw this without anxiety, as there was no longer any frost
that could cement it to the shore.

On the 5th the first pool, from which perhaps a gill of water might have Sun. 5
been taken up by a sponge, was seen u|)on the rocks. The mercury in the
barometer which had been very slowly rising from 30.08 inches on the morn-
ing of the 1st, had for the third time this winter reached 30.40 at midnight
on the 5th, at which it continued for six or seven hours and then fell much
more rapidly. The wind had during this time been moderate, and the
. weather remained fine for several days, though the barometer even with a
northerly wind had fallen to 29.70 inches on the Sth. The weather was mild
and pleasant to the feelings to-day, the thermometer being as high as 43° in
the shade and 57° in the sun.

On the 7th the average depth of snow upon the ice was found to be eight Tues.7.
inches, being nearly double what it was on the 31st of March. The weather Wed. 8.
being now to all appearance tolerably settled, I determined on sending avay
our travelling-party under Captain Lyon. It consisted of Lieutenant Palmer,
five seamen, and three marines, the whole being victualled for twenty days,
and furnished with a tent, fuel, and every other convenience of which such a

8 O

226 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

M^' jou"icy would admit. The baggage was placed on light sledges, resembling
^''^r^- those used by Captain Franklin on his late journey to the shores of the
Polar Sea, made out of staves shaved thin, six feet eight inches long, four-
teen inches broad, and turned up before. Being secured entirely with
thongs of hide sunk by grooves into the wood to keep them from wearing,
they were perlectly flexible, so as to be in no danger of breaking on un-
even ground. It is astonishing to see with what ease such a sledge is
dragged along, the friction of so considerable a surface being more than
compensated by its passing over the snow without sinking. Each indi-
vidual of the party was furnished with one of these, which also served to
sleep and sit ui)on; the weight dragged by each of the men being about one
hundred and twenty pounds, and that of the officers from ninety to ninety-
five. Each person had also a pair of snow-shoes, a deer-skin jacket and
boots for sleeping in, and another pair of boots of water-tight seal-skin.

The general tenor of Captain Lyon's instructions was, " after crossing to
the continent, to proceed along that coast to the northward, carefully exa-
mining any bend or inlet he might meet with, so as to leave no doubt if pos-
sible of its actual extent and communications, thereby preventing the ne-
cessity of the ships entering it on their arrival there." I added also the
necessary directions for remarking every thing of interest relating to the
tides, and the natural productions of the country ; and I limited Captain
Lyon to the end of the month in returning, to avoid the possibility of detain-
ing the Expedition.

Their preparations being completed, our travellers left the ships under a

salute of three cheers from both the crews, and accompanied by a large party

of officers and men to assist them for the first few hours. A day or two after

their departure a supply of provisions was lodged at the garden, according to

apian previously agreed on, in case of our being forced out to sea with the

ice beiore their return. Arrangements Avere also made for putting an officer

and two men on shore as a guard to this as well as to the clock, tent, or any

other articles that might be left behind, in the event of an occurrence of this

nature.

Sun. 12. It n)W became too evident that the climate with Avhich our gardeners had

to contend, would not allow them to furnish us with many ounces of vegetable

substance, in any reasonable time to w'hich our stay here might be prolonged.

A register-thermometer left for four and twenty-hours under the glasses of

the beds (they can scarcely be called hot-hcds) ranged from 23° to 100°, the

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 227

frames beinsr closelv covered with Russia mats after sunset. The only water ^,^.^'^-
• . ■' May.

we coukl procure for the seeds was by melting snow ; and it woukl have made

a horticulturist smile to sec a fire of turf made daily at our garden for
this purpose. The snoAV-drift too had not yet ceased to be an additional an-
noyance, half a day's labour being sometimes required after the snow had
ceased, to admit the sun's rays by removing it from the frames.
• On the 13th at noon the thermometer in the sun stood at 55°, that in the Mon. 13.
shade being at 27°. At seven in the evening the electrometer was tried in
the usual manner, without any effect being perceptible on the gold leaf. On Tues. 14.
the following evening, when the wind had backed to the southward, and the
sky was overcast with clouds, it was again tried with no greater success, and
the chain was now removed from the mast-head, the ships being nearly ready
for sea.

In the course of the forenoon of the loth, a message to our medical gen- Wed. 15.
tlemen announced the fall of James Pringlc, one of the seamen of the Hecla,
from her mizen-top-mast head to the deck ; and in a few minutes after I was
much shocked in receiving Lieutenant Hoppner's report of his death, no
sign of life having indeed appeared in him from the first moment after his fall.
On examination it was found that the base of the skull was fractured, and
the neck also dislocated. A grave was directed to be dug near the observa-
tory, and arrangements were made for the funeral taking place on the follow-
ing Sunday.

On the 16th, Ewcrat, with his^vife and family, arrived at the ships, bring- Thur. 16,
ing with them all their goods and chattels, and with the intention of taking
up their abode upon the ice near us. They accordingly built their hut about
a hundred yards from the Fury's stern, but whether with the view of living
upon us, or the seals that frequent the bay, we were at first at a loss to con-
jecture. Ewerat's household consisted not only of his own family, but also
of Appokiuk and Itkamuk, the former of whom having no husband, and the
latter no relative, they both seemed to be fairly " on the parish." Besides
this establishment, a second, on a smaller scale, also made its appearance in
our neighbourhood, consisting of a very little man named Koo-il-li-li-iik,
nick-named by the sailors " John Bull," and his pretty little w-ife Amalooa,
whose zeal in bringing up her husband's share of the sea-horses, I have
before described. These persons, being eight in number, had, deter-
mined on travelling to Amitioke for the ensuing summer, influenced, pro-
bably in some degree, by the hope of falling in with us again, as they

2 G 2

228 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1S22. knew that we were going in that direction. Be this, however, as it may, it
v^-r=*l/ was soon evident that they intended making the most of us while we re-
Frid. 17. mained neighbours ; for on the ITlh, though the weather was favourable and
they had no food of their own, tlu^y made no eftbrt to procure any, except
from the ships, to^ which the women brought their ootkoosetks for bread-dust.
Though 1 objected to encouraging this, and tokl them we shoukl give them
nothing if they did not also labour for themselves, they were all such
favourites with our people, that 1 believe they found it answer very well;
contriving not only to get plenty of food, but also a number of useful presents.
They made, indeed, some return fur this, by the usual barter of mittens, of
which our peoj)le were now furnished with an abundant supply.

A great deal of snow fell in the course of the last two days, and our un-
fortunate gardens were once more buried beneath it. On the evening of the
16th, something like small rain was falling for a few minutes, being the first
we had seen this season ; but it soon assumed the less equivocal form of
sleet, the thermometer being at 31°.
Sat. 18. The observations on the rise and fall of the tide had been constantly made
and registered throughout the winter, and were continued till the ships were
ready for sea *. This part of the phenomenon we Mere, therefore, well ac-
quainted with, and had found it very regular. In the set of the tides, how-
ever, (the most perplexing question, in my opinion, which the navigator in
an unknown sea has to solve,) we found much greater difficulty to obtain the
desired information. The sea having been occasionally open for days to-
gether, it could not be said that, even during the winter, opportunities did
not occur of settling this point — at least of making observations on the di-
rection of the current, with reference to the times of high and low water by
the shore. Notwithstanding this, however, it was impossible to discover
from our register any thing like that regidarity in the set of the stream which,
with so considerable a rise of tide, (amovuiting at the equinox to nearly six-
teen feet,) is observed in other ])arts of the world. Our former experience
had, indeed, taught us to expect that some irregularity would be produced
by the influence of the winds, which here, in a degree unknown in Any but
the icy seas, tend immediately to produce a superficial current in the water,
and consequently to set in motion any floating body, by which a mark may
be taken, in order to observe the direction of the stream. Even this, how-

* See the Tide-table in the Appendix.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 229

ever, did not seem sufficient to account for tlie singular fact that frequently, 18?2.
for twenty hours out of the four-and-twenty, the stream set to the southward, J^,-^
even against a breeze from that quarter, though of course more decidedly so
when the wind was northerly. The only way, therefore, in which we could
venture upon any conclusion as to the true direction of the flood-tide,was from
the circumstance of the stream generally setting to the southward at a rate
somewhat less rapid upon the ebb than on the flood, by which it appeared
that the latter came from the northward.

On the 19th, after an impressive sermon delivered by ^Nlr. Fisher, tlie Sun. 19.
last mournful duties were performed over the remains of our deceased
shipmate. The procession consisted of all the seamen, marines, and offi-
cers of both ships, and the ensigns and pendants remained lowered during
the rest of a day distinguished to us by this sad event. Nothing worthy of
notice occurred till the evening of the 21st when, soon after eight o'clock, Tues. 21.
Captain Lyon and his party were seen on their return over the hills and, being
met by a number of the officers and men from the ships, arrived on board
before ten, when I was happy to find our travellers in good health, excepting
a little snow-blindness and " foot-foundering," of which they soon recovered.
I will not further anticipate Captain Lyon's Account, which is here annexed,
than to remark that this journey served to excite very reasonable hopes that
he had seen the north-eastern extreme of the great peninsula, round which
we entertained the most sanguine expectations of shortly finding the desired
passage into the Polar Sea.

" Leaving the ships on the evening of the 8th of May, the fatigue-party
drew our sledges for three hours, which brought us to the most level part of
the island. I should have taken them a short distance farther had I not ob-
served that James Pringle stopped behind and lay on the snow, apparently
suffering from sickness or fatigue ; they were in consequence ordered to re-
turn to his assistance. Again advancing for two hours, wc pitched our tent
for the night at the head of a small bay, the wind continuing fresh from the
northward.

" At six A.M. on the 9th we again set out and proceeded onwards for
four hours over a plain, which terminated in a low rocky point stretching a
short distance into Hoppner's Strait, which separates Winter Island from the
main land. We here rested for the day ; no change had taken place in the

230 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

weather, but as the surface of the snow was sliglitly incrusted with ice,
there was no drift to incommode us. As no water was to be procured we
were under the necessity of thawing snow.

" Leaving tliis point, which I named Point Belford, at half-past six we
entered the heavy ice in tlie strait, in order to cross at the narrowest part.
It was, however, with great difficulty we made our way amongst the high
and irregular masses of ice which filled the strait, and tAvo hours and a half
elapsed before we arrived at a small island, although the distance could not
have er.ceeded two miles. All our party being much fatigued we here
rested for the night. Our snow-shoes were much damaged, and we were
sensible that without their help we coidd not have drawn our loads amongst
the hummocks. On the ice were observed numerous tracks of wolves, foxes,
and hares ; we also saw the foot marks of a young bear and its mother, and
a hare was afterwards seen near the same spot. From an elevated ground
we took the bearings of the islands in Hoppner's Strait, which I named
Bird's Isles.
10. " The morning of the 10th brought no change in the Avind, but the wea-

ther was clear and fine. At seven A.M. we moved onwards, and crossed a
second strait of a mile in breadth, also filled with heavy ice. This occupied
an hour ; and we then kept along sliorc for some distant hills on the main
land, near which wo expected oiu' forenoon's journey Avould terminate. In
the course of our walk ten deer were seen ; they appeared in very poor case,
had not cast their winter coat, and were extremely timid. At eleven we
stopped to dine. Our road had been over very irregular ground, on which
the snow lay in heavy ridges. The beach was low, and from the nature of
the ice that lay on it appeared to be very shallow. Several of the party were
slightly affected by snow blindness, which I conceive was in a great measure
to be attributed to the long continuance of the north wind, which had been
blowing for some hours directly in our faces. The latitude by observation
here was 66° 2.3' 10" and long. 0° 11' 15" west of the ships.

" At six P.M. on again proceeding, a solitary deer ran near us for above a
mile, regulating his pace by ours, but seldom coming within gun-shot ; soon
afterwards three others crossed our path. Having walked about three miles
from the place of observation, we arrived at the foot of a hill we had set from
Point Belford ; this place was distant two or three miles from the beach,
Avhich still continued its flat appearance. At about three or four miles from
the .shore, and bearing S.E.b.E., avc obsei^ved a chain of four Ioav isles, or

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 231

shoals, of about four or five miles in length, from N.E. to S.W. Leaving the ^^22.
hill we proceeded N.E.b.N. until half-past nine P.M., and then pitched our ^nJ
tent. We were on a rising ground, and the wind was painfully severe from
the north, with the thermometer at 18°; at midniglit the temperature fell to
12°, and at six A.M. on the 11th it was 14°. At thirty minutes past seven II.
A.M. we. again crossed the hills, and at ten saw a bay before us, having a
gradual descent from the hills to its head, at which we stopped a little before
noon, having come about N.N.E. over the high ground. At noon the ther-
mometer was 22°.

" By meridian altitude the latitude was 66° 31' 20", and by sights for the
chronometer the longitude was 0° 00' 50 ' west of the ships. Five of our
party here suffered most severely from snow-blindness, notwithstanding the
constant care which had been taken to shade their eyes. It was now im-
possible to proceed, and before night two men became quite blind. All suf-
fered the most acute pain, and their faces and eyes were much swollen and
inflamed. As we could only obtain water by thawing snow, and as we were
limited in the expenditure of our small stock of fuel, it was out of our power
to afford enough to bathe the eyes of our invalids. The wind gradually sub-
sided on the 12th, thermometer at six A M. 14°, and at noon 22°. The people l?.
continued to suffer all' day, but in the evening, the snow having melted a
little on the rocks, they were enabled to bathe tlieir faces, which afforded great
relief. Near our tent were some Esquimaux land-marks, and a mass of stones,
built in the form of a grave ; one flat slab which composed a side was about
five feet by two ; we searched for the body, but the ground was too much
frozen to be broken up. From an eminence two miles north-east of the tent
Ave found that the southern boimdary of this place (which I named Blake's
Bay,) bore S.iW. ; thermometer at nine P.M. 18°, at midnight 8°.

" Early on the morning of the 13th seven deer passed near the tent ; at six 13^
A.M. thermometer 10°. Althougii the eyes of the people were not by any
means free from inflammation, yet they were so far recovered as to enable us
to proceed, the suft'erers beingdirected by looking down on the sledge imme-
diately before them. Having rounded the bay by half-past seven, we walked
along a very flat beach, off which at the distance of a mile was a continued
chain of low islands and shoals for two or three leagues. At tlie expiration
of four hours we stopped on a rocky point, round which were the remains of
several Esquimaux summer habitations. Thermometer at noon 24°. This
was the first day wc had obtained water sufficient for our consumption.

232 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

182'2. ii ^j gj^ P.M., proceeding in an E.N.E. direction, farther inland we came
i-^.^s^ at about seven miles' distance to a gradual ascent, and soon arrived on a high
liill, from which the sea was distant about three miles. The land was at first
tolerably regular, but as we j)r<)cee(le(l the rocks became bold and abrupt,
and the snow was nearly all thawed from their eastern face. From the bare
stale of the bluff we found it was a favourite resort of the deer, of which we
saw several, as affording them some withered grasses and moss which the
the thaw had left exposed, or which were buried so small a depth beneath
the snow as to be easily procured by scrai)ing with the feet. At half-past
ten we stopped for the night, the thermometer being at 14°.

14. " The morning of the 14th was calm but cloudy, and at six A.M. the ther-
mometer 11°. At half-past seven we descended the rocks, which I named
Adderley's Bluff, and found them precipitous near the sea. Passing
amongst the heavy grounded ice which lay at their foot, our road became
very difficult and fatiguing, the snow lying in such deep ridges as to oblige
us to take a very circuitous route. Having walked four hours, and crossed
two small bays, we stopped before noon on a low point. At noon, thermo-
meter 20°, latitude by meridian altitude, 66° 37' 50", and longitude, by chro-
nometer, 0°3r 45" east of the ships.

" At six P.M. we again moved forward and, crossing a bay of smooth floe
ice for two miles, came to a small rocky isle, due north of the i)lace of ob-
servation. This island lay across the mouth of a very snug little cove,
which from its ajjpcarance we supposed likely to aftbrd safe anchorage for
ships. Off the isle, on an E.b.S. bearing, is a small rocky shoal. Leaving
this we crossed a second bay of a mile in breadth, the ice of which gave the
same indications of deep water. After four hours' walk Ave rested for the
night. At ten P.M. thermometer 8°, weather cloudy, and much scud flying
from the south-east.

15. " Small snow began to fall on the 15th, and the wind came from the east-
ward. At six A.M., thermometer 28°. At half-past eight we started and
crossed the ice about half a mile to a small island, whence we observed the
sea to run up W.N.W. Mr. Palmer and myself walked to its head, a dis-
tance of about two miles and a half, when we found it shallow, and full of
low gravelly isles. The breadth was about four miles. We here took bear-
ings, and then crossed the flat sea ice N.b.E., four miles, to the foot of a
high hill. The most distant eastern land bore N.E. Before we had crossed
over the mouth of the bay, which 1 named after Lieutenant Palmer, the

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 233

weather became so very'unsetfled as at times to hide the land a-hcad of us.
At eleven A.M. we stopped, thermometer 30". Heavy snow and drift were
now falling, and the weather continued unchanged for sixty-eight hours,
during which we were confined to a tent shaped like the roof of a house,
and eleven feet by six in breadth, in a sitting posture, and all our clothes
became thoroughly wet from the tliawing of the snow on the canvass. On
the forenoon of the 18th the weather improved, and the wind came round to 18
N.N.E. Mr. Palmer and myself ascended the highest hill, two miles east of
the tent, and thence took bearings of the distant land as laid down in the
charts. The hills appeared to cease at the range on which we stood, and
the land as far as the first point, M'hich was named Point Elizabeth, was a
dead flat. The high distant land to the N.E. appeared as if detsiched from
the plain, and as I was afterwards enabled to observe, proved to be a cape,
which I named Cape Wilson. We had from this place seen above two
days' journey to the eastward ; and as our provisions were half and our
wood nearly all expended, I thought it prudent to return, as there was every
probability that the weather might prove equally precarious in our journey
homewards, or that snow blindness might again detain us. We therefore
made across Palmer Bay in oiu* way back, and at the same time to avoid the
various bays and turnings of the land, we struck more inland. By the even-
ing of the 20th we had arrived within three miles of Iloppner's Strait. 20.
From our resting-place I observed that on the low islands, (which I had .set
on the 10th, and now named Turton's Shoals,) much heavy ice was thrown
up, in all probability by ihe open water, which was observed in that direction
to extend as far as Winter Island.

"On the 21st we resolved to make a forced march for the ships, as some 21.
of the people yet suffered from sore eyes, and our clothes and blankets had
been wet for several days. We therefore started at seven A.M., and crossing
to Winter Island, proceeded until past noon, when having rested for two
hours, we again pushed on for the ships and reached them at nine P.M.

" It was a matter of regret, that the unfavourable state of the season and
the abundance of snow, which every where covered the ground, had pre-
cluded all possibility of making any remarks on the state or productions of
the country over which we had j^assed. Such rocks as were exposed were
of gneiss, and we also observed a few detached masses of granite. From
some pieces of decomposing feldspar which were found projecting through
the snow, we picked a few lumps of iron pyrites of the size of a pea. Not a

2 H

234 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

]^~~- single plant was found in a state of vegetation, which may perhaps account
for the ahiiost total absence of birds, as we only saw one raven and three
snow buntings. The deer were all in a most wretched condition, and sub-
sistence was barely afforded them from the withered plants of the last season ;
yet it may be inferred that these animals are numerous in the summer, from
the circumstance of our finding on almost every elevated ridge of hills the
remains of Esquimaux dwellings, and the piles of stones behind which the
hunters are used to conceal themselves. We only twice procured water at
noon, and many hours of painful thirst were in consequence experienced. I
cannot conclude this account without particularly noticing the groat assist-
ance derived from our snow shoes, without which it would not have been
possible to proceed even a fourth of the distance we passed over, the snow
being, at this season, very deep and soft."

Tucs. 23. On the 23d, our neighbours the Esquimaux, who had long by their own
account been setting off for Amitioke, at length began in earnest to pack up
for their departure. As soon as their preparations were finished, 1 sent for
them all on board, and gave them one of their own sledges, of which they
were much in want for carrying their goods, a couple of boarding-pikes, some
knives, and several tin canisters filled with bread-dust for their journey.
These presents had scarcely been made them when we had reason to appre-
hend so sudden an influx of wealth might produce serious effects, especially
upon the women, whose joy threw them into immoderate fits of laughter,
almost amounting to hysterics, which Avcre succeeded by a flood of tears.
The men seemed thankful, though less noisy in the expression of their
acknowledgments. As soon as some degree of composure was restored,
Ave accompanied them to their baggage, which they had stowed on two of
the small travelling sledges given them by Captain Lyon, but which they
now shifted to their own. When all was ready, and some other valuable
presents had been added to their stock by Captain Lyon, they proceeded to
the northward, the women assisting to drag the sledge, for they had only one
large dog and one puppy. On taking their departure, these good-humoured
and ever-cheerful people greeted us with three cheers in the true Kabloona
style, a mode of salutation they had witnessed once or twice among us, and
Frid. 21. frequently practised for their amusement and ours. On the 24th we found
they had only proceeded a few miles, as "John Bull" once more made his

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 235

appearance on board, and returned to his companions in the evening. From 1822.
this specimen of their travellinsif, of which we had as yet little experience, s^Xj
we had great reason to hope that their days' journeys would be found but
short ones, and that therefore our distance round the north-eastern point of
the American continent was not very considerable. The snow felt softer, and
more melting was going on to-day than on any before observed, though only
a few black tips of the rocks were yet visible on shore. The animals now
began to appear in greater numbers ; for on the 25th, a Hock of nearly tw() Sat. 25.
hundred long-tailed ducks were swimming about in the open water to the
south-east of the point. Some of the Esquimaux who came from ihe nearest
western village, also reported having seen a great many rein-deer ; but they
had not yet succeeded in killing any.

On the 27th, at noon, the thermometer in the shade rose as high as 36°, Mon. 27.
the wind being from the S.W., but on its changing to the N.W. on the fol-
lowing day, the temperature fell to 12° at midnight. The thermometer
indeed, at this time, seemed as it were to struggle to rise above the freezing
point in the course of the day, and not always with success. On the 30th, Thur. 30.
the first five grouse were killed. These birds were entirely white in their
plumage, except near the tip of the tail, where the feathers were of a glossy
black. They were in very good condition and weighed from seventeen to
eighteen ounces each. Several ducks and silvery gulls were also seen about
the point, and Mr. Fife fired at a swan.

At the close of the month of ISIay it was a matter of^ general observation, Frid. 31.]
and of course of general regret, how few symptoms of thawing had yet
appeared cidier on shore or on the ice. Naturally pursuing our usual com-
parison with the circumstances of the former winter passed in these regions,
it was imix)ssible not to recollect that Melville Island had, on the same day
two years before, advanced full as far as the country now before us, in
throwing off its winter covering. The parts of the land which were now the
most hare were the smooth round tops of the hills, on which here and there
occurred a little pool of water, from which, taking all together within half a
mile round the ships, we should at this time have had great dilficulty in
filling half a tun. There were also on the lower lands a few dark un-
covered patches, looking, when viewed from the hills, like islets in an ex-
tensive sea. Vegetation seemed labouring to commence, and a few tufts
of the saxifraga opposilifolia, when closely examined, discovered some signs
of life. A botanist, in short, might have considered vegetation as begun,

2 H 2

236 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

but in tlic popular acceptation of the word it certainly had not. Such
was the state of thincjs on shore at tlie conchision of the month of May.
Upon the ice appearances were not more promising. Except in the im-
mediate neighbourhood of the ships, where from the constant trampling,
and the laying of various stores upon the ice, some heat had artificially
been absorbed, it would have been difficult to point out in what respect
any advances towards dissolution had been made upo)i the upper surface,
where six or seven inches of snow yet remained in every part. Here again,
without any undue partiality for our old winter-quarters, it was natural as
well as reasonable to bear in mind, that before this time we had there ex-
perienced several hours of hard rain, than which nothing proves more ef-
fectual in dissolving the ice. The consequence was that, for the last week
in May, at Melville Island, the surface of the ice had assumed quite a green
appearance ; while here it was still as white as a covering of snow could
make it.

Under these circumstances I came to the determination, now that the
ships were ready for sea, to try what could be effected towards their re-
lease, by sawing and cutting the ice ; for it was vexatious to see open
water daily in the offing, and not to be able to take advantage of it. Ar-
rangements were therefore made for getting every thing, except the tent
and instruments, on board the next day, and for commencing this more la-
borious occupation on the following Monday.

We were not the only inhabitants of these regions that seemed to think
it high time for the summer to have arrived, for there was to-day quite a
general muster of the birds about the island. A great many ducks and
silvery gulls, two swans, two pair of ring-plovers, several ravens and grouse
were seen, besides the usual Hocks of the cheerful little snow-buntings.
Mr. Ross killed a raven and a pair of grouse ; the former of these was quite
black, and one of the latter, a female bird, had a few speckled feathers on
each wing, the tail being black near the tip. Captain Lyon was out for se-
veral hours with his gun and met with eight rein-deer, but found them too
wild to be approached. The thermometer got up to 41° in the warmest part
of the day, but remained so high as this only for a short time, a light breeze
of wind immediately bringing it down to 35°.
SaT*i ^" *^'^^' ^^* ^^ June, having launched a boat at the mouth of the bay, I
went to sound in that neighbourhood and along the eastern side of the
island, preparatory to marking out the intended canal. We now found that

ABSTRVCT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL

kept on board His Majesty's

Ship

Fury, at Winter Island, during the Month of Mmj, 1822.

Fahrenheit's
Thermometer.

Barometer.

Prevailing
AVinds.

Prevailing
Weather.

Day

Mxi-
mum.

mum.

Mc<n.

Msxi-

Mini,
iiiuto.

Mean.

Direction,

Velocity,

1

O

+16

O

-5

O

+7.07

iiiclict

30.12

inchei

30.08

iachos

30.098

NW

modt.

clear

2

23

3

13.42

30.12

30.08

30.105

NW

light

fine and clear

3

33

+17

25.90

30.16

30,10

30.137

WbN

light

cloudy

4

27

20

22.92

30.30

30.20

30.252

NE

light

cloudy

6

43

20

28.33

30.40

30.27

30.342

NW

light

cloudy

C

24

18

21.04

30.10

30.12

30.287

NE

modt.

hazy

7

30

16

22.92

30.10

29,-9

29.970

NE

fresh

cloudy

8

28

30

21.75

29.72

29,70

29.704

NNE

modt.

fine

9

32

20

25.42

29.73

29,68

29.703

NNE

a.m. tnodt-?
p.m. light C

fine

10

28

10

21.42

29.85

29.75

29.813

NNW

modt.

fine

11

25

8

16.07

30.00

29,88

29.932

NNW

modt.

cloudy

12

23

5

15.75

30.02

30,00

30.003

NNW

modt.

fine

13

30

5

17.25

29.98

29.92

29.068

NNW

light

fine

14

32

3

22.25

29.90

29.70

29.817

West round hy )
South 10 SSE. J

light

cloudy

15

29

20

25.17

29.61

29,47

29.540

SE

modt.

hazy and snow

16

31

23

28.00

29 40

29,30

29.323

ESE

modt.

hazy and snow

17

29

20

25.50

29.60

29,30

29.407

North

strong

cloudy — much drift

18

29

13

22.83

29.63

29,00

29.008

NW

modt

clear

19

21

10

15.83

29.66

29.62

29.653

WNW

light

cloudy and snow

20

20

6

17.08

30.00

29.80

29.900

NNW

light

fine and clear

21

31

6

20.21

30.08

30.00

30.050

NNW

light

fine and clear

22

39i

9

27.96

30,05

29.87

29.940

WSW

light

". cloudy

23

45

25

30.08

29.80

29,61

29.697

West

light

cloudy and snow

24

46

25

32.29

29.43

29,37

29.400

NE

light

cloudy and snow

25

30

18

25.42

29.70

29,40

29 582

NW

modt.

clear

20

31

13

25.07

29.72

29.71

29.718

West

light

fine

27

30

11

29.17

29.74

29.56

29.617

SW

modt.

cloudy

28

31

12

23.12

29.73

29.58

29.068

NNW

modt.

cloudy

29

30

10

25.00

29.84

29,70

29.783

NW

light

fine

30

32

12

24.33

29.86

29,80

29.822

North

light

fine

81

41

13

29.17

j 29.96

1

29.82

29.910

West

light

fine

4G

-5

23.09

30.40

29.30

29.833

238 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. ^]jp hcavv ice at the entrance of the bay, on its south-east side, was aground

June. •' .

y-^-Y^ on rocks, having on them in several parts only seventeen feet water at low
tide ; and in one place, which till now had been covered by the ice and
snow, the gneiss peeped above the surface at half-ebb. On the eastern
side of the island, along which we roAved two or three miles, the soundings
are regular and deep in most places near the shore. A good deal of ice
still remained attached to the land ; but as far as we could distinguish to
the N.N.E. there was a lane of clear water, wide enough for the naviga-
tion of the ships. Wc met with large flocks of king, cider, and long-tailed
ducks, the two former species having made their appearance only a day
or two before. From this time wc generally procured a few ducks daily for
the use of the ships, the whole being served in lieu of other meat, accord-
ing to tlie " game-laws" already established. We saw besides numbers of
the lams argentatus, and at the mouth of the bay, in seven fathoms water,
a fish supposed to be a salmon, three feet long, swimming near the bottom.
The clearness of the water here allowed the rocks at the bottom to be plainly
distinguished at that depth.

Sun. 2, On the •2d, at three P.M., a thin white cloud was observed to ex-
tend across the northern sky, from north-east to south-west, being then
about 65° high in the centre. The whole of the heavens to the south-
ward of this was covered with a similar kind of cloud, that to the north-
ward exhibiting a clear blue sky. The edge, which svas well defined,
formed a very perfect arch, and here the cloud was much more dense than
in any other place, reminding one of a veil of gauze, of which there were
more folds in that part than elsewhere. Though the wind was with us at
W.b.N., it blew gently over to the S.S.E., still retaining its perfect and
continuous arch-like form at the margin. In a quarter of an hour it had
got 20° on the south side of the zenith, in forty minutes was only 25° high,
and in an hour and a quarter had totally disappeared beneath the southern
horizon, leaving the whole of the heavens perfecUy cloudless. This was
the most striking phenomenon of the kind we had ever witnessed, and
while the arch remained near the zenith this magnificent canopy had a sin-
gularly grand and imposing appearance.

Mon. 3. On the morning of the 3d at six A.M. both the ships' companies, under
their respective officers, were set to Mork ujjon the ice. A line was accu-
rately marked out from each of the Fury's quarters, where they were fifty
feet apart, diverging to two hundred and fifty at the edge of the floe, the

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 239

latter being distant from the ships two thousand and twenty feet, or just '^-^-

Jun6

one-third of a nautical mile. It ^vas proposed to make a cut through the

ice with the saws, along the two lines thus marked out, and then a trans-
verse section here and there, the divergency of the sides being intended
to facilitate the removal of the pieces tluis detached, by first pulling them
out with strong purchases, and then floating them down the canal to the sea
without. Nothing could exceed the alacrity with which this laborious
work was undertaken, and continued daily from six in the morning till eight
at night, with the intermission only of meal-times : nor could any thing
be more lively and interesting than the scene which now presented itself to
an observer on the south-east point. The day was beautifully clear, the
sea open as far as the eye could stretch to the northward, and the " busy
hum" of our people's voices could at times be heard, mingling with the
cheerful though fantastic songs with which the Greenland sailors arc ac-
customed at once to beguile their labour, and to keep the necessary time
in the action of sawing the ice. The whole prospect, together Avith the
hopes and associations excited by it, was to persons cooped up as we had
been, exhilarating almost beyond conception.

In the course of the first week we had completed the two side cuts, and Sun. 9.
also two shorter ones in the space between the ships ; making in all a length
of two thousand three hundred feet on each side of the intended canal, the
thickness of the ice being in general four feet, but in one or two places
(where the junction of the sea-ice with the bay -floe had occasioned some
squeezing) above ten feet and a half, scarcely allowing our longest saws to
work. Laborious as this part of the operation had been, wc soon found it
likely to prove the least troublesome of the whole ; for on endeavouring to
pull out the pieces in the manner at first intended, every effort failed, till at
length Avc were reduced to the necessity of cutting each block diagonally be-
fore it could be moved from its place. After a week's experience, we also
learned that much time had been lost in completing the whole of the lateral
cuts at once ; for these, partly from frost, and partly by the closing together of
the sides of the canal, all required sawing a second and in some places even
a third time. It was surprising also to see how powerful a resistance was
occasioned by the "sludge" produced in sawing, or as the sailors called it,
the " saw-dust," continuing in the cut and appearing to act like oil inter-
posed between two plates of glass, in keeping the masses united. In some
cases also, a saw was squeezed so tight by the pressure of the ice in the

240

SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

cut, that it became necessary to enter a second in order to release it, by
sawing out a circular plug of" ice completely round it. Fatiguing as this
work proved to the men, 1 directed it to be continued to-day, the sea re-
maining so open on the outside as to give every encouragement to our
exertions.

While we were thus making trial of what art could cft'ect towards our re-
lease, nature seemed to be mure than usually tardy in rendering her assist-
ance. The snow was still leaving the land by very slow degrees, and some
small rain fell for a short time on the 7th, but the mean temperature of the
twenty-four hours seldom rose above the freezing point. So small ind(>ed
was the quantity of water now to be obtained on shore, that being a])prehen-
sive of actually going to sea without any in the holds, each ship commenced
melting snow in her coppers for lillingthc tanks, the crews being necessarily
put on an allowance till this was somewhat advanced. The lirst flower of
the saxifragci oppositifolia was brought on board as a matter of curiosity by
our botanists, on the 9th, or one den/ later than it made its appearance at Mel-
ville Island in 1820.

One of our people, in walking over the island, met with a swan's nest,
which Caj)tain Lyon went out to see and made a drawing of it. It was
built of moss-peat, being no less than five feet ten inches in length, four feet
nine inches wide, and two feet deep, as shewn in the annexed sketch by
Captain Lyon.

The hole of entrance in the top was eighteen inches wide. Two egg;^, each
weighing about eight ounces, were found in the nest, in which the old birds
were also sitting at first, but too wild to be a])j)roached. The eggs are of a
cream or brownish-white colour, in some parts a little clouded by a darker

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 241

tinge. The female subsequently laid a third egg, and soon afterwards both '3-22.
birds apijeared to have wiiolly deserted the nest. n— ^

In the second week our progress with the canal had been consider- Sun. 16.
able, it being now completed within two hundred yards of the Fury's
stern. As tlie men had continued this cold and wet work without inter-
niisslon for thirteen days together, they were now allowed a half holiday,
of which tliey began to stand in need. Several patients, as might have
been expected, had been added to the sick lists of both ship?, but by
timely and skilful attention the complaints had hitherto been overcome.
The opening we had already made in the ice now rendered it so much
weaker, and consequently so much more liable to disruption than before, that
I considered it prudent to remove the tent, observatory, and instruments on
board, as we might at any time have been forced to sea without a moment's
warning. Mr. Fisher, therefore, having completed the desired observations,
every thing was re-embarked except the transit instrument and meridian-
mark, these being left to the last for continuing the determination of the
rates of the chronometers. Among the things now brought on board were
the garden frames, from which about four pounds of Avretchcd pca-lcaca,
and mustard and cress, had been produced in each garden, by dint of nine
weeks' labour and attention.

Having thus reported our own progress for the last week, I cannot omit
saying something of that which nature had been making in the same interval.
A few more flowers of the .v«x//rag« opjwsiti/olia had here and there been
procured ; but they were still curiosities, the more so as being almost the
only ones that had yet made their appearance. Some water had now been
ol)tained from the shore, by baling a gallon or two from each little pool,
and carrying a cask about on a sledge to be thus lillcd. At ^lelville Island,
at the same period, the ravines were beginning to be dangerous to pass, and
were actually impassable during the third week in June.

The sea still continued open in the offing, whenever the wind blew from
the northward or westward, and the ducks, of the three species before men-
tioned, had even increased in numbers. Sand-pipers had also become
numerous on shore, and a turnstone, being one of a single pair, was killed.
No grouse had been seen since those last noticed. A quantity of tangle-
weed appearing in the canal, some pieces of it were pulled up and mea-
sured ; the length of one of these was twenty-seven feet and a half, of which
the stalk occupied twelve. On the 17th we were enabled to unhang the Mon. 17.

2 I

242 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. Fury's nuklor and to haul it up on the ice, as well lor the purpose of a
v^-v-v^ general examination, as to put on an iron plate where the frost had cracked
it since the removal of the snow. We found it quite sound and serviceable
in every other part, and it was therefore shipped au^^ain in a couple of hours.
Tues. 18. On the 18th, the wind gcttins^ round to the south-east an<l east, a thick
fog, being the first very decided one this season, prevailed during great
part of the day, and froze hard on the rigging after sunset, the thermometer
Wed. 19. getting down to 31°. At the conclusion of the day's labour on the 19th
we had every prospect of getting to sea in forty-eight hours more ; but early
Tluu. 20. on the following morning, when the ebb or north-easterly tide had made,
and was assisted by a breeze from the southward, the whole body of sea-
ice came forcibly in contact with the bay-floe; which was now so weakened
by our cutting, as to split the whole way from the edge up to the Ilecla's
stern, a little to the westward of the canal, the latter being almost imme-
diately closed with a considerable crush, but without affecting the ships
which lay beyond it. The closing of our artificial canal had the effect of
partially opening a natural one at the place where the ice had just been
detached ; but, as this was incomplete, coming gradually up to a point
astern of the Hecla, we were at a loss to know on which of the two our
labour would best be employed. An attempt was first made by four strong
purchases, stretched from side to side across the new crack, to pull the
parts together again, and thus to leave our original canal in statu quo. All
our power however being insufficient to accomplish this, we commenced
with the saws upon the upper part of the crack, with the intention of widen-
ing it sufficiently for the passage of the ships. In this work we had made
considerable progress when, towards evening, it was perceived that this was
now closing and our former canal re-opening by the action of the wind and
tide. Relinquishing our last attempt therefore, we lost no time in floating
some heavy pieces of ice into the canal, to serve as wedges for keeping the
sides apart, in case of any fresh pressure from without again disposing them
to close.

The fog still continued and some heavy rain fell at night, both of which
made a striking alteration in the appearance of the land and ice. The snow
Avhich was before hard enough to bear a man in walking, now allowed him
to sink almost to the middle ; and after this time the water was very abundant
on shore, occurring in numerous small streams and ponds in almost every part.
Frid.21. At two A.M. on the 21st, the piece of the floe which formed the separa-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 243

tion between the two canals drifted bodily outwards, as far as the rocks at \^^'^-
the mouth of the bay and the ice that lay upon them would permit, taking '^^-y^
with it a heavy -grounded mass that lay near the Hecla, and on which it had
before been turning as on a pile or pivot : shortly after a second mass on
the eastern side of the canal iirokc off, the separation taking place uj)on the
line where the ice had been weakened by the sand we had laid upon it.
Our work Avas now at an end, and we had only to wait for a northerly or
westerly wind to release us from our present " besetment," for in fact it
was now nothing more. Directions were therefore given for closely watch-
ing the motion of the ice, both from the ships as well as by regular visits
to the shore, at the end of every watch.

It now becomes my painful duty to turn from these busy occupations,
where animation, cheerfulness, and hope prevailed, to the sad and solemn
scenes of sickness and death ; for with both of these did it please the
Almighty to visit us at this period ! William Souter, quarter-master of the
Fury, who in the early part of this week had complained of a slight sickness at
the stomach, and having been quite relieved was in consequence discharged
to duty, was again, on the morning of the 2lst, affected in a similar manner
while on deck. Mr. Ross, observing that he was unwell, desired him to go
below, to which at first Souter objected, saying that it would soon go off;
but Mr. Ross very properly, in compliance with my general orders on this
head, insisted on his going to Mr. Skeoch. He was soon relieved by the
treatment which Mr. Edwards adopted, and continued well till the night of
the 22d, when some dangerous symptoms having appeared and continued for Sat. 22.
several hours, Mr, Fisher of the Hecla was on the following day called in on
a consultation. In the evening of the 23d, the symptoms once more ap- Sun. 23.
peared to assume a less threatening aspect, and a hope was indulged that no
inflammation in the bowels had yet taken place, which there had before been
great reason to apprehend. As the ship was ready for sea, and no work of
any consequence remained to be done, every thing was kept as quiet as pos-
sible on board, that the patient might suffer no disturbance. On the 24th, Jlon. 24.
Souter's alarming symptoms had so much subsided, that increasing hopes
were entertained of his continuing to do well ; these flattering ajjpcarances,
however, received a sudden check about noon on the 25th, after which Tues. 25,
time he began rapidly though gradually to droop, and between six and seven
in the evening breathed his last.

The impossibility of removing Souter from the sick bay, after the last

2 I 2

244 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. alarming change took place, rendered his death, or rather the convulsive
^l-v-^ struggles which for some hours preceded that event, a dreadful trial to poor
Reid, whose state had for some time past been scarcely better, the difficulty
in his breathing having increased to a most distressing degree. Worn out as
he was by bodily suftering and extreme debility, it is prol)able that the dc-
j)ression of spirits occasioned by Souter's death served to hasten his own

Wed. -20. dissolution, which took place about the same hour the following evening.
The slow degrees, by which Reid's death had been long approaching, had
.served in some measvire to prepare his mind for that awful event; though like
other consumjttive persons, he would sometimes entertain very sanguine
hopes of his recovery, and this he continued to do till about the time of
Souter's illness. When Souter was dying, Reid remarked that he should not
be long after liini ; and on tlic 26th, when Mr. Fisher had attended and
prayed witli liim, he said that he should go at one bell, (half-past six) and
then enumerated all his clothes to one of the men, who at his request wrote
them down for liim. After four o'clock he did not speak, and gradually sink-
ing expired at ti\e time he had mentioned.

Frid. 28. On the 28th, the remains of our deceased shipmates were committed to
the earth, with every solemnity that so mournful an occasion demanded.
They were interred in one grave, on a rising ground a few hundred yards
from the sea to the north-eastward of the ships. A handsome tomb of stone
and mortar was built over the spot, having at one end a stone let in, with the
usual infonnation engraved on it. The sides were plaistered with a kind of
viscous clay found in one of the ponds, and the top covered with tufts of the
purple saxifrage. The duties of the ships now permitting it. Captain Lyon
employed his men in building a similar tomb over the grave of Pringle.

Scarcelv had these melancliolv duties been performed when the wind,
which had been stationary at south ibr several hours, began to veer a little
to the westward and the weather gradually to clear up ; and by six P.M.
a fresh breeze blew from the W.S.W., so that we had now every reason
to expect an almost immediate opening of the ice. It is remarkable that
previous to this cliange the winds had been almost constantly between the
S.E. and E.N.E. for ten days; a circumstance we had never before expe-
rienced in these seas, and which certainly produced more melting than a
period of two months would have done with the wind to the northward
and westward. The alteration which the surface of the land had undergone
in this interval is indeed almost inconceivable, except to those who have

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 245

experienced the rapidity with which such changes do take place, Avhen once ^^22.
they fairly begin in these regions. The whole aspect of the island was so vj^"4l/
thoroughly metamorphosed, in consequence of the disappearance of the
snow, that the very spots on which we had been in the frequent habit oi'
walking for the last nine months, could now scarcely be recognised ; and 1
believe not one among us, if removed from Winter Island in May and
brought back in July, would, from the mere aspect of the land, have very
easily discovered the scene of our winter's rambles.

Some other birds had now also arrived in our neighbourhood ; among Sat. 29.
these the golden plovers and phalaropes were tolerably abundant, as also
boatswains, terns, and dovekies ; the latter had been absent for some time ;
and it was curious to observe that in the interval they had nearly re-as-
sumed their summer plumage. Some brent-geese and black-throated divers
Avere found to frequent the ponds on shore, and a single specimen of the
hams Sabini was procured, being the only individual of that species seen on
the island. Iligliuk had recognised the bird, (which the Esquimaux call
Erkeet-y uggee-dri-oo,) by the engraving of it, and said we should find them
to the northward, which piece of information we afterwards found to be
correct. We were surprised that no more grouse had been seen, and some-
what disappointed at having only procured a single deer, which the Hccla's
sportsmen were fortunate in shooting on the 29t]i ; but of these animals
very few had been met with. Two or three foxes had lately been seen,
one of which was of a darkish colour and the others quite Avhite. The
vegetation had also felt the good effects of the late mild and moist Aveather,
and a number of plants Avere noAV appearing in floAver. Among these, spe-
cimens of the potcnlilla nkect, saxifragct caspitosa, draba alphui, and oxijtropis
ardka, had been procured Avithin the last three or four days.

The AA^esterly Avind did not long continue, but again veered to the south- Sun. 30.
Avard and then to the east. On the 30tli it suddenly backed to N.N.E.,
from Avhich quarter it soon freshened to a strong gale Avith licaAy snoAv and
sleet. This inclement Aveather did us some service in clearing part of our
passage out of the bay, Avhicli the late Avinds had blocked up with ice; but to
the eastAvard of the island, the main body remained (juite close to the shore.
In the course of the night the Avind veered to the north, giving us eveiy
hope of being speedily at liberty to put to sea.

Previously to leaving our present Avinter-quarters, Avhere avc had noAV nearly
completed our ninth month, I shall oflcr a fcAv remarks on the extent and

246 -SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. jTco»rai>liical position of Winter Island, and on such of its natural produc-
Jane. ^^i i .„ ....

v^-r"^ tions as I have not had an oj)i>ortuiiity oi mentioning in the preceding part
of tliis narrative.

"Winter Island is ten miles and a half in length from N.W.h.N. to S.E.h.S.,
and its average breadth from eight to ten miles. It is what seamen call rather
low land ; the height of the S.E. j)oint, which I named Cape Fisher, out of
respect to our chaplain and astronomer, being seventy-six feet, and none of the
hills above three times that height. The outline of the land is smooth, and
in the summer, when free from snow, presents a brown appearance. Several
miles of the north-west end of the island are so low and level that, when the
snow lay thick upon it, our travellers could only distinguish it from the sea
by the absence of hummocks of ice.

The basis of the island is gneiss-rock, much of which is of a grey colour,
but in many places also the feldspar is so predominant as to give a bright
red appearance to the rocks, especially about Cape Fisher, where also some
broad veins of quartz are seen intersecting the gneiss ; and both this and
the feldspar are very commonly accom])anicd by a green substance, which
we took to be pistacite, and which usually occurs as a thin lamina adhering
strongly to the others. In many specimens these three are united, the
feldspar and quartz displaying tolerably jjerfect crystals. In some of the
gneiss small red garnets are abundant, as also in mica-slate. In lumps of
granite, which are found detached upon the surface, the mica sometimes
occurs in white plates, and in other specimens is of a dirty brown colour.
There are several varieties of mica-slate, and some of these have a bril-
liant metallic apj)earance like silver ; those which are most so, crumble
very easily to pieces. The most common stone next to those already
mentioned is lime, which is principally schistose and of a white colour.
Many pieces of this substance on being broken present impressions of
fossil-shells, and some have also brown waved lines running quite through
them. Nodules of flint occur in some masses of lime, but tliey ai'e not
common. Iron pyrites is found in large lumps of black stone, tinged
externally with the oxide of iron ; it is here and there met with in small
perfect cubes. To this list I shall only venture to add grey and red sand-
stone ; and refer to the Aj)pendix for a more detailed account of the
mineral productions of the island. Of those of the animal and vegetable
kingdoms I have already, in the course of the foregoing narrative, given all
the information we could collect.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 247

o , .. 1822.

Mean latitude of the ] By 21S meridian altitudes of O and -^ . 60 11 26.8 North. June.

Fury's Station, J By Mr. Fisher's observations, reduced to the ship 66 11 24.5 „ ''•'^''*<

1 By 12 obs. of Jupiter's Satellites, by Mr. Fisher 82 53 45.5 West.

Mean longitude of I By 944 sets of observations, comprehendirg 94G0

the Fury's Station, i lunar distances from© and -^^ S3 10 26.2 „

J Used in the construction of the charts * . . . S3 09 49.0 „

Mean dip of the magnetic needle, by Mr. Fisher 87 49 33 North.

Variation of the magnetic needle, being a mean between Mr. Fisher's ob-
servations, and those by myself and the officers ....... 56 IS 30 West

Mean time of high-water on full and change days l?""' 11"'

Riseof the highest spring-tide Ij"" S'°'

„ of the lowest neap-tide 3 1

The flood comes from the northward, and runs, at spring-tides, between two and three knots. (See
the Tide Table in the Appendix.)

* See this further explained at the end of the Table of Lunar Observations made in the spring
of 1822.

ABSTRACT

of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's Ship

Fury, at Winter Island, during the

Month of June, 1822.

Day

1

Falireiilieit's Thei-
niomcter.

Barometer.

Prevailin;;
^Vimls.

Prevailing Weather

llitiin.

Mini-
niuiD.

Meao.

niuiii.

Miiii-
niuni.

Mi-n.i.

Dinclico.

Vi-locit,

+£•

+A

34°0S

inches

2J.90

iliclirs 1 iiirhrn

29.94 29.951'

sw

li^l.t

(loudy

2

3G

27

30.12

29.90J 29.SlJ29.S52

North

light

cloudy

3

4G

20

31.92

29.83

29.7S29.SI0

From NW

roiiiiil t»v ^Vt.^t ■

li> So.itli

light

cloudy

4

40 i

29

3;. 29

29.80

29.7829.793

Nortli

iiiodt.

cloudy

3

37

23

29.96

29.70

29.63 29.683

NU'

modt.

cloudy, snow at times

6

■10

23

30.00

29.70

29.67

29.690

NW

light

cloudy

7

■l?

20

33.46

29.07

29.60

29.632

ssw

light

cloudy

8

32

22

26.12

29.. 55

29.50

29 ..530

West

fresh

cloudy

9

32

22

27.00

29.i<3

29.53 29.662

1

North

modt.

cloudy

10

30

21

29.58

30.00

29.90 29.907

,NM'

modi.

cloudy

11

41

25

32.92

29.90

29.72

29.783

NW

modi.

cloudy, snow at tiaies

12

30

25

30.33

29.90

29.55

29.713

Nirtli— roiiM.l f
by W in SW J

fresh

cloudy

13

3S

21

32.33

30.00

29.90

29.958

NW

modt.

cloudy

14

42

26

31.25

29.95

29.80

29.905

roitn.l tlic ")
compass f

light

cloudy

15

31

22

27.00

29.70

23.58

29.007

NNE

fresli

clouily

1G

40

21

37.00

29.00

29.52

29 .5 17

West

light

fine

17

45

31

37.92

29.76

29.6.5

29.703

NW

light

fine

IS

50

32

.39.25

29.80

29.76,29.777

KSE

light

foggy

19

40

31

37.92

29.89

29.75 29.785

ESE

light

foggy

20

42

33

30.75

19.81

29.75 29.808

ESE

light

cloudy

21

39

31

34.83

•J9.90

29.8129.867

ESE

light

hazy

22

40

30

35.3:!

29.^0

29.7229.780

ENE

modt.

cloudy

23

40

29

35.40

29.71

29.68 29.692

East

modt.

cloudy

24

42

32

36.50

29.77

29.7029.733

SE

fresh

hazy and rain

25

45

30

37. UT

29.71

29.70

29.702

S.Kastfrly

litiii

cnlm al
timiB

hazy

26

44

32

37.00

29.07

29.02 29.610

ENE

l.ght

hazy and rain

27

43

31

36.07

29.59

29.58 29.588

SE

light

hazy and rain

2S

49

31

38.50

29.60

29.49 29.552

SW

light

hazy and rain

29

44

32

37.75

20..58

29.50 29.537

a.m. West )
p.m. .South)

light

cloudy

30

32

30

31.00

29.41

29.10

29.220

NNE

fresh

Iiazy, snow and sleet

50

20

33.97

30.00

29.10

29.717

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 249

CHAPTER X.

DEPARTURE FROM WINTER ISLAND MEET WITH SOME ESQUIMAUX TRAVELLING TO

THE NORTHWARD OBSTRUCTIONS AND DANGER FROM THE ICE AND TIDES DIS-
COVERY OF THE BARROW RIVER, AND ITS FALL FAVOURABLE PASSAGE TO THE

NORTHWARD ARRIVAL OFF THE STRAIT OF THE FURY AND UECLA PROGRESS OP-
POSED BY A FIXED BARRIER OF ICE COMMUNICATE WITH THE NATIVES OF IGLOOLIK

UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO GET BETWEEN THE ICE AND THE LAND — LAND UPON

THE CALTHORPE ISLANDS THE FURY DRIFTED BY THE ICE BETWEEN TWO ISLANDS

ACCOUNT OF A JOURNEY PERFORMED IN SLEDGES UP AN INLET TO THE WEST-
WARD.

The gale which had for some time been blowing from the northward veered 1822.
to the N.W.b.W., and increased in strength on the 1st of July, which soon ^j,j^J
began to produce the effect of drifting the ice off the land. In the course ^''^"- '•
of the day, a wide lane of water was thus opened to the eastward of the
island, but the w'eather was too inclement to think of moving the ships.
The wind continued to blow very hard during the night, with snow and
sleet, but began to moderate about four A.M. on the 2d. At six o'clock, the Tues. 2.
report from the hill being favourable, and the wind and weather now also
sufficiently so, we moved out of our winter's dock, which was indeed in part
broken to pieces by the swell that had lately set into the bay. At seven we
made sail with a fresh breeze from W.N.W., and having cleared the rocks at
the entrance of the bay, ran quickly to the northward and eastward. At
noon we had Adderley's Bluff due north of us, distant eight miles, and from
Captain Lyon's chart and description easily recognised Point Elizabetii
beyond it. We now found that the land was completely lined witii ice,
extending in most places from two to five miles to sea-ward, and apparently
attached to the shores as firmly as any wc had seen. The part next the
land, consisting of a strip one or two miles in width, was smooth and level
and covered with numerous ponds of water, all which shewed it to have been

2 K

250 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

\^?r ^^ *''^ ^'^^^ winter's formation. The outer band of ice was of the " hum-
v-*-Y<> mocky" kind, whicli I have shewn to be produced by external pressure, or
by the cementing together of a number of broken masses left in the autumn
by the succeeding winter's frost. The ice in the offing was also of the latter
kind and drifting rapidly about with the tides, leaving us a navigable
cliannel varying in width from two miles to three or four hundred yards.

Having passed Adderlcy's Bluff, which is much the highest land hereabouts,
we soon found the ice closing in to the land-floe, and therefore made the
ships fast to the latter, after a fine run of ten leagues without any obstruc-
tion. The soundings here were extraordinary, considering the bold appear-
ance of the land ; for at the distance of two miles from it we had only eleven
fath.oms, on a bottom of small stones and shells ; and by the boats we found
from ten to twenty-two fathoms along the edge of the floe. On their return
we were again able to get under way, and after gaining another mile or two
made fast as before. Soon after the sea-ice came in upon us, but with so
little force or at least in so many broken pieces as to do the ships no injury,
though it appeared to be approaching in a very threatening manner. This
motion in the ice was occasioned by the making of the flood-tide, which here
as at Winter Island we found to come from the northward.
Wed. 3. The ice remained close till half-past four A.M. on the 3d, when, after hav-
ing sent a boat to soiuid, we cast off and ran along the margin of the floe.
In an hour and a half we were obliged again to make fast, to allow a stream
of ice to drift past us with the tide, after which we once more pushed forward
Cora short time. Between Cape Wilson and Point Elizabeth the land forms
a considerable indentation, and is here moderately high. In the course of
the forenoon, as we ran along, a man was observed standing on a hummock
of ice in-shore of us. As we concluded it to be one of our friends on their
way from Winter Island, we hoisted our colours but could not aft'ord to
heave-to. At noon we were in latitude, by observation, 66° 50' 40', and lon-
gitude, by chronometers, 81° 51' 12".

The closeness of the ice again obliging us to make fast, we soon after
perceived a party of people with a sledge upon the land-floe in the same
direction as before. I therefore sent Mr. Bushnan with some of our men
to meet them and to bring them on board, being desirous of ascertaining
whereabouts according to their geography we now w'ere. We found the
party to consist, as we expected, of those who had taken leave of us forty
days before, on their departure to the northward, and who noAV readily

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 251

accompanied our people to the ships ; leaving only Togolat's idiot-boy by the
sledge, tying him to a dog and the dog to the ice. As soon as they came
under the bows they halted in a line and, according to their former promise,
gave three cheers, which salutation a few of us on the forecastle did not fail
to return. As soon as they got on board they expressed extreme joy at
seeing us again, repeated each of our names with great earnestness, and
were indeed much gratitied by this unexpected rencontre. Ewerat being
now mounted on the plank which goes across the gunwales of our ships
for conning them conveniently among the ice, explained in a very clear and
pilot-like manner, that the island which we observed to lie off Cape Wilson
was that marked by Iligliuk in one of her charts, (No. 1.) and there called
Awli/iteeivUi, pronounced by Ewerat Ow-littee-icee/c. On asking how many
days' journey it was still to Amitioke, they all agreed in saying ten; and
back to Winter Island oonooktoot, (a great many,) so that we had good reason
to hope we were not far from the former place. I may at once remark,
however, that great caution is requisite in judging of the information these
people give of the distances from one place to another, as expressed by the
number of setniks (sleeps) or days' journeys, to which in other countries a
definite value is affixed. No two Esquimaux will' give the same account
in this respect, though each is equally desirous of furnishing" correct infor-
mation ; for besides their deficiency as arithmeticians, which renders the
enumeration of ten a labour, and of fifteen almost an impossibility to many
of them, each individual forms his idea of the distance, according to the
season of the year, and consequently the mode of travelling in which his
own journey has been performed. Instances of this kind will be observed in
the charts of the Esquimaux, in which they not[^only differ from each other
in this respect, but the same individual differs from himself at different times.
It is only, therefore, by a careful comparison of the various accounts, and
by making allowance for the different circumstances under which the journeys
have been made, that these apparent inconsistencies can be reconciled, and
an approximation to the truth obtained.

Many of our officers and men cordially greeted these poor people as old
acquaintance tliey were glad to see again, and they were loaded as usual
with numerous presents, of which the only danger to be apprehended was
lest they should go mad on account of them. The women screamed in a
convulsive manner at every thing they received, and cried for five minutes
together with the excess of their joy ; and to the honour of " John Bull" be

2 K 2

1822.
Julv.

252 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. it recorded, he sent by one of the men as he left the ship a piece of seal-

skin, as a present to Parree, being the first offering of real gratitude, and
without any expectation of return, that I had ever received from any of
them. I never saw them express more surprise than on being assured that
we had left Winter Island only a single day ; a circumstance which might well
excite their wonder, considering that they had themselves been above forty
in reaching our present station. They had obtained one rein-deer, and had
now a large seal on their sledge, to which we added a quantity of bread-
dust that seemed accei)table enough to them. As our way lay in the same
direction as theirs, I would gladly have taken their whole establishment on
board the ships to convey them to Amitioke, but for the uncertain nature of
this navigation, whicli might eventually have put it out of my power to land
them at the precise place of their destination. The ice again opening we
were now obliged to dismiss them after half an hour's visit, when, having run
to the Hecla's bows to see Captain Lyon and his people, they returned to
their sledge as fast as their loads of presents would allow them. I here
annex a chart drawn by Ewerat, which served as satisfactory confirmation of
Iligliuk's.

After sailing two miles towards Cape Wilson, we found the ice again closing
in with the land-floe and drifting to the south-west with this extraordinary
flood-tide, which we here found to monopolize full three-fourths of the four-
and-twenty hours, besides running in general much more rapidly than the
other. After the Fury was secured, the ice swept the Hecla alongside of her,
before Captain Lyon had time to secure his hawsers, the tide running full
a knot and a half. ]\Iuch havoc is usually to be apprehended in such cases ;
after some grinding and squeezing, therefore, we considered ourselves to
have escaped very well with the loss of one of the Hecla's boats torn to pieces
by the Fury's anchor ; but were soon afterwards much mortified in disco-
vering that the latter was rendered unseniccable also, by being badly
cracked in the shank.
Thur. 4. At midnight the ice began drifting to the north-east with the ebb-tide,
which seemed to set more in earnest than we had ever seen it do before,
though for what reason was not apparent. In consequence of this movement,
a number of heavy floe-pieces came with great violence against our sterns at
fifteen minutes past one A.M. on the 4th, setting along the edge of the land-ice,
and threatening to carry us away, with an equal strain on each of five stout
hawsers. The uncertainty respecting the soundings oft Owlitteeweek, Avhere

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 253

the numerous grounded masses indicated shoal water, alone prevented our
casting off and suffering the ships to drive to the north-east ; but the danger
of drifting, thus hampered, into shoal water and in a strong tide-way is
evident.

Between three and four A.M. the tide slackened, having run less than
four hours to the north-east ; and at five the ice opened, enabling us to cast
off, but with so light an air of wind from the south-east as scarcely to allow
us to stem the flood. At half-past six the ice again began to close, and the
signal was made to secure the ships to the floe. The depth of water, however,
which the heavy ice draws giving the tide a much greater hold of it than of the
ships, the latter were unable with the present light breeze to get out of its way.
In consequence of this the Hecla which, from her situation, had taken the
lead, was quickly beset at the distance of one-third of a mile from the land-
ice, and drifted several miles back to the south-west, in spite of every en-
deavour to reach the floe. The Fury, having just succeeded in running out a
line and securing her hawsers to it before the ice came upon her, held on in
this situation, and was thus separated from her consort.

Though we had succeeded in placing the Fury in a considerable indenta-
tion of the floe, the ice during the forenoon drove violently into it, and se-
veral heavy masses coming in contact with our quarter heeled the ship at
times a couple of streaks, forcing some of the pieces also to turn over end and
sink under her bilge, but without doing any injury. The first time that this
occurred there was great reason to apprehend our being forced from the floe,
with all the ship's company absent, they having just been sent to endeavour
to save some whale-lines that had been carried away. I afterwards found
that many of Captain Lyon's men held been also exposed to this risk for se-
veral hours, in the course of their frequent but unavailing endeavours to
secure their ship by a hawser to the floe.

Our latitude observed at noon was 66° 54' 17", and the longitude, by chro-
nometers, 81° 44' 50", our soundings being thirty-eight fathoms, on a bottom
of sand and small stones. Neither on this nor on any other occasion during
our continuance about this parallel of latitude, did we ever dislinguish any
appearance of land to the eastward, though the weather was frequently very
favourable.

After eleven A.M. the ice had remained quite stationary during the whole
period of the ebb-tide, which seemed not to have power to set it against a
light air of north-easterly wind, and the same thing occurred at night. On

Frid

254 SECOND _VOY AGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

^J^^-- the mornini^ of the 5tli it once more opened out, leavinfi^ a lane of water
J which apjieared to reach within two miles of the island of Owlittcewcck.
As wc could there discover a bight in the floe, in which better security
could be found from the ice than in our present exposed situation, we made
sail for it, after sendin<^ a boat a-head with signals to make known the sound-
ings ; the depth of water proved regidar, shoaling gradually from thirty-
eight fathoms, as far as our boat could go. As we j)roceeded the ice conti-
nued to open, allowing us to make fast in a very good situation only one
mile and a quarter from the island, and in eleven fathoms water, from which
we afterwards warped into nine to endeavour to get out of the tide, which we
here observed to run with unabated rai)idity. We now for the first time
secured the ship to the smooth and level land-floe, which continued to run
along the shore at the distance before described. The Hecla still remained
beset and had now drifted to the distance of twelve miles from us.

In the afternoon I sent Lieutenant Reid, accompanied by a party of other
officers, to the island, for the purpose of examining its natural productions,
as well as Avith the ho])e of procuring some game, a herd of deer having been
observed from the shij). Our gentlemen returned at night, having succeeded
in killing one of these which gave us fifty-eight pounds of lean venison ;
and they also brought several ducks. The birds, which were extremely nu-
merous at this station, consisted principally of the king, eider, and long-
tailed ducks, the latter being much the most abundant, and occupying almost
constantly a part of the open water in the bight of the ice where we lay.
These were, however, not so tame as the other two species, which would
almost at first allow themselves to be knocked down with a boat-hook, and
could afterwards be easily approached in a boat under sail, provided the little
chattering long-tailed ducks did not give the alarm. The tern were also
tolerably numerous, and a few silvery gulls were seen. On shore a number
of red and black-throated divers frequented the ponds ; two or three indivi-
duals of the Lams Sabini were seen, and Mr. Edwards noticed some others
which, from their size and colour, he took to be snow-geese. The island of
Owlitteeweek, which is high on its N.N.E. but very low on the south side, is
composed of gneiss, the rocks presenting on their surface a wavy or serpen-
tine appearance. The vegetation was found to be poor and backward, and
very few specimens of plants were here added to our collections.

As might be expected from the appearance of the island, the water is not
deep at a considerable distance from the shore on the south, S.E., and S.W.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 255

sides, where there was tlie larcrest collection of heavy masses of ^rounded ice '^^^•
that I ever saw in one place. In sounding near these, however, our boats ^-^-y-^
never found less than five fathoms, and that by a regular decrease towards
the shore.

For the first time since we had come on this coast, we found the ebb-tide
running full as strong as the flood, and setting more out from the land or to
the eastward than before. This latter alteration was probably occasioned
merely by a turn given it in running from the northward, between Cape
Wilson and the island, though at the time we were willing to hope that
it indicated some favourable turn in the land immediately beyond the Cape.
As we here lay without disturbance from the ice, a good opportunity was
afforded of observing the time of high and Ioav water compared with that of
the stream. The result of several observations all nearly agreeing is cer-
tainly a curious and uncommon one ; for we found that the water continued
to rise or fall from an hour and a half to an hovir and three-quarters after the
succeeding stream had commenced. Various other instances of similar ano-
malies in the phenomena of the tides upon this part of the American coast
were observed in the course of the following week's navigation.

On the morning of the 6th, the Hecla appeared to be drifting farther to the Sat. 6.
S.W. than before ; but we did not know Avhether this might not be attributed
to the deception occasioned by a very extraordinary degree of refraction oc-
curring to-day in all objects near the horizon. For some hours her masts
seemed thrown up into one peaked body, like an immense steeple, and at
other times, she seemed altogether flattened down into the form of a low and
preposterously long ship without masts. The wind was light and several
times veered round the compass in the course of the day, with now and then
a little moist feeling in the atmosphere.

The latitude of this place Wiis 06° 55' 58", the longitude, by chrono-
meters, being 81° 38' 43". Mr. Fisher found the dip of the magnetic needle
to be 87° 47' 13" and the variation was 62° 17' westerly. The opportunity
being a favourable one for obtaining the deviation of the needle on each
direction of the Fury's head, several hours were thus employed this after-
noon ; the observations are inserted in the proper table in the Appendix.

Early on the morning of the 7th, when the ebb-tide had made very strong, Sun. 7.
a piece of the land-ice half a mile long suddenly broke oft* and drifted
away. The end of it being fortunately just clear of our bows, we had time
to sheer out of its way, or we should immediately have been carried among

2,3fi SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. the loojic ice in the oflinj^ and beset. This escape we ronsidered the more
^]Xj fortunate as the llecla was soon after observed to be under sail, and rapidly
uearing us in a clear lane of water. The ice at this time appearing less
close than it had hitherto been, on the opposite side of the island, I left
the ship in a boat, to examine the state of it by rowing round the point, that
in the event of its proving favourable not a moment might be lost in pushing
on to the northward whenever the Hecla joined us. After rowing about
four miles to the N.N.E., and finding a lane of open water sufficiently wide
for the ships with a free wind, as well as a proper depth of water along the
land-ice, I returned on board, in order to take advantage of the tirst of the
ebbtide in getting the ships along the coast. I was hapjty to find from
Ca|)tain Lyon, who had joined an hour before my return, that the Hecla had
escaped from her "besetment" without injury or loss of any kind, though she
had remained drifting about the whole time till the morning of the 6th, not-
withstanding the constant exertions and fatigue of the officers and men in
endeavouring to secure her to the floe.

The ships being immediately got under sail, we rounded the point in seven
fathoms Avater, at the distance of half a mile from the grounded ice, and
soon afterwards deepened to fifteen and eighteen fathoms. The wind fail-
ing, however, and the ice having closed the land since my return in the
boat, we were soon obliged to haul in-shore and pick up the best births we
could find among the grounded masses, where we lay in from ten to twelve
fathoms but much exposed to the pressure of the sea-ice. Fortunately,
however, this did not come any closer, and we remained undisturbed ;
which circumstance was partly owing to a fresh breeze from the north-
west that sprung up in the evening, and continued to blow during the night.
This had,'^also, the good effect of driving the ice some distance off the land,
of which we did not fail to take advantage; and at half an hour before mid-
night cast off and made sail with the young ebb-tide. The Aveather was
dull and overcast, with a dense fog hanging over most parts of the land.
Mon. 8. Our progress however was but small ; for about three A.M. on the 8th,
after advancing only four or iive miles, we had reached the end of the
open water and were therefore obliged to shorten sail, with no pleasing
prospect before us as to the birth we might expect to find for our security.
On this northern side of Cape Wilson the land ice had assumed a different and
more dangerous character than before. The whole way from Winter Island
its margin bore evident marks of tremendous external pressure, but it had

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 257

hitlierto afforded numerous bays or indentations, into which a sliip might
be taken witii some hope of finding slielter from the sea ice. Here hovrever
the floe, besides being infinitely heavier and more " hummocky," (for it
was in many places from eight to twelve feet above the water,) was also so
straight along its edge as to offer not the smallest security; while the enor-
mous masses, every where piled up by recent pressure, appeared like so
many beacons placed to warn a ship of the fate she migiit expect to meet, if
obliged to make fast in so exposed a situation. Such however is the nature
of this navigation, and the necessity of pushing on to the last moment of
any clear water appearing, that to bestow a thought on our next place of se-
curity, until that moment arrives, would be to lose opportunities which no
exertions could regain, and ultimately to incur certain failure. We therefore
made fast on this occasion in the first place that presented itself, for there
was in fact no choice ; neither was there any time to lose, as the ice was
beginning to close, and would soon commence drifting to the southward, so
that our only chance of holding on consisted in secA»ing our hawsers as
quickly and effectually as possible.

The place where we now lay was distant about a mile and three quar-
ters from the land, and we had twenty-one fathoms, the soundings having
deepened to this as we receded from Owlitteewcek. At the distance of a mile
and a half outside of the land ice, we found from thirty-five to thirty-nine
fathoms, being the deepest casts we had obtained since leaving the imme-
diate neighbourhood of Winter Island. The ebb-tide here set to the
N.N.E., the flood to the S.S.W., as before; but the former now ran about
five hours to the other's seven ; it was not however so strong by more than
half a knot, so that the southerly set still considerably predominated.

The ebb did not slacken till forty minutes past five A.M., when the stream
almost immediately began to set to the southwartl, bringing with it as usual
the whole body of drift ice trailing along the edge of the land floe, and
quickly filling the narrow channel through which we had lately been making
our way to the northward. Fresh hawsers were now run out and secured
to the hummocks with all possible strength and care, and the ships so placed
that their sides might bear pretty equally fore and aft against the softest
parts of the floe. Notwithstanding these precautions, at nine A.M. the
Hecla broke adrift and, as we were soon after informed by signal, with some
damage to her rudder and the loss of seven hawsers. I subsequently re-
ceived from Captain Lyon the following account :—

a h

1822.
Julv.

258 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

" Tho flood-tide coming down loaded Avitli a more than ordinary quantity
of ice pressed the ship very much between six and seven A.M., and ren-
dered it necessary to run out the stream cable, in addition to the hawsers
^vhicli were fast to the land ice. This was scarcely accomplished when a
very heavy and extensive floe took the ship on her broadside and, being
backed by another large body of ice, gradually lifted her stern as if by the
action of a wedge. The weight every moment increasing obliged us to veer
on the hawsers, whose friction Avas so great as nearly to cut through the
bitt-heads, and ultimately set them on fire, so that it became requisite for
people to attend with buckets of water. The pressure was at length too
powerful for resistance, and the stream cable, with two six and one Ave
inch hawsers, went at the same moment. Tliree others soon followed. The
sea was too full of ice to allow the ship to drive, and the only way by
which she could yield to the enormous weight which oppressed her was by
leaning over on the land ice, while her stern at the same time was entirely
lifted more than five feet out of the water. The lower deck beams now
complained very much, and the whole frame of the ship underwent a trial
which would have proved fatal to any less strengthened vessel. At this
moment the rudder was unhung with a sudden jerk, which broke up the
rudder case and struck the driver boom wntii great force. In this state I
made known our situation by telegraph, as I clearly saw that in the event of
another floe backing the one which lifted us, the ship must incvital)ly turn
over, or part in mid-ships. The pressure which had been so dangerous at
length proved our friend, for by its increasing weight the floe on whicli we
were borne burst upwards, unable to resist its force. The ship righted and,
a small slack opening in the water, drove several miles to the southward
before she could be again secured to get the rudder hiuig ; circumstances
much to be regretted at the moment, as our people had been employed
with but little intermission for three days and nights, attending to the safety
of the ship in this dangerous tideway."

The Hecla having been thus carried adrift by the irresistible pressure
of the ice, which still continued to bear down upon us with the same
violence as before, it became evident that all ordinary means must now
prove insufficient to retain the Fury in her present station. The inade-
quacy of any number of hawsers to bear the requisite strain, arises princi-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 259

pally from the impossibility of keeping them all equally tight, in conse- '822.
quence of the frequent changes in the direction of a ship's head by the iiTe-

gular pressure of the ice. The only method therefore, by which it seemed
practicable to prevent being forced adrift, was to run out a boAver cable to
some of the numerous large hummocks upon the land-floc, which was ac-
cordingly done, and all the hawsers then got on board. In the course of the
afternoon the Fury withstood several very violent pressures, which gave us
some reason to apprehend damage to the windlass, if not to the ship's bows,
so heavy was the strain at times upon the cable, but fortunately every thing
held on. As soon as the ebb-tide had made, we took the opportunity af-
forded by a small lane of open water, to endeavour to save the Ilccla's haw-
sers that had been carried away, which service was performed in a couple of
hours by the boats under the command of Lieutenant Reid ; and to avoid de-
tention to the Hecla a staif was erected on the spot, with a note for Captain
Lyon's information. The Ilecla had in the mean time been driven several
miles back to the southward, after vainly endeavouring for some hours to
secure fresh hawsers to the land-floe, and at the frequent and indescribably
painful risk of having her men separated from their ship by the rapid and
irregular motion of the ice. In the course of the evening an immense floe
was separated from the land, just beyond us to the northward and, drifting out
into the main stream of the tide, left the first clear space completely as far as
the shore, that we had yet seen since leaving Winter Island. This occur-
rence, though it gave us evident proof that the disruption of the ice was
rapidly going on, at the same time increased the hazard of this navigation ;
for the pressure of such a floe in motion in a strong tide-way would be suf-
ficient to crush the stoutest ship, while the absence of land-ice in that jjart
would render her more liable than before to be forced upon the rocky
shore. The wind came from the S.S.W. at night, with clear and delightful
weather, and a sky that might vie in beauty with that of an Italian landscape.
Tlie flood-tide was less strong, and therefore gave us less disturbance than
that of the morning.

At half-past eight on the morning of the 9th, a considerable space of openjues. 9.
water being left to the northward of us by the ice that had broken oft" the
preceding night, I left the Fury in a boat for the purpose of sounding along
the shore in that direction, in readiness for moving whenever the Hecla should
be enabled to rejoin us. I found the soundings regular in almost every part,
and had just landed to obtain a view from an eminence, Avhen I was recalled

2 L 2

2(i0 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

]8'22. ijy ^ siwiial from the Fury, appointed to inform mo of the approach of any ice.
*-*v^ On my return, 1 found the external body once more in rapid motion to the
southward with the flood-tide, and assuming its usual threatening appearance.
For an hour or two the Fury was continually grazed, and sometimes heeled
over by a degree of j)rcssure which, under any other circumstances, would not
have been considered a moderate one, but which the last two or three days'
navigation had taught us (o disregard, when com|)ared with what wc had
reason almost every moment to expect. A little before noon a heavy floe
some miles in length, being probably a part of that lately detached from the
shore, came driving down fast towards us, giving us serious reason to aj)pre-
hend some more fatal catastrophe than any wc had yet encountered. In a
few minutes it came in contact, at the rate of a mile and a half an hour, with
a point of the land-ice left the preceding night by its own separation, break-
ing it up with a tremendous crash, and forcing numberless immense masses,
perhaps many tons in weight, to the height of fifty or sixty feet, from whence
they again rolled down on the inner or land side, and were quickly succeeded
by a fresh suj)|)ly. While we were obliged to be quiet spectators of this
grand but terrific sight, being within five or six hundred yards of the point,
the danger to ourselves was two-fold ; first, lest the floe should now swing in,
and serve us much in the same manner; and secondly, lest its pressure should
detach the land ice to which we were secured, and thus set us adrift and at
the mercy of the tides. Happily however neither of these occurred, the floe
remaining stationary for the rest of the tide and setting ofl^ with the ebb
which made soon after. In the meanwhile the Hecla had been enabled to
get under sail, and was making considerable progress towards us, which de-
termined me to move the Fury as soon as possible from her present situation
into the bight I had sounded in the morning; where wc made fast in five and
a half fathoms alongside some very heavy grounded ice, one third of a mile
from a point of land lying next to the northward of Cape Wilson, and which is
low for a short distance next the sea. At nine o'clock a large mass of ice fell
oiF the land-floe and struck our stern ; and a " calf" lying under it, having
lo.st its superincumbent weight, rose to the surface with considerable force
lifting our rudder violently in its passage but doing no material injury.
Wed. 10. Early on the morning of the 10th, the breeze having freshened up from
the S.S.W., the prospect to the northward was truly gratifying; and at fifteen
minutes after one A.M., when the Hecla had nearly joined us, we made
all sail alongshore, soon deepening the water to twenty fathoms, and after-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 261

wards to thirty-five no l)ottom, at the distance of a mile and three qiiar- ^^-^•
ters from the land. Very little snow was now lying upon the ground, and vJ»-v-v.
numerous streams of water rushing down the hills, and sparkling in the beams
of the morning sun, relieved in some measure the melancholy stillness which
otherwise reigned on this desolate shore. At three A.M., we had sailed as
near the end of the open water as we could safely venture, though in a sea
without so strong a tide-way we might still perhaps have threaded a passage
through the ice some miles farther. Here however it was indispensably ne-
cessary if possible to secure the ships before the strength of the flood-tide
should come on, and we accordingly hauled in-shore for that purpose. The
land along which Ave had been sailing was that from which the ice had been
principally detached, so that we had doubts of finding cither the means of
holding fast or any security from driving on shore. On sending the boats to
examine the soundings, however, both were fortunately discovered, there
being abreast of the ships a number of heavy insulated masses of ice lying-
aground*, Avith small but sufficient patches of the land-floe Avithiu them
still adhering to the beach. We here made fast in six fathoms, about a
hundred yards from the shore, and were not sorry to obtain a little rest, as
well as a temporary cessation from anxiety respecting the immediate safety
of the ships. It Avas low Avater by the shore at fifty minutes past nine A.M.,
having fallen tAVo feet in one hour and ten minutes.

After noon Ave landed to take a Avalk, and found the mineralogical cha-
racter of this part of the coast nearly the same as before, the rocks being
composed of greyish gneiss Avith fragments of granite, quartz, mica-slate,
some iron-pyrites, and most of the odier substances observed at Winter-
Island, lying scattered on the surface. Many of the stones found in the
streams Avere coated with a thin crust of the oxide of iron. There Avas no
absolute want of vegetation, many considerable patches occurring entirely
covered with moss, grass, and other plants ; but the Avhole of these Avcre in a
remarkably backAvard state, the saxifraga oppo.sitifolia being, I believe, the only
one as yet in flower. The andromeda tetragona Avas here very abundant, and
numerous tufts of sorrel Avere just putting forth their first red leaves. A
number of rein-deer Avere seen, but they proved too Avild for us, and birds
Avere unusually scarce. Captain Lyon picked up an Esquimaux lamp, curious

* These for distinction's sake we were in the habit of calHng " berop,"' thoiifjh we saw none
of the immense bodies properly so called, after reacliing about the middle of Hudson's Strait.

262 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

*^^^- on account of its being made of two pieces of red granite firmly cemented
s,^-v^ together, instead of pot-stone as usual.

At high water this evening, which took place at four P.M., the berg on
which our chief dependence wa^ placed for security from external pressure,
rolled coinj)letely over, but still held fast on tlie ground. By the swell
thus occasioned a disruption of some of the land-ice also took place, which
for some time threatened to carry us adrift. At the same time a heavy
floe coming in promoted by its pressure this unwelcome disturbance, and
releasing a " calf" under the Fury's stern, made it rise with consider-
able violence against her counter. The stream-cable was now fastened
round tlie berg, as the only remaining security against our being forced on
shore, should the laud-ice wholly desert us; but the water failing from this
time gave us some hours' respite.

The northei'ly breeze kept the ice moving to the southward during the
whole of the ebb-tide, as had been so often remarked before, shewing how
weak the stream of that tide is on this coast, comparatively with the other, and
the consequent necessity of holding on somewhere or other at all risks, when
the state of the ice does not admit of making any progress to the northward.
If the safety of a ship were alone to be consulted, it would undoubtedly
answer that purpo.se most effectually, to let her float about among the loose
ice in the offing; but a very few days' drift would in this case carry her to
Southampton Island, and the labour of weeks thus be inevitably lost.
Thur. IL At high water on the llth the ice, to which the Hecla's hawsers were
secured, was dislodged from the shore, partly by the rise of tide, and partly
by some heavy floe-picces coming against it : she therefore shifted her birth
a little to the northward of us, in order to avoid the danger of our being
too near each other, for our situation was now extremely precarious.
Several patients were about this time added to our sick-list, with lum-
bago and disordered bowels, occasioned by the incessant exertions and
exposure that had of late been required of them. The weather continued
what the Greenland sailors call " too fine," the wind being too light to
blow the ice off the land, and enable us to pursue our way to the northward.

Our latitude was here 07° 1 1' 30 '; the longitude, by chronometers, 81° 24' 3T;
and the variation of the magnetic needle 70° 28' 12' westerly ; being a very
rapid increase in this phenomenon since our last observations on the ice.
The back land seen from the ships hereabouts is about nine hundred feet
above the sea, but shelving pretty gradually down towards the water. Here

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 263

and there occur some beaches of rounded stones ; but the chief part of the '^^2

c July.

shore presents a smooth gneiss rock, having numerous streams oi water v^-y-<.«
trickling over it. We Avere not, hoAvever, under the necessity of going even
thus far for a supply of this necessary article, abundance of the purest kind
being found on every large piece of ice at this season.

At half an hour before midnight, when it was just low water by our mark
on the ice, a violent rush of tide suddenly came from the northward, threat-
ening to carry us adrift with three stout hawsers a-head. This kind of
occurrence which, in a smaller degree, was a very common one, added much
to the anxious nature of this navigation ; for as it happened indifferently at
all times of tide, the most incessant attention and exertion were barely
sufficient to enable us to obviate its effects. It was as easy to account for
this irregularity, as it was difficult to resist its impetuosity. It frequently
happened that some heavy floe-pieces, drifting down towards us, vrcdgcd
themselves in between the grounded masses that lay a-head of the ships,
where they produced the effect of turning the stream of tide by forming a
temporary dam. By the continual pressure of the water these would often
at length break, or otherwise disengage themselves, occasioning a violent
rush of the tide through the now unobstructed passage, and frequently
forcing themselves with extreme violence against the ships' bows.

As the time of high water approached, on the morning of the ISth, the Frid. 12.
land-ice began to float off, scarcely giving us time to cast off the hawsers
from it, and leaving the whole line of the shore entirely bare. Having now
nothing to steady us toAvards the shore, an eddy of the tide carried the Fury
with some violence against the largest berg, nearly destroying one of our
quarter-boats. For a few minutes her situation Avas a most disagreeable
one, for the heavy floe-pieces noAV setting in from the offing caused the
berg, alongside of Avhich Ave AAcre immoveably fixed, to take a roll outAAard,
and a similar one in the opposite direction aa'ouUI inevitably have placed us in
some very aAvkAvard predicament.

As soon as the stream of ebb had cleared the shore a little, we cast off and
shifted our birth one mile farther to the nortliAAard, being at noon, by observa-
tion, in lat. 67° 12' 38". At four P.M., the prospect having very much im-
})roved, aac again made sail Avith a light air of south-easterly Avind ; and after
running four or i\ve miles in regular soundings, found the ice too close to
proceed much farther, and at the same time observed an opening in the land,
appearing like a riA-er, a little beyond us. No land-ice being in sight, the

264 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822.
Julv.

signal was made to prepare to anchor ; and in the mean time I left the ship
in a boat to examine the soundings of the coast. On approaching the open-
ing we found so strong a current setting out of it, as to induce me to taste
the water which j)roved scarcely brackish, and a little closer in perfectly
fresh, though the depth was from fourteen to iifteen fathoms. As this stream
was a suHicient security against any ice coming in, 1 determined to anchor
the ships somewhere in its neighbourhood ; and having laid down a buoy in
twelve fathoms, off the north point of tlie entrance, returned on board, when
I found all the boats a-head endeavouring to tow the ships in-shore. This
could be effected, however, only by getting them across the stream of the
inlet to the northern shore; and here tinding some land-ice, the .ships were
secured late at night, after several hours of extreme labour to the people in
the boats.
Sat. 13. On the morning of the 13th, the ice being still close in with the land just
to the northward of us, I determined on examining the supposed river in the
boats, and at the same time to trv our luck witli the seines, as the place
appeared a likely one for salmon. Accompanied by several of the otKcers,
therefore, as well as by Captain Lyon in his own boat, I left the Fury at half-
past eight A.M., and was soon followed by a second boat from each ship.
Immediately on opening the inlet we encountered a rapid current setting
outwards, and after rowing a mile and a half to the N.W.b.W., the breadth
of the stream varying from one-third of a mile to four or live hundred yards,
came to some shoal water extending quite across. Landing on the south
shore and hauling the boats up above high-water mark, we rambled up
the banks of the stream, which are low next the water, but rise almost
immediately to the height of about two hundred feet. As we proceeded we
gradually heard the noise of a fall of water; and being presently obliged to
strike more inland, as the bank became more precipitous, soon obtained a
fresh view of the stream running on a much higher level than before, and
dashing with great impetuosity down two small cataracts. Just below this,
however, where the river turns almost at a right angle, we perceived a much
greater spray, as well as a louder sound ; and having walked a short distance
down the bank, suddenly came upon the principal fall, of whose magnificence
I am at a loss to give any adequate description. At the head of the fall, or
where it commences its i)rincipal descent, the river is contracted to about one
hundred and fifty feet in breadth, the channel being hollowed out through a
solid rock of gneiss. After falling about fifteen feet at an angle of 30° with a

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 26.'!

vertical line, the width of the stream is still narrowed to about forty yards, 1^2-2.
and then, as if mustering its whole force previous to its final descent, is pre- v^-v^
cipitated in one vast continuous sheet of water almost perpendicular for
ninety feet more. So nearly, indeed, is the rock perpendicular, that we were
enabled to let down a sounding lead and line, for tlie purpose of measuring
its a»tual height, while a man descended from crag to crag with a second line
attached to him, to see when the lead touched the water below. The dashing
of the water from such a height, produced the usual accompaniment of a cloud
of spray, broad columns of Avhicii were constantly forced up, like the suc-
cessive rushes of smoke from a vast furnace, and on this, near tlie top, a vivid
iris or rainbow was occasionally formed by the bright rays of an unclouded
sun. " The roaring of the mountain-cataract," which constitutes a principal
feature of the sublime in scenery of this magnificent nature, was here almost
deafening, and as we were able to approach the head of the fall, even as
close as a single yard, the very rock seemed to sutler a concussion under our
feet. Tlie basin that receives the water at the foot of the fall is nearly of a
circular form, and about four hundred yards in diameter, being rather witler
than the river immediately below it. The fall is about three-quarters of a
mile above our landing-place, or two miles and a quarter from the entrance of
the river.

After remaining nearly an hour, fixed as it were to the spot by the no-
velty and magnificence of the scene before us, we continued our walk up-
wards along the banks ; and after passing the two smaller cataracts, found the
river again increased in width to above two hundred yards, Avinding in the most
romantic manner imaginable among the hills, and preserving a smooth and un-
ruffled surface for a distance of three or four miles that we traced it to the
south-west above the fall. Wliat added extremely to tiie beauty of this
picturesque river, which Captain Lyon and myself named after our mutual
friend, Mr. Baurow, Secretary to the Admiralty, was the richness of the
vegetation on its banks, the enlivening brilliancy of a cloudless sky, and
the animation given to the scene by several rein-deer that were grazing
beside the stream. Our sportsmen were fortunate in obtaining four of these
animals; but we had no success with the seines, the ground proving alto-
gether too rocky to use them with advantage or safety. The eider-ducks
were here tolerably numerous, and we also met with some black-throated
divers, golden plovers, and snow-buntings. On first entering the river two

2 M

266 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

J822. birds flew over our heads, appearing larger than eider-ducks, but with much
v^Y^.^ less white on their backs and wings, and without the duck bill. On our
return down the river Captain Lyon landed on the opposite side, for the pur-
pose of making a drawing of the fall in the best point of view ; and we
then returned on board at thirty minutes past two P.M., after the most gra-
tifying visit we had ever paiil to the shore in these regions.

The entrance of this river lies in lat. 67° 18' Oo", and in longitude, by
chronometers, 81° 25' 20". We found at half tide from ten to twelve feet
water in mid-channel, for a mile below the first shallows, and it then
quickly deepens to as many fathoms. The banks of the river had still
a good deal of snow cleaving to tlicm in some places, and we narrowly
escaped being swamped by a heavy mass falling off into the water, just after
we had rowed away from the spot. The mineralogical character of the land
in this neighbourhood continued the same as that last described.

We found on our return thtit a fresh southerly breeze, which had been blow-
ing for several hours, had driven the ice to some distance from the land ; so
that at four P.M., as soon as the flood-tide had slackened, we cast off" and made
all possible sail to the northward, steering for a headland remaikable for hav-
ing a patch of land towards the sea that appeared insular in sailing alongshore.
As we approached this headland, which I named after my friend Mb. Edward
Leycester Penrhyn, the prospect became more and more enlivening; for
the sea Avas found to be navigable in a degree very seldom experienced in
these regions, and, the land trending two or three points to the westward
of north, gave us reason to hope we should now be enabled to take a decided
and linal turn in that anxiously-desired direction. As we rounded Cape
Pcnrhyn at seven P.i\I., we began gradually to lose sight of the external
body of ice, sailing close along that which was still attached in very heavy
floes to this part of the coast. A headland, four Icfigues to the northward of
Cape Penrhyn, was named after Mr. Robert Brown, a gentleman with
whose knowledge and labours in the department of botany every naturalist
is acquainted. Both wind and tide being favourable, our progress was rapid
and vuiobstructcd. and nothing could exceed the interest and delight with
which so unusual an event was hailed by us. Before midnight the wind
came more off^ the land, and then became light and variable, after which it
settled in the north-west with thick weather for several hours.
Sun. 14. As, however, we had now a channel open between the ice and the land,

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 267

not less than nine miles in breadth, we were enabled to stand off and on by ^^^2.
the soundings, and even to make considerable progress to windward. The ^.^r>^
coast was here again nearly clear of land-ice, and wherever a patch did occur,
the rest seemed to have been divided from it very lately, the margin being
free from any appearance of rubbing or external pressure. The weather
clearing up in the course of the forenoon, on the 14th, we perceived the land
continued nearly its former trending, and that the navigable channel was
from four to five leagues Avide, the situation of the main body of the ice being
clearly marked out by a bright " blink," in its usual arch-like foiin, over-
spreading the whole eastern horizon. Our northern extreme now in sio-ht
was a piece of low sandy-looking land, which had the appearance of
being detached from the higher and darker land to the westward; and
by comparing its situation with that of the island of Amitioke, laid down
in the Esquimaux charts, it seemed probable that it was this station which
we had nosv reached. A strip of the same kind of low land as that above
mentioned was, also, observed to run along the continental shore, between
the hills and the sea, for several leagues to the southward of our ])resent
station. It was here, indeed, that, in sailing to the northward, we began
gradually to lose sight of the bold primitive mountains of the main-
land, the intervening strip of low and yellow-looking shore becoming more
and more broad, and the soundings off the coast altering their character at
the same time as might be expected, but still preserving their regularity ac-
cording to the distance from the land. We observed at noon in lat. 68° 02'
45", our longitude, by chronometers, being 82° 13' 32", by which it appeared
that we had been favoured with an unobstructed run of fifty miles, an event
of no trilling importance in this tedious and uncertain navigation. The sea-
horses, of which we had occasionally seen a few for one or two days past,
were here much more numerous; which rather served to confirm us in the be-
lief that we were now off Amitioke, in the neighbourhood of which the Es-
quimaux had represented them as abundant. From this part of the coast
northwards, as far at least as Igloolik, these animals are perhaps indeed as
numerous as in any part of the world.

We continued beating to the northward under all sail during tlie night, Mon. 15.
the wind remaining steadily from that quarter with smooth water and
extremely fine Aveather. Our latitude by observation at noon was 68° 22' 21",
and the longitude by chronometers, 81° 56' 55". The land continued to be
of the same character as before described, the hills at the back having now

2 M 2

268 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

receded to a considerable distance from the coast, and the low shore, after
makinj^ a large bend, again projecting a good deal to the eastward.

In the course of this day the walruses became more and more numerous
every hour, lying in large herds upon the loose pieces of drift-ice ; and it
having fallen calm at one P.M., we despatched our boats to endeavour to
kill some for the sake of the oil which they afford. On approaching the
ice our people found them huddled close to, and even lying upon, one
another in separate droves of from twelve to thirty, the whole number
near the boats being perhaps about two hundred. Most of them waited
quietly to be fired at ; and even after one or two discharges did not seem to
be greatly disturbed, but allowed the people to land on the ice near them,
and, when approached, shewed an evident disposition to give battle. After
they had got into the water, three were struck with harpoons and killed from
the boats. When first wounded they became quite furious, and one, which
had been struck from Captain Lyon's boat, made a resolute attack upon her,
and injured several of the planks with its enormous tusks. A number of the
others came round them, also repeatedly striking the Avounded animals with
their tusks, with the intention either of getting them away or else of joining
in the attack upon them. Many of these animals had young ones which,
when assaulted, they eidier took between their fore-flippers to carry off,
or bore away on their backs. Boih of those killed by the Fury's boats
■>vere females, and the weight of the largest was fifteen hundred-weight and
two quarters nearly ; but it was by no means remarkable for the largeness of
its dimensions. The jjcculiar barking-noise made by the walrus, when irri-
tated, may be heard, on a calm day, with great distinctness at the distance of
two miles at least. We found nuisquet-balls the most certain and expeditious
way of despatching them after they had been once struck with the harpoon,
the thickness of their skin being such, (hat whale-lances generally bend with-
out penetrating it. One of these creatures, being accidentally touched by one
of the oars in Lieutenant Nias's boat, took hold of it between its flippers and
forcibly twisting it out of the man's hand, snapped it in two. They produced
us very little oil, the blubber being thin and poor at this season, but were
welcome in a way tjiat had not been anticipated ; for some quarters of this
" marine beef," as Captain Cook has called it, being hung up for steaks, the
meat was not only eaten, but eagerly sought after on this and every other
occasion throughout the voyage, by all those among us who could overcome
the prejudice arising chiefly from the dark colour of the flesh. In no other

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 269

respect that I could ever discover, is the meat of the walrus when fresh- l^f^'
killed in the slightest degree offensive or unpalatable. The heart and liver v^-»->J
are indeed excellent.

While our boats were thus engaged a light air, that had sprung up from the
southward, gradually increased, and as soon as our game was hoisted in we
bore up under all .sail along the land, which still continued so extremely low
that as the sun got round ahead we could scarcely distinguish its points, and
ran along chiefly guided by the soundings. In the course of the night we
passed thousands of Aval ruses, large herds of which were lying with their
young on almost every loose piece of ice wc saw. At midnight we were
abreast of three small islets, which I consider to be the northernmost of those
called by the Esquimaux " Ooglit," and so marked in the chart. We saw
something like huts or tents upon them, but no other signs of inhabitants:
we know however that they are at times a principal resort of many of the
Esquimaux; and Iligliuk first directed our attention to them as the birth-
place of her son.

After an unobstructed night's run, during which we met with no ice ex- Tues. 16:
cept in some loose " streams," the water became so much shoaler as to make
it necessary to proceed with greater caution. Though the land along which
we had been sailing had all been nearly equally low, we now began to de-
crease our soundings to nine, eight, and seven fathoms, and the water ap-
peared much discoloured in some places. About this time also a great deal
of high land came in sight to the northward and eastward, which, on the
first inspection of the Esquimaux charts, we took to be the large portion of
land called Ktiyuk-tarruoke *, between which and the continent the pro-
mised strait lay that wa^; to lead us to the Avestward. So far all was satis-
factory; but after sailing a few miles farther it is impossible to describe
our disappointment and mortification in perceiving an unbroken sheet of ice
extending completely across the supposed passage from one land to the
other. It is important here to notice that our chief disappointment arose,
not from the mere presence of ice blocking up the desired passage, to which
our most anxious hopes had long by anticipation been directed, but from
the nature of the ice Avhich constituted our present impediment. This con-
sisted of a floe so level and continuous, that a single glance was sufficient to

* This name being applied by the Esquimaux to several other portions of land, all of which
are insular, or nearly so, it is probable that the word simply signifies an island.

270 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

assure us of the disagreeable fact, that it was the ice formed in its present
situation (hiring the winter, and still firmly attached to the land on every
side. It was certain, from its continuous appearance for some miles that we
ran along its edge, that it had suftcrcd no disruption this season, which cir-
cumstance involved the necessity of our awaiting that operation which
nature seemed scarcely yet to have commenced in this neighbourhood, be-
fore we could hope to sail round the north-eastern point of the American
Continent.

At thirty minutes past nine A.M. we observed scA^eral tents on the low
.shore immediately abreast of us, and presently afterwards five canoes made
their appearance at the edge of the land-ice intenening between us and the
beach. As soon therefore as we had satisfactorily made out the position and
state of the ice, I left the Fury in a boat, accompanied by some of the
officers, and being joined by Captain Lyon went to meet the Esquimaux,
being extremely desirous of learning from them all the particulars of our
situation. Wc soon found by the cautious manner in which the canoes ap-
proached us, that our Winter Island friends had not yet reached this neigh-
bourhood. In a fcAv minutes after we had joined them, however, a few
presents served to dissipate all their apprehensions, if indeed people could
be said to entertain any who thus fearlessly met us half way ; and wc imme-
diately persuaded them to turn back with us to the shore. Being under sail
in the boat, with a fresh breeze, we took two of the canoes in tow and
dragged them along at a great rate, much to the satisfaction of the Esqui-
maux, who were very assiduous in piloting us to the best landing-place upon
the ice, Avhere we were met by several of their companions and conducted
to the tents. Before we had reached the shoro however we had obtained
one very interesting piece of information, namely, that it was Igloolik on
which we were now about to land, and that we must therefore have made
a very near approach to the strait which, as we hoped, was to conduct us
once more into the Polar Sea.

We found here tw^o divisions of tents, there being eleven where we
landed, and five more about half a mile to the northward. They were
situated on a low narrow bank, not more than twenty feet above the level of
the sea, and running along the island parallel to the beach, from which it is
distant only a few yards. Within this bank were numerous ponds of water
and much swampy ground, and beyond these, at the back the island gradu-
ally rises to a somewhat greater height. By the time we reached the tents

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 271

we were surrounded by a crowd of men, women, and cliildren, all carrying ^^'-2-
some trifling article which they offered in barter, a business they seemed to
. understand as well, and to need much more than their countrymen to the
southward. It is pleasing as well as remarkable to find these people, even
at our first intercourse with them, always appearing to entertain a sort of
intuitive idea of the friendly disposition of the Kabloonas towards them, and
of their wish as well as their ability to enrich them. No sooner therefore is
the first of these ideas confirmed by kind and friendly behaviour than they
begin to try what they can get from their new visitors. We were of course
not backward in promoting a good understanding by means of such presents
as we had brought with us, but they seemed to have no idea of our giving
them any thing gratis, always offering some trifle in exchange, and expressing
hesitation and surprise when we declined accepting it. This was not to be
wondered at among people who scarcely know what a free gift is among
themselves ; but they were not long in getting rid of all delicacy or hesita-
tion on this score.

The tents, which varied in size according to the number of occupants,
consisted of several seal and walrus skins, the former dressed without the
hair, and the latter with the thick outer coat taken off, and the rest shaved
thin so as to allow of the transmission of light through it. These were put
together in a clumsy and irregular patchwork, forming a sort of bag of a shape
rather oval than round, and supported near the middle by a rude tent-pole
composed of several deer's horns or the bones of other animals lashed toge-
ther. At the upper end of this is attached another short piece of bone at
right angles, for the purpose of extending the skins a little at the top, which
is generally from six to seven feet from the ground. The lower part of tlie
tent-pole rests on a large stone to keep it from sinking into the ground, and
being no way secured, is frequently knocked down by persons accidentally
coming against it, and again re-placed upon the stone. The lower borders of
the skins are held down by stones laid on them outside ; and to keep the
whole fabric in an erect position, a line of thong is oxtended from the top,
on the side where the door is, to a larger stone jjlaced at some distance. The
door consists merely of two flaps, contrived so as to overlap one another, and
tabe secured by a stone laid upon them at the bottom. This entrance faces
the south or south-east ; and as the wind was now blowing fresh from that
quarter and thick snow beginning to fall, these habitations did not impress
us at first sight with a very favourable idea of the comfort and accommodation

272 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. afforded by them. The interior of the tents may be described in few words.
jj^l^ On one side of the end next the (h)or is the usual stone lamp resting on
any other rough stones, with the ootlioosetk or cooking-pot suspended over
it; and round this are huddled together in great confusion the rest of the
women's utensils, together with great lumps of raw sea-hor.se flesh and blub-
ber, which at this season they enjoyed in most disgusting abundance. At
the inner end of the tent, which is also the broadest, and occupying about
one-third of the Avhole apartment, their skins are laid as a bed, having under
them some of the androincda telragona when the ground is hard, but in this
, case placed on the bare dry sli ingle. Comfortless as these simple habitations
appeared to us in a snow-storm, they are in general not deficient in warmth
as summer residences ; and being easily removed from place to place, they are
certainly well suited to the wants and habits of this wandering pcoj)le.
When a larger habitation than \isual is required they contrive, by putting
two of these together, to form a sort of double tent, somewhat resembling a
marquee, and supportetl by two poles. The difl'ercnce between these tents
and the one I had seen in Lyon Inlet the preceding autumn, struck me as
remarkable, these having no wall of stones around them, as is usual in many
that we have before met with, nor do I know their reason for adopting this
diflercnt mode of construction.

Even if it were not the natural and ha])py disposition of these people to be
pleased, and to place implicit confidence wherever kind treatment is ex])eri-
cnced, that confidence would soon have been ensured by our knowledge of their
friends and relations to the southward, and the information which we were
enabled to give respecting their late and intended movements. This, while it
excited in them extreme surprise, served also at once to remove all distrust or
apprehension, so that we soon found ourselves on the best terms imaginable.
In return for all this interesting information, they gave us the names of the
different portions of land in sight, many of which being recognised in their
countrymen's charts, we no longer entertained a doubt of our being near the
eastern entrance of the strait to which all our hopes were directed. We
now found also that a point of land in sight, a few miles to the southward of
the tents, was nea;- that marked Ping-li-M-lU- on Ewerat's Chart, and that
therefore the low shore along which we had been constantly sailing the
preceding night, Avas certainly a part of the Continent.

By the time we had distributed most of our presents, and told some long
stories about Winter-Island, to all which they listened with eager delight and

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 273

interest, wc found the weather becoming so inclement as to determine us to
make the best of our way on board, and to take a more favourable opportunity
of renewing our visit to the Esquimaux. The weather became more severe
and the wind drew more directly upon the ice, as we rowed out, so that
the signal guns lired occasionally by the ships to point out their situation
to us, were less and less distinctly heard. After pulling out for an hour and a
half. Captain Lyon, who had a boat's crew composed of officers, and had un-
fortunately broken one of his oars, was under the necessity of returning to
the shore. My anxiety lest the ships shovdd be ventured too near the shore,
from a desire to pick up the boats, induced me to persevere an hour longer,
when the wind having increased to a gale, which prevented our hearing any
of the guns, I reluctantly bore up for our former landing-place. So rapidly,
however, had the sea broken up the whole margin of the land-ice, that this
coidd no longer be recognised, and it was with our utmost exertions that avc
at length succeeded in reaching any part of the fixed floe, in consequence of
the quantity of loose and drifting masses now occupying its margin. In
forcing through these, the boat was stove by a sharp corner of a piece of ice,
and was full of water up to the thwarts when we reached the grounded ice.
After repairing this damage and securing the boat, we walked to the shore,
where I was happy to see the Hecla's boat safely hauled up. Captain Lyon
and his party having quartered themselves at the southern tents, we took up
our lodffinsrs at the others, to which we were welcomed in the kindest and
most hospitable manner. That we might incommode the Esquimaux as little
as possible, Ave divided into parties of two in each tent, though they would
willingly have accommodated twice that number. Immediately on oiu" arrival,
they offered us dry boots, and it was not long before we were entirely " rigged
out " in their dresses, which, thoroughly drenched as we were by the sea,
proved no small comfort to us. With these, and a seal-skin or two as a
blanket, we kept ourselves tolerably warm during a most inclement night; and
the tents, which but a few hours before we had looked upon as the most com-
fortless habitations imaginable, now afforded us a sufficient and most accept-
able shelter.

The evening was passed in dealing out our information from the southward,
and never did any arrival excite more anxious inquiries than those wc were
now obliged to answer. So intimate was the knowledge we possessed re-
specting many of their relationships, that by the help of a memorandum book in
which these had l)een inserted, I believe we almost at times excited a degree

2 N

274 SECOND A^OYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. of superstitious alarm in their minds. This sort of gossip and incessant chat-
v^-Y^ tering and laughing continued till near midnight, when the numerous visitors

in our tents began to retire to their own and to leave us to our repose.
Wed. 17, Awaking at four A.M. on the 17th, I found that the weather had mode-
rated and cleared up and the ships soon after appearing in sight; we called
our boat's crew up, and sent one of the Esquimaux round to the other tents
to inform Captain Lyon of our setting out. Several of the natives ac-
companied us to our boat which they cheerfully helped us to launch, and
then went round to another part of the beach for their own canoes. A thick
fog had come on before this time, notM'ithstanding which however Ave ma-
naged to find the ships, and got on board by seven o'clock. Five canoes ar-
rived soon after, and the wind being now light and variable, we lay to for an
hour to repay our kind friends for the hospitable reception they had given
us. After supplying them abundantly with tin canisters, knives, and pieces
of iron-hoop, we hauled to the north-eastward to continue our examination of
the state of the ice, in hopes of finding that the late gale had in this respect
done us some service.

Lieutenant Nias informed me on my return that the .ships had, as I appre-
hended, experienced considerable difficulty in beating off the shore and the
ice, upon which the gale had directly blown with a good deal of sea. The
Hecla had indeed been once driven upon the margin of the floe, where
she remained in a very awkward situation for half an hour, and then fortu-
nately effected her escape ; after which by carrying a press of canvass both
ships succeeded in gaining an offing, though not without much fatigue from
constant wet and exertion.

The fog continued with a light and variable easterly wind during the rest
of the day, so that we could see but a short distance. As far as we could dis-
tinguish at intervals, however, the land-ice appeared to stretch quite across
the mouth of the strait as before. The soundings were regular in the offing,
varying from thirty-six to fifty-five fathoms according to our distance from the
Thur. 18. island. On the 18th the weather was at times sufficiently clear to allow us a
glimpse of the eastern land, a part of which appcarc<l to be composed of
islands lying ofl' the higher and continuous shore of Keiyuk-tarruoke, and as
it was possible that this shore might be gained by sailing round these and
getting within them, I determined on making the attempt ; and acquainting
Captain Lyon with my intentions, appointed Igloolik as our rendezvous in
case of separation. This latter contingency seemed now the more likely as

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 275

well in consequence of the continuance of the foggy weatlier, as on account ^^^2.
of the sea being entirely free from drift-ice in this neighbourhood. \^-t^

Wc continued to beat to the south-eastward during the niglit, the weather
being less foggy, but the atmosphere still moist and uncomfortable. In the
first watch we came to a line of tangle-weed floating on the surface, extend-
ing many miles in length, and marking by its position the margin of a strong
tide setting the ships towards the islands round Avhich we were trying to
beat. We frequently shoaled in a single cast from fifteen to eight and a
half fathoms, and were several times obliged to keep before the wind to
deepen the water. This tide appeared the more striking, as near Igloolik
we could not perceive the ships to be influenced by any stream or current :
liere however it proved so strong that we could make little or no way against
it till after midnight.

The favourable tide continued till about six A.M. on the 19th, when we Frid. 19.
had made considerable progress, but without much hope of succeeding in
our project of getting within the islands. This, aswc advanced, proved more
and more impracticable, as wc found that the land-ice still occupied all the
intervals between the islands as well as between them and Keiyuk-tarruoke,
and in many places still projected also a mile or two to seaward. In the
covirsc of the forenoon the weather cleared up, and at noon, liaving still con-
tinued to sail to the eastward, we observed in lat. 69° 25' 05", the longi-
tude, by chronometers, being 79° 57' 10". In this situation a great deal of
land chiefly low, and much of it apparently insular, was in sight to the east-
ward ; but the distance at which we were kept by the ice prevented our fairly
examining it. In the evening, however, having run as far to the eastward as
the longitude of 79° 23' IG" by good observations, wc found ourselves pretty
well embayed, the land extending as far round as a S.b.E. bearing. The ice
Avas here also for the first time loose and detached, occasionally streaming off
from the land, but not open enough to allow of our working among it. In
hopes therefore of its being entirely drifted from the land by the northerly
breeze that had lately sprung up, we lay to during the night, watching for
an opportunity to get within it, being determined to leave nothing undone
that might eventually facilitate our progress alongshore to the westward.
The soundings were here small, varying rapidly as the ships were swept over
the ground by the tide, but seldom amounting to twenty fathoms. The bot-
tom was covered with broken shells, of which great numbers always came
up with the lead. Having a deep cast of thirty-five fathoms. Dr. Marcct's

2 N 2

276 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. ijottle was sent down near the bottom, where the temperature of the water
^^-C was found to be 31 1°, that of the surAice at the time being 34.f° by the same
thermometer. A great number of walruses were lying on pieces of ice, and
a few king-ducks and silvery gulls flying near the ships.
Sat. 20. On the morning of the 'iOth great (juantitics of ice continued to stream off
from the land, but as it was much too close to allow us to work in-shore
through it, we were under the necessity of standing back a little to the
westward, to avoid hampering the ships, and in hopes of the ice thus drift-
ing past us to the southward. We fust, however, hove to for luxlf an hour
to obtain upon a floe of ice the true variation, which proved to be 79° 20' 52"
westerly, and then jjushed to the westward till we found the ships a little
more at liberty. In the course of this day's navigation we met with numy
large floes, some of which ajJi^eared to have been recently detached from the
land.

I cannot delay any longer to remark how vahuible the geographical infor-
mation received from the Esquimaux had now proved to us, especially at
this particular crisis. On our arrival off Igloolik we had suddenly been
arrested in our progress by an impenetrable barrier of ice, appearing to
occupy the entrance of a large inlet or strait leading in tlio very direction
in whicli it was our business to seek and to force a passage. On tracing the
northern land as far as the ice would permit, we now had it in sight rcachin"-
over nearly ihe Avhole extent of the eastern horizon, and almost to a south
bearing, rentlering it at least as likely as not that it would be found to con-
tinue as far as Fox's Farthest, or even to join the land in that neighbour-
hood. It is true that, in any case, nothing short of actual examination was to be
deemed conclusive or admissible by us, and that therefore it was our business
to wait till such examination could be eflectcd : but who that can place himself
for a moment in oiir situation will fail to appreciate the value of that infor-
mation, which left no doubt of the geographical position of the lands before
us, as respected the existence of the strait, and thus saved us the inconceiv-
able suspense and anxiety which entire ignorance on this subject would not
fail to have occasioned .'
Sun. 21. Finding that a further examination of the eastern lands could not at present
be carried on, without incurring the risk of hampering the ships at a time
when, for aught that we knew, the ice might be breaking up at the entrance
of the strait, we stood back to the westward, and, having fetched near the
middle of Igloolik, were gratified in observing that a large " patch" of the

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 277

fixed ice* had broken off and drifted out of sight during our absence. At
nine A.M. we saw eleven canoes coming off from the shore, our distance from
the tents being about four miles, where our soundings were from eleven to
twelve fathoms, having^ shoaled gradually in the last two or three miles from
forty-two to that depth. As the new line of ice left us something to examine,
we bore up along its edge for that purpose, as well as to avoid the disturb-
ance of our friends, who were approaching us with loud shouts during the
time of divine service. After this the wind backed more to the south-
ward, and thick snow coming on so as to prevent our seeing ahead, we hove
to for the canoes which had in the mean time communicated with the Hecla.
We noAV hoisted two of them on board, their owners Ku-kte and Nu-j/d/c-Zid
being very well pleased with the expedient to avoid damaging them along-
side. Above an hour was occupied in endeavouring to gain additional infor-
mation respecting the land to the westward, and the time when we might
expect the ice to break up in the strait, after which we dismissed them with
various useful presents, the atmosphere becoming extremely thick with snow,
and threatening a repetition of the same inclement weather as we had lately
experienced. The snow ceasing, however, in the course of the evening we
found ourselves close to a small island called by the Esquimaux See-u-wdk,
and laid down by lligliuk in her chart with astonishing precision. This
little island which, from its extreme lowness, and being situated just in the
middle of the mouth of the strait, is somewhat dangerous, subsequently
received the name of Tern Island, from the immense number of those birds
found upon it. It is almost entirely surrounded with shoals, particularly on
its southern and eastern sides, but attention to the leads is sufficient to pre-
vent danger, and the grounded ice is in general a tolerably safe beacon.
The wind having now veered to the northward and westward, with clear
weather, I directed the ships to be made fast to the fixed ice between Tern
Island and another to the northward of Igloolik, this being a favourable situ-
ation for observing any alteration that might take place. I was desirous
moreover of obtaining good observations for our position and angles for the
survey, which the state of the weather had prevented our doing since our
arrival oft' the strait.

About this time we began to insert in the log the true courses only, and to
conduct the ships by a kind of dial-plate purposely constructed, of which

* The expression " fixed ice'' appearing better suited to our present obstacle than that of
" land ice," I shall in future adopt it in speaking of this barrier.

278 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

the sight- vane was kept constantly directed towards tlic sun when that object
was visible, and set according to its azimuth at the corresponding apparent
time. This method was now resorted to, not so much on account of any in-
creased sluggishness in the traversing of the compasses, though this indeed
Avas at times considerable, as from the extreme practical inconvenience of ap-
plying to compass-courses a large and ever-varying correction for the eflect
of local attraction on (lifferent directions of the ship's head. We were not
at this time aware that the needles were, in this neighbourliood, subject to
be influenced by other local attractions than those produced by the iron in
the ships. »-

We lay here in iifty-two fathoms, on a bottom of soft greenish mud. Some
Avater brought up from a de])th of fifty fathoms was at the temi)eraturc of
31 1°, that of the surface being 30];° by the same thermometer, and of the air
32°. We had now the first opportunity of closely examining the thickness
of the ice that opposed so complete a barrier to our progress to the westward,
and were not a little jjlcascd to find that it scarcely exceeded a foot in any
part, and was generally much thinner than this, besides being full of pools
of water that were rapidly dissolving it into holes. We now also remarked
that the tides were extremely small in this place, compared with those to
which we had lately been accustomed; and it was evident that to this cir-
cumstance might partly at least ])e attributed the late retention of the ice,
which must have been immediately broken up by a stream of any considerable
rapidity. The wind freshening up strong from the north-west, with a return
of thick weather, we escaped, by making fast to the ice, a very inclement and
disagreeable night.
Mon. 22. The weather cleared up sufficiently on the 22d to allow us to obtain ob-
servations, though the ice was found to be so much in motion that we could
only use the instruments by removing them several hundred yards from the
sea. The margin of the floe had a waving motion with the swell, which I
have before mentioned as peculiar to thin salt-water ice. We were here in
lat. 69° 33' 27", and in longitude, by chronometers, 81° 09' 13"; the dip
of the magnetic needle being 87° 37' 09"; and the variation 82° 21' 51" wes-
terly. The weather clearing still more in the afternoon we had the first
distinct, though still very distant, view of the land to the westward, in
which a number of breaks and openings appeared, leaving us in doubt of
the exact situation of the strait, which lay somewhere between a West and
N.W.b.W., bearing from our present station. The wind becoming light

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 279

and variable in the eveninij we cast off from the ice, and soon after '^22.
Mr. Ross was so fortunate as to obtain a whole flock of the Laru-s Sabini,

thus confirming the accuracy of Iligliuk's information respecting this rare
and elegant bird. They were in company with a number of tern and boat-
swains, but still keeping in a separate flock. We did not see many wal-
ruses in the offing ; those animals appearing to prefer the shoaler water im-
mediately off" Igloolik, where they are found in such numbers as to afford an
easy, abundant, and luxurious subsistence to the Esquimaux. In the offing
we more frequently met with seals, and generally of a large size, lying
upon the ice ; but these creatures are so watchful, that it is difficult to ap-
proach them within gun-shot before they tumble themselves into their holes.

On the 2.3d Ave went on shore to pay another visit to the Esquimaux, who Tues. 23.
came down on the ice in great niunbers to receive us, repeatedly stroking
down the front of their jackets with the palm of the hand as they advanced, a
custom not before mentioned, as we had some doubt about it at Winter Island,
and which they soon discontinued here. They also frequently callcfl out
tima, a Avord which, according to Hearne, signifies in the Esquimaux lan-
guage, " W^hat cheer!" and which Captain Franklin heard frequently used
on first accosting the natives at the mouth of the Copper-Mine River. It seems
to be among these people a salutation ecpiivalent to that understood by these
travellers, or at least some equally civil and friendly one, for nothing could
exceed the attention which they paid us on landing. Some individual al-
ways attached himself to each of us immediately on our leaving the boat,
pointing out the best road, and taking us by the hand or arm to help us
over the streams of water or fissures in the ice, and attending us wherever
we went during our stay on shore.

The day proving extremely fine and pleasant, every thing assumed a
different appeai'ance from that at our former visit, and we passed some
hours on shore very agreeably. About half a mile inland of the tents,
and situated upon the rising ground beyond the swamps and ponds before
mentioned, we found the ruins of several winter habitations, which upon
land so low as Igloolik, formed very conspicuous objects at the distance of
several miles to sea- ward. These were of the same circular and dome-like
form as the snow-huts, but built with much more durable materials ; the
lower part or foundation being of stones, and the rest of the various bones
of the whale and walrus, gradually inclining inwards and meeting at the
top. The crevices, as well as the whole of the outside, were then covered

280 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. ^vitii turf which, with the additional coatiii? of snow in the winter, serves

July.

w-,-<^ to cxchide the cold air very effectually. The entrance is towards the south,
and consists of a passage ten feet long, and not more than two in height
and breadth, built of flat slabs of stone, having the same external covering
as that of the hut.-;. The beds are raised by stones two feet from the
ground, and occupy about one-third of the apartment at the inner end,
and the windows and a part of the roofs had been taken away for the con-
venience of removing their furniture in the spring. It was a natural infe-
rence from the nature of these habitations that these people, or at least a
portion of them, were constant residents on this spot, wliich indeed seemed
admirably calculated to afford in luxurious profusion all that constitutes
Esquimaux felicity. This however did not afterwards prove to be absolutely
the case ; for though Igloolik, (as perhaps the name may imply,) is certainly
one of their principal and favourite rendezvous, yet we subsequently found
the island entirely deserted by thorn at the same season.

In every direction around the huts were lying innumerable bones of wal-
ruses and seals, together with skulls of dogs, bears, and foxes, on many of
which a part of the putrid flesh still remaining sent forth the most offen-
sive effluvia. We were not a little surprised to find also a number of human
skulls lying about among the rest, within a few yards of the huts; and were
somewhat inclined to be out of humour on this account with our new
friends, who not only treated the matter with the utmost indifference, but
on observing that we were inclined to add some of them to our collections,
went eagerly about to look for them, and tumbled, perhaps the craniums of
some of their own relations, into our bag without delicacy or remorse. In
various other parts of the island we soon after met with similar relics no
better disposed of; but we had yet to learn how little pains these people
take to place their dead out of the reach of hungry bears or anatomical
collectors.

We found here a very abundant vegetation, which is much favoured by
the numerous streamlets and ponds, as well as by the manure afforded by
the permanent residence of the Esquimaux near this spot. In some places
were many hundred yards of square space covered with moss of a beautiful
soft velvet-like appearance, and of a bright green colour such as I never
saw before ; and perhaps indeed moss cannot well be more luxuriant. As
I shall have abundant opportunities of speaking more in detail of the natural
productions of this island, with which we unfortunately became much better

OF A -NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 281

acquainted than wc wished, I shall only add in this place, that the minera- ^822.
logical character was essentially different from that last examined to the v.*nr^
southward, consisting almost entirely of innumerable fragments of thin
schistose limestone, on many of which arc fossil impressions, and in others
the cellular structure usually exhibited by madreporite. For the reasons
just stated I shall also defer speaking of the geographical position of Igloo-
lik, and of the observations now made here on the tides ; a cursory and
unconnected notice or two on this subject being of little or no importance,
where more ample information can be obtained.

The account we gave of our visit to the shore naturally exciting the Wed. 24.
curiosity and interest of those who had not yet landed, and the ice remain-
ing unchanged on the 24th, a couple of boats were despatched from each
ship with a large party of the officers and men, while the ships stood off and
on. On the return of the boats in the evening, I found from Lieutenant
Rcid that a new family of the natives had arrived to-day from the main-
land, bringing with them a quantity of fine salmon and venison, of Avhich
some very acceptable samples were procured for both ships. Being de-
sirous of following up so agreeable a kind of barter, I went on shore
the next morning for that purpose, but could only procure a very small Thur. 25.
quantity of fish from the tent of the new-comer, a middle-aged, noisy, but
remarkably intelligent and energetic man, named Tooltmulc. After some
conversation, we found from this man that in order to obtain a fresh supply
of fish, three days would l)o required ; this prevented my putting in execu-
tion a plan of going out to the place where the fish were caught, vvhich we at
first understood to be near at hand. We therefore emjjloyed all our elo-
quence in endeavouring to procure a supply of this kind by means of the
Equimaux themselves, in which we at length so far succeeded that Toole-
mak promised, for certain valuable considerations of wood and iron, to set
out on this errand the following day.

The weather being renmrkably fine and pleasant, we amused ourselves for
an hour or two in paddling about in canoes in a small lake, and soon found
that the art is not so dillicult to acquire as their unsteadiness at first inclines
one to suppose. A great deal undoubtedly depends on the habit of keeping
the body in a central and erect position, and care should also be taken to
avoid touching the rim of the hole, because this, from its height, acts as a
lever in oversetting the canoe. They are by no means, however, so " crank"
as they appear, easily coming down to their " bearings," but then requiring

2 o

282 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

J J considerable force to press them farther. Tlic g-reatest difficulty we expe-
^-^~r>u rienced in the management of tliem was to prevent " broaching to" when
going before the wind, the roAver sitting so near the centre as to exert his
power to great disadvantage in turning their heads in any direction. Pad-
dling head to wind is by far the most easy and pleasant. Nothing is more
likely to overset a canoe than what we call " catching a crab" with the
paddle, which is therefore to be carefully avoided : but I believe that any
seaman might, after a few months' practice, render himself as expert as the
Esquimaux in the management of these frail coracles, at least for every pur-
pose to whicli tliey are commonly applied.

Shortly after I returned on board Captain Lyon made the signal to " com-
municate with me," for the purpose of offering his services to accompany our
fisherman on his proposed journey, attended by one of the Hecla's men ; to
which, in the present unfavourable state of the ice, I gladly consented, as
the most likely means of procuring information of interest during this our
unavoidable detention. I therefore gave Captain Lyon an order to this
effect, directing his attention to tlie acquirement of geographical and natural
knowledge ; and to prevent the possibility of occasioning detention to the
Expedition, limiting the time of his absence to the morning of the 30th.
Being equipped with a small tent, blankets, and four days' provision. Captain
Lyon left us at ten P.M., when I made sail to re-examine the margin of the ice.
Frid. 26. We had a great deal of rain and sleet on the •2Gth, whicli we regretted on
Captain Lyon's account, but considered favourable for the dissolution of the
ice. On reaching the margin of the floe a slight difference was perceptible
as to its extent sea-ward, which was to be attributed to its breaking off by
piece-meal, an ojjeration that was continually though slowly going on, while
its general position and continuity from side to side of the strait remained
as before. The sea was still entirely free from drift or moving ice as far as
Ave could distinguish from the mast-head in clear weather ; and we now began
to remark that, whenever a mass was separated from the fixed floe, it drifted
away to the south-east and never returned. The consequence was that this
portion of the sea was at all times unincumbered, and more constantly and
completely navigable than any part of the polar regions in this latitude we
had ever visited. Of the cause of this extraordinary fact we were as yet
entirely ignorant.

In the afternoon, the wind continuing to the north-eastward with moist
and unpleasant weather, we stood towards Tern Island, and after sending a

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 283

boat in to sound about the heavy ice near it, made fast in six fathoms, at ^^^^^

Julv.

the distance of one mile from the shore, to which a party was then de

spatchcd to examine this little spot. They found it occupied by innumerable
tern, and the eggs and young of that bird were met widi at every step. On
the following day, a number of officers and men landed from each ship to Sat. 27.
procure some of these birds, which, after skinning and purging them in
salt water, were considered a very acceptable addition to our sea-pies.
Flying about in vast numbers, they became an easy prey to our sports-
men by the boldness with which they came down in defence of their eggs
and young. A little Scotch terrier belonging to Lieutenant Reid was the
object of their particular attack, and they fearlessly pounced upon him two
or three at a time, and pecked his back before he was aware of it. The nest
in which the eggs were deposited, and each of Avhich generally contained
two, consisted merely of a small indentation in the ground without any
down, feathers, or other materials. The colour of the eggs is a brownish-
green, witli dark brown irregular spots all over them, but in the same nest
one is sometimes much more green than the other, so that it might be taken
for the egg of a different bird. Three eggs were rarely met with in the
same nest. Besides these we found a great many ducks' eggs, supposed to
be those of the eider from the down which formed the nest, and which was
usually laid between two stones. These eggs had been still more numerous
than at present ; for tlie Esquimaux, knowing the season in which they would
be in perfection, had already been before us on the island, and on one spot
on the beach above a hundred of these egg-shells were lying, as a memorial
of a recent feast. In some of the ducks' nests we found springes or snares
for catching the old bird, consisting of thin flexible strips of whale-bone,
with a running eye at one end and the other fastened to a stone. Some of
these were double, the nooses being laid near each other in the middle of
the nest. The usual number of eggs in one duck's nest was two or three ;
but four were found in a single instance. We had taken it into our heads
tliat this island would be found the grand breeding-place of the Lams Sitbini,
but though these were in consequence eagerly looked after, only a single
individual of that species was seen and killed by Mr. Elder ; it was flying
in company with innumerable tern.

Tern Island is about three quaiters of a mile in length from N.W. to S.E. ;
it is extremely narrow, and in no part more than twenty or five and twenty

feet above the level of the sea. Through the middle of it runs a lagoon

202

284 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

l^;-- communicatins: with the sea, and thercfoiv admitting the tide, notwithstand-
Julv. ^ .

.^*-v^ ing which we were forcibly struck with the fact, that an immense mass of

consolidated drift-snow still remained undissolved in it. Tliis circumstance

may pc.haps appear too trilliui? to have been noticed in so particular a manner;

but to us who anxiously watched every operation connected with the annual

process of dissolution, on which all our hopes depended, it could not fail to

convey an impression of being a very unusual occurrence, and to imply

cither a very backward summer or an extraordinary accumulation of snow in

the winter. To one or both of these I am still inclined very confidently to

attribute it; for in the locality of this island, low and open as it is to the

sun's rays, and in the immediate neij^iibourhood of a more extensive oj)en

sea than any known in this latitude, there is certainly every thins^ that

Avould, « priori, have been considered calculated to accelerate rather than to

retard the process of dissolution.

The mincralogical cliaractor of this islet is similar to that of Igloolik ; but
among the pieces of limestone of which it is principally composed, lumps of
granite, gneiss, hornblende and mica-slate were also numerous, and I picked
up a piece of common iron pyrites. There is a good deal of vegetation also
in some parts, and our plant-collectors derived considerable amusement from
their walk. 'W'e observed a number of roots of scurvy-grass C''oc/ilcariu
fcnc.strataj growing on the beach where nothing else would, but the leaves
were as yet scarcely developed, and therefore of no service to us. Some
Esquimaux circles of stones were observed in two or three places on the
island, which shewed that they occasionally resort to it ; but it is not much
frequented by them.

Having seen all that this little spot produced, we sailed over to the eastern
islands, three of which are conspicuous as forming one side of the entrance
of the strait, and are laid down Avitli extraordinary precision in Ewerat's
chart already inserted in tliis narrative, (No. 3.) These islands, wdiich I
named the Calthorpe Islands, out of respect to Lord Caltiiorpe, had
attracted our attention by two of them appearing at a distance to be of the
primitive formation, wliich had for some time forsaken us. Finding that a
great deal of ice had been detached and drifted away since our last attempt
in this neighbourhood, we were now enabled to approach the middle island of
the three as near as the depth of water would admit; and in the evening made
the ships fast to the fi.xcd ice in twelve fathoms, at the distance of a long mile
from the shore. The depth was regular and the bottom good in every ])art.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 285

On the 28tli, after divine service, we landed on the middle island, which '^22.
was found to be composed of gneiss rock, and in every respect a counter- v-*^rO
part of Winter Island in its other mineral productions. To save Iligliuk's "°" '
credit, Avho had described these islands as inhabited, we found the south
end covered witii winter huts, of precisely the same kind and materials
as those described at Igloolik, but so overgrown with long rich grass
as to indicate their having been two or three years deserted. Number-
less skulls and bones were lying about them as usual, and some stone
lamps and glass beads had also been left among the ruins. Leading from
the- huts towards the highest part of the island, was a curious path made
by the natives, two feet in width, and formed by removing the stones in
places where they were naturally abundant, and where the ground was bare,
by placing two regular and parallel rows at that distance apart. The only
conjecture we could form respecting the use of this artificial road was that it
might be intended for a deer-path, (those animals preferring a regular or
beaten track to any other,) by which means the Esquimaux might perhaps,
kill them from their usual ambush of stones. From the top of this island,
which is not more than a mile in length, we obtained a commanding view
and good angles of all the surrounding lands. Immediately to the eastward
appeared a piece of low land that seemed insular, with a great extent of
coast of the same kind at the back of it, which we could trace tiU lost in the
distance. Only two islands of the four more immediately forming this group
are of the high and rugged primitive formation, the outer one, which from the
quantity of sea-weed floating near it, we distinguished by the name of Tangle
Island, being low and of the same cliaracter as Igloolik, with much shoal
water about it. Large flocks of long-tailed, king, and eider ducks were about
these islands, but all too wild to be approached, and we procured no game
by this visit to the shore.

It blew fresh from the eastward during the night, with continued rain, all Mon. 29.
which we considered favourable for dissolving and dislodging the ice, though
very comfortless for Captain Lyon on his excursion. The weather at length
clearing up in the afternoon, I determined on beating to the eastward, to see
if more of the land in that direction could be made out than the unfavourable
position of the ice would permit at our last visit. In the mean time, I
directed Lieutenant Hoppner to stand over to Igloolik in the Ilecla, to sec if
Captain Lyon had returned, and if not, to leave an ofticer with a small party
at the tents, with signals to announce his arrival. The Fury then made sail

286 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

^?'~-- and stood to the eastward, encounterinsf the usual strength of tide off the

Julv*

«-»-Y-%j south-west point of Tangle Island, and soon after a great quantity of heavy
drift ice apparently not long detached from some land. In endeavouring to
beat between this and the island, which is very shoal on that side, we
gradually decreased our soundings every tack, till we had only four fathoms
and a half, at the distance of a full mile from the shore. To avoid the risk
of grounding in this rapid tide-way, we were then obliged to bear away for
a narrow " neck " to leeward, through which the ship was at length forced,
and we soon got into clear water beyond.
Tues. 30. Advancing to the eastward during the night we again came to quantities
of loose ice on the morning of the 30th, through which we sailed for several
hours. This ice was of the heavy " hummocky" kind, but all in small de-
tached masses, the natural effect of the strong current by which it was here
hurried to and fro. My object in endeavouring to examine as much as pos-
sible of the land in this direction, was not coniined simply to a general desire
of increasing our geograjjliical knowledge by all the means within our reach,
but extended also to a possibility of our being obliged after all to pursue the
circuitous route round Keiyuk-tarruoke, should unforeseen obstacles eventu-
ally oppose our progress to the westward, through the more direct channel
noM' before us. It was not without extreme mortiiication therefore that we
once more found tlie unfavourable state of the ice, combining with the uni-
form lowness of the land in this neighbourhood, to baffle all our endeavours
in pursuit of this object. Having before eight A.M. been obliged to heave
to on account of the closeness of the ice, we could distinguish what we
considered the extreme point of land stretching as far as a N.|E. bear-
ing, and to the eastward of this was an appaient opening occupying
about four points of the compass. Next to the southward was a large
smooth-topped portion of low land that appeared insular, but so choked on
every side with ice that we could not get nearer to it than three or four
leagues, being in lat. 69° 26' 40", longitude, by chronometers, 79° 19' 44",
and having no soundings with thirty fathoms of line.

The opening above mentioned appeared, Irom the strength and direction
of the tide, to be that which must be pursued in any attempt to circumnavi-
gate Keiyuk-tarruoke ; but the unpromising state of the ice in this direction,
and the precarious nature of the navigation, on account of the strong tides
and the shelving character of the lands, did not offer any encouragement to
make that attempt while a chance remained of elfecting the more direct pas-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 287

sage. To the latter therefore our hopes and expectations were now re-di- ^^^^•
rected, if indeed it could be said that they had ever been placed elsewhere ;

and I determined to avoid, if possible, the entanglement of the Fury among
the ice which now surrounded her on every side, and to stand bacic to
Igloolik to hear what information Captain Lyon's journey might have pro-
cured for us. Before we could get into tolerably clear water, however, Ave
had to run several miles to the southward, and then hoping to sail without
farther incumbrance shaped a direct course for Igloolik.

The wind proved light and variable during the night, with continued fog ; Wed. 31.
so that on the morning of the 31st, when we were wholly ignorant in what
direction the tides had been taking us, we suddenly found ourselves sur-
rounded by a great body of heavy ice, which seemed to have been brought
about us almost by the effect of magic, for the ship had long ceased to move
through the water, though, by the rapid change of soundings, quickly altering
her position over the ground. In a few minutes there was barely room for
turning the ship round, and we therefore made her fast to a heavy floe, a
mile or two in circumference, when the fog, partially clearing away for a
short time, discovered to us Tangle Island four or five miles to the westward,
and the open sea one mile to the southward, or directly to windward of us.
At half-past eight A.M. the ice slackening round the floe, we furled sails and
began to warp towards the open water. AVhilc thus employed we continued
to drift nearer and nearer to the island, and at the same time to drive be-
tween this and the next one to the eastward, decreasing the soundings
regularly from twenty-five to thirteen fathoms in the course of the day. We
continued oiu- work till eight P.M. when, after eleven hours of incessant
exertion and the most inclement weather, and just as we had got within a
hundred yards of the clear water, a body of loose ice came drifting down with
the tide and enclosed us more effectually than at first. The wind Avas now
increasing to a gale from the south-east, and the ship beginning to drive
faster between the islands ; but having made every thing as snug as circum-
stances would permit, and prepared to unship the rudder in case of her tak-
ing the ground, wc could do nothing but quietly await the result. The night,
however, though a most inclement and anxious one, aflPorded our people all
the rest they so much required ; for by a providential concurrence of circum-
stances, wc had been brought into our present dilemma on the only side of
Tangle Island which is not shoal and dangerous, and the ice becoming

288 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

J822. somewhat choked in an hour or two, we liad no less than ten fathoms during
August. 1 . • !• 1

'■^rvs^ the iiiq;ht, aiul altered our position very little.

Our situation, liowever, was still a very precarious one, as any movement
of the ice to leeward must place us directly between the points of the islands,
where the breadtli did not exceed a mile, and from the nature of the land
the passas^e was probably a shoal one. On the weather clearing up on the
Thur. 1. morning of the 1st of August wc found that such a movement was just about
to take place, the passage being already nearly cleared, and (lie ice around
the ship beginning to give us notice of some alteration. Soon after a favour-
able slack took place, when, preferring the chance of sailing to that of driv-
ing through the unknown channel, which there was no time to sound, wc
cast off and, being guided by the leads and the colour of tlie water, ran safely
through in five fathoms and a quarter, at the distance of one-third of a mile
from Tangle Island, and immediately gained the open sea beyond. Just at
this time we observed the llecla standing towards us and re-joined her at a
quarter before eleven, when Captain Lyon came on board to communicate
the result of his late journey, of which he furnished me with the following
account, accompanied by a sketch of the lands he had seen, as far as the
extremely unfavourable state of the weather woidd permit.

J ] 05 " Accompanied by George Dunn, 1 found Toolemak on landing, who
welcomed us to his tent in wiiich for two hours it was scarcely possible to
move in consequence of the crowd who came to gaze at us. A new deer-
skin was .spread for me, and Dunn having found a corner for himself, we
all lay down to sleej), not however until our host, his wife, their little
.son, and a dog, had turned in beside me under cover of a fine warm skin, all
naked except the lady, who with the decorum natural to her sex had kept on
a part of her clothes. It rained incessantly during the night and the morn-
ing of the 26tli was in consequence very unfavourable for our purposed ex-
pedition. At ten A.M. we started and found the .sledge on a beach near
the southern ice. Four men were to accompany us on this vehicle, and the
good-natured fellows volunteered to carry our luggage. A second sledge
was under the charge of three boys who had eight dogs, while our team
consisted of eleven. The weather was so thick that at times we could not
see a quarter of a mile before us but yet went rapidly forward to the WNW.,
when, alter about six hours, we came to high bold land and a great num-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 289

ber of islands of reddish granite, wild and barren in the extreme. We here ^^-'-•
found the ice in a very decayed state and in many places the holes and fis-
sures were difficult if not dangerous to pass. At the expiration of eight
hours our impediments in this respect had increased to such a degree as to
stop our farther progress. Dunn, the old man and myself therefore walked
over a small island, beyond which we saw a sheet of water which precluded
any farther advance otherwise than by boats. At about three miles west of
thi.5 were two bluffs separated by an apparent strait of half a mile in width,
on the other side of which lay a flat field of ice over which was land in the
distance. The old man gave the name of Kiiemig to the two bluffs.

" In the hope that the morning would prove more favourable for our see-
ing the land, the only advantage now to be derived from our visit since the
fishing-place was not attainable, it was decided to pass the night on one of
the rocky islands. The Esquimaux having brought no provision with them,
I distributed our four days' alloAvance of meat in equal proportions to the
whole party, who afterwards lay down to sleep on the rocks, having merely
a piece of skin to keep the rain from their faces. In this comfortless state
they remained very quietly for eight hours. Our little hunting-tent just
held Dunn and myself, alihough not in a very convenient manner, but it
answered the purpose of keeping us dry except from a stream of water that
ran under us all night.

" The morning of the 27th was rather fine for a short time, and we saw
above thirty islands, which I named Coxe's Group, varying in size from one
hundred yards to a mile or more in length. Two deer were observed on
the northern land which was called Khead-laghioo by the Esquimaux, and
Toolemak accompanied Dunn in cliasc of them. One was killed by the
latter as he informed me, in consequence of the old man's lying behind a
stone and imitating the peculiar bellow of these animals, until it was led by
its curiosity to come M'ithin a short gun-shot. On crossing to bring over our
game we found the old Esquimaux had skinned and broken up the deer
after his own manner, and my companions being without food I divided it
into shares. The entrails and paunch I was about to leave on tiie plain, but
was reniinded by the anxious looks of the natives, that these offals arc
described by Crantz as delicacies, under the name of Nerookd, or " the eat-
able," an api)ellation which also distinguishes them at Igloolik. I accord-
ingly assigned these choice morsels to a young man of our party who bore
them off" in triumph.

8 P

290 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

J822. .« Arrivinsr on the ice a skin was taken from the sledee as a seat, and we all
Julv. ...

\^r</ squatted down to a repast which was quite new to me. In ten minutes the

natives liad picked the deer's bones so clean that even the hungry dogs dis-
dained to gnaw them a second time. Dunn and myself made our breakfast
on a choice slice cut from the spine, and found it so good, the wind-pipe in
particular, that at dinner-time we preferred the same food to our share of the
preserved meat which we had saved from the preceding night. Of the ne-
rooka I also tasted a small portion on the i)rinciple that no man who wishes
to conciliate or inquire into the manners of savages should refuse to fare as
they do. I found this substance acid and rather pungent, resembling as near
as 1 could judge a mixture of sorrel and radish leaves. I conceive that the
acidity recommends it to these people.

" As we sat I observed the musquitoes to be very numerous, but they were
lying in a half torpid state on the ice and incapable of molesting us. I
obtained the meridian altitude which gave the lat. 09° 2G' 4S" N. ; the
western extreme of Igloolik bearing E.S.E. about fourteen miles. Soon after
noon we set forward on our return and, without seeing any object but the
flat and decaying ice, passed from land to land with our former celerity,
dashing through large pools of water much oftener than was altogether
agreeable to men who had not been dry for above thirty hours, or warm for
a still longer period. Our eleven dogs were large fine-looking animals, and
an old one of peculiar sagacity was j)laccd at their head by having a longer
trace, so as to lead them over the safest and driest places, for these animals
have a great dread of water. The leader was instant in obeying the voice
of the driver, who did not beat but repeatedly talked to and called it by
name. Itwas beautiful to observe the sledges racing to the same object,
the dogs and men in full cry, and the vehicles splashing through the water
with the velocity of rival stage coaches.

" We were joyfully welcomed to the dwelling of Ooyarra whose guest I was
now to become, and the place of honour, the deer-skin seat, was cleared for
my reception. His two wives, Kdi-inoo-khidk and Awa-run-iii, occupied one
end, for it was a double tent ; while at the opposite extremity the parents of
the senior wife were established. The old mother Nmc-k'il-j/uo assisted the
young women in pulling off our wet clothes and boots, which latter being of
native manufacture, she new soled and mended without any request on our
side, considering us as a part of the family. Our knapsacks and clothes
being wet, we gladly turned, in presence of a dozen or more of visitors, into

'ii'-3?iiSiS^-.

WX":. ^

I

* .a

^i

3

1

4S

^mt£ >-^e-»3^- - i;-.s?-i**55*=-

/^a^faafegtaHrfiJi

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 291

our blanket-bai?s, which had been better preserved. Dunn slept in the little l^'^^-
tent to watch our goods, and I had a small portion of Ooyarra's screened off

for me by a seal's skin. Tired as I was, sleep was denied me ; for I Avas
obliged on the arrival of each new set of people to answer Uieir questions
as to how I possibly could have got into the bag, the manner in which I had
wrapped it round me for warmth leading them to suppose I was sewed up
in it. My host and his wives having retired to another tent and my visitors
taking compassion on me, I went comfortably to sleep; but at midnight Avas
awakened by a feeling of great warmth, and to my surprise found myself
covered by a large deer-skin, under which lay my friend, his two wives, and
their favourite puppy, all fast asleep and stark naked. Supposing this weis
all according to rule, I left them to repose in peace and resigned myself to
sleep.

" On rising, Dunn and I washed with soap in a pond, which caused great 28.
speculations amongst the by-standers, on some of whom we afterwards per-
formed miracles in the cleansing way. A large assemblage being collected to
hear me talk of Neyuning-Eitua, or Winter Island, and to see us cat, the women
volunteered to cook for us ; and as we preferred a fire in the open air to their
lamps, the good-natured creatures sat an hour in the rain to stew some veni-
son which we had saved from our shares of the deer. The fires in summer
when in the open air, are generally made of bones previously well rubbed
with blubber, and the female who attends the cooking chews a large piece,
from which, as she extracts the oil, she spurts it on the flame. At our meals
I found every person much pleased with biscuit, which was supposed to be
the dried flesh of the musk ox by those who had never seen that animal,
and it was with great difficulty I explained that it was made from the seeds
of a little tree and pounded to its present state.

" After noon, as I lay half-asleep, a man came and, taking me by the
band, desired Dunn to follow. He led to a tent which from the stiUness
within I conjectured was untenanted. Several men stood near the door ;
and on entering I found eighteen women assembled and seated in regular
order, with the seniors in front. In the centre near the tent-pole stood two
men who, when I was seated on a large stone, walked slowly round and one
began dancing in the usual manner to the favourite tune of ' Amna aya.'
The second person, as I soon found, was the dancer's assistant, and when
the principal had pretty well exhausted himself, he walked gravely up to
him and, taking his head between his hands, performed a ceremony called

2 P 2

292 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

^p,~- Koo-mk, which is rubbin? noses, to the j^rcat amazement and amidst the

plaudits of the whole company. After this, as if miich refreshed, he re-
sumed his performance, occasionally however takins; a koonik to enliven
bimself and the s])cctators. The rul)/!iec, if I may be excused the expression,
was at length brought forward and put in the place of the first dancer, who
rushed out of the tent to cool himself. In this manner five or six couples
exhibited alternately, obtaining more or less applause according to the oddity
of their grimaces. At length a witty fellow, in consequence of some whis-
])ering and tittering amongst the ladies, advanced and gave me the koonik,
which challenge I was obliged to answer by standing up to dance, and my
nose was in its turn most severely rubbed, to the great delight of all
present.

" Having been as patient as could be wished for above an hour, and being
quite overpowered by the heat of the crowded tent, I made a hasty retreat,
after having distributed needles to all the females, and exacting kooniks from
all the prettiest in return. A general outcry was now made for Dunn, a most
quiet north countryman, to exhibit also; but he, having seen the liberties
which had been taken with my nose, very prudently made his retreat, anti-
cipating what would be his fate if he remained.

" During a short interval of fine weather we hung out our clothes to dry,
and the contents of our knapsacks, instruments, knives, and beads, were
strewed on the ground while we went inland to shoot a few ducks. We cau-
tioned no one against thieving, and were so much at their mercy that every
thing miglit have been taken without a possibility of detection, yet not a
single article was found to have been removed from its place at our return.
At night I was attended by the same bedfellows as before ; the young puppy
however, being now better acquainted, took up his quarters in my blanket-
bag, as from thence he could the more easily reach a quantity of walrus-
flesh which lay near my head, and I was awakened more than once by find-
ing him gnawing a lump by ray side.
29. " On the morning of the 29th I was really glad to find that the ships were
not yet in sight, as I sliould be enabled to pass another day amongst the
hospitable natives. \\'liiic making my rounds I met several others who were
also visiting, and who each invited me to call at his tent in its turn. Where-
over I entered the master rose and resigned his seat next his wife or wives,
and stood before me or squatted on a stone near the door. I was then
told to 'speak!' or in fact to give a history of all I knew of the distant

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 293

tribe, which from constant repetition I could now manage pretty well. In '822.
one tent I found a man mending his paddle, which was ingeniously made of w->r>.
various little scraps of wood, ivory, and bone, lashed together. He put it
into my hands to repair, taking it for granted that a kabloona would succeed
much better than himself. An hour afterwards the poor fellow came and took
me by the hand to his tent, where I found a large pot of walrus flesh evi-
dently cooked for me. His wife licked a piece and offered it, but on his
saying something to her took out another, and having pared off the outside
gave me the clean part, which, had it been carrion, I would not have hurt
these poor creatures by refusing. The men shewed me some curious puz-
zles with knots on their fingers, and I did what I could in return. The
little girls were very expert in a singular but dirty amusem.ent, which con-
sisted in drawing a piece of sinew up their nostrils, and producing the end
out of their mouths. The elder people were for the most part in chase of
the tormentors which swarmed in their head and clothes ; and I saw for the
first time an ingenious contrivance for detaching them from the back, or
such parts of the body as the hands could not reach. This was the rib of a
seal, having a bunch of the whitest of a deer's hair attached to one end of
it, and on this rubbing the places which require it the little animals stick
to it : from their colour they are easily detected, and of course consigned
to the mouths of the hunters.

" The weather clearing in the afternoon one ship was seen in the distance,
which diffused a general joy amongst the people, who ran about screaming
and dancing with delight. "Wliile lounging along the beach and waiting the
arrival of the ship, 1 proposed a game at ' leap-frog,' which was quite new
to the natives, and in learning which some terrible falls were made. Even
the women with the children at their backs would not be outdone by the
men, and they formed a grotesque party of opposition jumpers. Tired with
a long exhibition 1 retreated to the tent, but was allowed a very short re-
pose, as I was soon informed that the people from the farthest tents were
come to see my performance, and on going out I found five men stationed
at proper distances with their heads down for me to go over them, which I
did amidst loud cries of koyenna (thanks).

" As the ship drew near in the evening I perceived her to be the Hecla,
but not expecting a boat so late lay down to sleep. I soon found my mis-
take, for a large party came drumming on the side of the tent, and crying
out that a " little ship" was coming, and in fact I found the boat nearly on

294 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

shore. Ooyarra's senior wife now anxiously begged to tattoo a little
figure on my arm, which she had no sooner done than the youngest insisted
on making the same mark ; and while all around were running about and
screaming in the greatest confusion, these two poor creatures sat quietly
down to embellish me. When the boat landed a general rush was made for
the privilege of carrying our things down to it. Awarunni, who owned the
little dog which slept with me, ran and threw him as a present into the boat ;
when after a genera koonik we pushed off, fully sensible of the kind hos-
pitality we had received. Toolemak and Ooyarra came on board in my I)oat,
in order to pass the night and receive presents, and we left the beach under
three hearty cheers.

" Having given so long an account of my adventures, it is high time to turn
to objects of more importance to the Expedition. I had found the ice over
which we passed fiat, unbroken, but much decayed into holes. The ge-
neral thickness was still from one to three feet, and amongst the islands
mucli greater, owing to the packing incidental to the rise and fall of the tides.
Astronomiciil or other observations for fixing the position of the land could
not be obtained in consequence of the state of the weather, which, with
the kind of fatality that had attended all my excursions, had been more than
usually severe and foggy. I had seen enough to awaken curiosity but
nothing to satisfy it; therefore it would be requisite for other visits to be
made to a spot to which the Esquimaux attached some importance."

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept oa board His Majesty's Ship

FUR^

, during

the Month of July, 18

22.

Day

Place.

Fahrenheit's
I'hermometer.

Mean
Temp,
of ISea
Water.

Barometer.

Prevailing'
Winds.

Prevailing
M'eather

.Maxi-
mum.

Mini-
mum.

Mean.

M,lNi.

luum.

Mini,
mum.

.Mean.

1

■J Direction. iVelocity.

1

^ Winter

+37

+30

+39.33

-31.00

iiichif.

29.09

ini'lies.

29.06

ifi.-hfs.

29.077

NW

strong

cloudy and snow

2

J Island.

36

31

33.50

30.00

29.

29.05

29.170

NWbW

Jiesh,

cloudy

^

40

31

35.29

30.08

29.18

29.32

29.377

NW

niodt.

fine

4

4s

31

38.67

30.25

29.50

29.30

29.390

. NE

light

;hazy and snow

5

51

33

38.69

30.17

29.78

29.58

29.G74

NW

modt.

cloudy,

6

52

33

41 .75

30.50

29.82

29.75

29.787

N round bv )
,WtoWbSi

uiodt.

cloudy

7
8.
9

Eastern

Coast

of

Melville

Peninsula.

54

47
46

33
33
35

41.42

38.80
40.25

30.70
30.95
30.77

29.74

29.80
29.82

29.70
29.69
29.04

29.715
29.752
29.705

NW
NNE

South

modt.
light
li^ht

cloudy

cloudy

fine-

10
11
12

49
47
45

33
34
33

39.17
38.92
39.75

31.95
32.55
33.40

29.70
29.83
29.96

29.52
29.69
29.89

29.607
.29.780
29.918

NNE

North
South

light
ligl't
light

cloud;
cloudy
cloudy

13

47

36

42.08

33.00

29.92

29.61

29.815

South

modt.

fine

14

39

34

35.02

33. S3

29.03

29.69

29.605

NW

mndt.

cloudy

15 !

42

32

35.58

34.07

29.61

29.54

29.607

South

modt.

fine

16

35

31

32.80

31.75

29.50

29.06

29.312

South

modt.

cloudy and snow

17

36

SO

31.06

31.08

29.35

29.12

29.268

.•V.M. SbE
P.M.NNW

lisht

hazy and snow

18

34

31

32.75

31 ..50

29.53

29.36

29.427

ESE

fresh

foRgy

19

40

33

35.92

33.64

29.47

29.20

29.317

NNE

modt.

cloudy

20
21
22
23

Off the

■ Eastern

Entrance

of

44
36
44
44

33

30
30
30

35.83

32.58
35.08
36.67

33.58
31.40
30.96
32.58

29.12
29.17
29.40
29.58

29.09
29.10
29.19
29.41

29.103
29.133
29.310
29.513

NbW

Round the)
Compass J

N%\bW
Westerly

modt.
modt.

light

lighti^
varia.

cloudy

cloudy

cloudy

cloudy and rain

24

25
26
27

28

the Strait
of the

Fnry and
Hecla.

14
44

35
37
371

30
32
32
33
33

36.08
37.58
33.50
34.07
3.5.37

31.09
33.33
31.83
31.25
31.62

29.78
29.87
29.86
29.%
29.62

29.52
29.80
29.80
29.70
29.40

29.007
29.813
29.815
29.>6»
29.473

SE
NbW
NE

Easterly
North

light
light
light
light
modt.

fine

cloudy

hazy and rain

hazy and rain

hazy and rain

29

40

31

34.96

32.58

29.64

29.17

29.598

ESE

modt.

hazy and rain

30

39

31

35.71

32.75

29.60

29.46

29.515

Northerly

light

hazy and rain

31

-'

35

31

32.92

31.79

1

29.42

29.38

29.400

SE

modt.

hazy and snow

+54

+30

+36.34

'-S1.R5

i

29.96

29.05

29.535

296 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

CHAPTER XI.

REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF LOCAL ATTRACTION ON THE MAGNETIC NEEDLES OCCA-
SIONAL SEP.UIATION OK A PORTION OF THE FIXED ICE A WHALE KILLED—

OTHER CHARTS DRAWN BY THE ESQUIMAUX ACCOUNT OF A JOURNEY TO THE

NARROWS OF THE STRAIT DISCOVERY OF THE SEA TO THE WESTWARD TOTAL

DISRUPTION OP THE ICE AT THE EASTERN ENTRANCE OF THE STRAIT A SECOND

INSTANCE OF LOCAL ATTRACTION ON THE COMPASSES SAIL THROUGH THE NAR-
ROWS, AND AGAIN STOPPED BY FIXED ICE ACCOUNT OF SEVERAL LAND JOURNEYS

AND BOAT EXCURSIONS OBSERVATIONS ON THE TIDES CONTINUED OBSTACLES

FROM FIXED ICE.

1822. The information obtained by Captain Lyon on his late journey with the
y^r>J Esquimaux, served very stronj^ly to confirm all that had before been uiider-
'"'■ ■ stood from those people, respecting the existence of the desired passasi^e to
the westward in this neighbourhood, though the impossibility of Captain
Lyon's proceeding farther in that direction, combined with our imperfect
knowledge of the language, still left us in some doubt as to the exact posi-
tion of the strait in question. It was certain however that it lay somewhere
in the direction to which we had already been so long and so anxiously
looking, and that its eastern entrance was still occupied by many miles of
fixed and therefore impenetrable ice ; but the very impediment that had
arrested Captain Lyon's progress, as well as our own daily observations on
the state of the ice near its outer margin, appeared to oiler a considerable
hope that this obstacle must, in the common course of nature, very soon dis-
appear, even by the gradual proccssof dissolution, if it were not more speedily
removed by one grand and total disruj^tion. While therefore Captain Lyon
was acquainting me with his late proceedings, we shaped a course for Igloolik,
in order to continue our look-out upon the ice, and made the tents very accu-
rately by the compass, after a run of live leagues, when the Hecla hauled

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 297

in-shore to pick up one of her men that had been left there to procure game, ^^--•
and tlie Fury stood towards tlie margin of the ice. v-^-v-**^"

Just before we reached the edge of the floe the weather continuing ex-
tremely thick with hard rain, I desired Mr. Crozier to set the extremes of
tlie loom hanging over Igloolik, Avhich was then on our lee quarter. He ac-
cordingly did so, but presently afterwards remarked that the compasses,
(both Walkers azimuth and Alexander's steering,) indicated the ship's
head to be S.W., which was about the middle point on which, but a few
minutes before, he had set the loom of the land two or three points abaft
the beam. Knowing, by the true direction in which we were sailing,
that the ship's course by the compass, if unaffected by any foreign local
attraction, should have been about east, which in fact the needles had in-
dicated previous to the change remarked by Mr. Crozier, I tried what tap-
ping with the hand, the usual expedient in cases of mere sluggishness,
would do, but without producing any effect. Being now obliged to tack
for the ice, we carefully watched the compasses in standing oft", and having
sailed about a quarter of a mile observed them both gradually return to
their correct position. Being thus satisfied that .some extraordinary local at-
traction was influencing the needles, we again tacked to repeat the experi-
ment, and with a nearly similar result. The observations Avere then continued
on one or two successive tacks, the ship being steadily steered upon a
given point by some object a-head ; and an account of the whole is here
subjoined in one connected view. The observations were made between
six and nine P.M., the wind being moderate at east, (true,) the weather
very rainy, the soundings fifty-two fathoms, and the nearest land distant
from six to eight miles. The space sailed over during the time the clianges
were taking place did not exceed a quarter of a mile.

Starboard tack, compasses first indicating the ship's head East, then changed to SW.

Larboard , NWbN . . SW^W.

Starboard ...... East . . SSE.

Bore away to endeavour to cross our original track.

XI 1 » 1 "1 Alexander's compass
Larboard tack >„. „ . '^

J Walkers

Starboard ,, both compasses

^ , , 1 Alexander's

Larboard „ \. ,

} W alker s . . .

NWbN

^^ bs.

N\V

A\"S\V.

East

SW'S.

NWiN

SA\bW|W

NW

SWbW^W

2 Q

298 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. Starboard tack, both compasses . . . NEbEjE . . EfE,

August. Alexanders a minute or two after returned to NEbEfE, and Walker's to EJ N.

Alexander's compass was placed on the binnacle, the other stood about five feet higher, in its
usual place.

In order to follow up the observations on this phenomenon on some other
day, I sent a boat to fix a flag; upon the ice, by way of marking the spot, but
the margin was so broken up that it was impracticable to land upon it: a
light buoy was therefore moored for the same jjurpose, though with little
chance of retaining its station on account of the depth of the water. During
the remainder of the night, when the wind and weather obliged us to keep
more to the northward, the compasses were not thus influenced *.
Frid. 2. -pij^. weather clearing up on the morning of the 2d we found that a strip of
ice about half a mile in width had been lately separated from the fixed ice,
but ths to our impatience appeared like a drop of water in the ocean. Con-
siderable "streams" and " patches" were also drifting along the margin
during the day, and we were employed in beating through them in order to
make fast to the floe, the weather being unfavourable for keeping under way.
In the evening we secured the ships to the ice, being in twenty-three fa-
thoms at the distance of two miles to the westward of Tern Island. For
several hours in the course of this day, there was something in the atmo-
sphere which distorted objects into very curious shapes. The principal fea-
ture in this phenomenon was a constant waving tremulous motion near the
horizon, causing the whole body of ice to appear at times as if turning round,
and making one almost giddy to look steadfastly at it. The distant land was
sometimes flattened down so as to appear like a single thick black line upon
the horizon ; then again it would assume a shape of this kind.

while its real outline, when not thus distorted, was this.

* The spots near wliich tliis local attraction was found are designated on the chart by this
mark 0.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 299

The tremulous appearance is in a greater or less degree a very common phe- .^^-"-•

nomenon in the Polar Seas. Such indeed is the frequent occurrence of ex
traordinary and variable terrestrial refraction, and the consequent uncertainty
with respect to the dip of the horizon, that observations made by the horizon
of the sea, even when wholly free from ice, cannot be depended on within
two or three minutes. There is however practically little or nothing to re-
gret on this account, from the almost constant opportunities that occur in
these seas of resorting to the more accurate method of observation by artifi-
cial horizons.

The wind backing by the N.E. to N.N.W. during the night, we had on Sat. 3
the 3d a clear and pleasant day which, as the ice remained in the same state
.as before, induced us to pay another visit to Tern Island. We here found
the scurvy-grass so much impioved in luxuriance that a number of men from
each ship were employed all day in picking it for the purpose of boiling
"with our pea-soup. Every body seemed to agree that the taste of this plant
•somewhat resembled turnip-tops, but it possesses it in a very small degree,
and whatever may be its anti-scorbutic qualities has little or nothing to recom-
mend it to the palate. The leaves were in general numerous, but not exceed-
ing two-eighths of an inch in diameter, and in many tufts there was nothing
but the flower and stalks; but these as well as the root were all committed to
our coppers, being the only general supply of the kind obtained during this
voyage. The tern had now almost entirely deserted the island, and we saw
no other birds except a flock or two of phalaropes and a few silvery gulls.

In the evening the Avind having settled to the southward and eastward,
which was directly upon the ice, I ordered the ships to be got under way,
for the purpose of keeping them always at liberty for any change that might
occur. The Fury being in an awkward lee bight, we had to send a kcdge
out for casting ; but being after all obliged to make sail on an unfavourable
tack were again carried into the ice, which was now in so thin and " rotten"
a state, that the ship forced her way several hundred yards into it before she
stopped, and then lay during the night thus immoveably though quite safely
beset. The Hccla having cleared the floe, I made Captain Lyon's signal to
act as appeared best to him ; and he accordingly kept under sail as at first
intended.

The present state of the ice, at which 1 have just hinted, served no less
to excite our surprise than to keep alive our hopes and expectations. The
spaces occupied respectively by ice and holes were about equal ; and so

2 Q 2

300 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. extensive and dangerous were the latter, that the men could with extreme
"""^ * difficulty walk twenty or thirty yards from the ship to place the anchors, and

that at no small risk of falling through. The shape of the ponds and holes
being serpentine and various, and their blue colour forming a striking con-
trast with the whiteness of the snow that lay on the ice, gave the tloe when
viewed from the mast-head an appearance not uidike that of the fancy-patterns
one sometimes sees on cloths or paper-hangings. We were astonished there-
fore to find with what tenacity a field of ice, whose parts appeared thus loosely
joined, still continued to hang together, notwithstanding the action of the
swell that almost constantly set upon its margin.

Sun. 4. The weather, wliicli hnd for several hours been rainy and thick, cleared up
about noon on the 4th, in consequence of the wind shifting to the N.W.,
when we made sail from the floe in order to look for our buoy, and to con-
tinue our observations on the magnetic attraction in that neighbourhood.
After making several tacks as near flic place as the bearings of the land and
the soundings could direct us, but without discovering the buoy, we were
obliged for the present to give up the attempt ; having, to our great satisfac-
tion, observed a floe at least three miles in length and two in breadth just
detached from the fixed ice, and rendering it necessary for us to work out of
its way, lest it should force us towards the shore. We only, therefore,
waited to put down some nets to ascertain the nature of the bottom, and then
hauled round the iloe. A quantity of shells, among which were a few of the
new species of anomia discovered on the last voyage, with some shrimps and
echini, were all that we could thus fish up. Having cleared the end of the
floe, which drifted rapidly away and, as usual here, never made its appear-
ance afterwards, we mafic the ships fast to the fixed ice at eight P.M., having
by the late disruption made considerable progress in the direction of the
strait.

RIon. 5. -'^t nine A.M., on the 5th, the temperature of some sea-water brought up
from near the bottom in fifty-seven fathoms, was 3-21°, that of the air being
34°, and of the surface SOg". The specific gravity of the former was found
by Mr. Fisher to be 1,028G, at the temperature of 40°*. What made the
temperature and specific gravity of the sea-water here a particular object of
curiosity was the fact before conjectured, but now satisfactorily confirmed,

* The specific gravity of the surface-water in this neighbourhood will be found, for a few
days about this time, in the Meteorological Abstract.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 301 •

that the stream or current sometimes set out from under the ice, and in a }^^^-

. August.

soutli-easterly direction, though at a rate considerably varying for a day or .*-v->w/
two togetlier. The station now occupied by the ships, and the present
clearness of the weather, enabled us to obtain a tolerably distinct view of the
lands to the westward ; but the constant fogs and rain experienced by Cap-
tain Lyon on his late excursion rendered it impossible for him, at this di*
tance, to recognise the place he had visited ; and the observation he had
obtained, giving the latitude much to the southward of the only apparent
opening now before us, threw a shade of mystery over the unknown passage,
which redoubled our impatience to examine it.

We had for several days past occasionally seen black whales about the
ships, and our boats were kept in constant readiness to strike one, for the
sake of the oil, in Avhich endeavour they at length succeeded this morning.
The usual signal being exhibited, all the boats were sent to their assistance,
and in less than an hour and a half had killed and secured the fish, which
proved a moderate-sized one of above " nine feet bone," exactly suiting our
purpose. The operation of "flinching" this animal, which was thirty-nine
feet and a half in length, occupied most of the afternoon, each ship taking
half the blubber and hauling it on the ice, to " make off," or put into casks.
We also made fires on the ice, in order to boil a portion of the blubber into
oil, for the convenience of stowage ; but this method being found a Avasteful
one until it is left several days to drain, we boiled only a hundred and
twenty gallons each, and then put the rest into tanks and casks, being a
supply sufficient for at least two years.

The latitude of our present station was 69° 32' 10"; the longitude, by chro-
nometers, 81° 2.3' 06"; the dip of the magnetic needle 88° 06' 26"; and tlie vari-
ation 86°05'43" westerly ; the latter phenomenon having considerably increased
since our last observations. In the course of the night Mr. Ross was again
fortunate in procuring one or two specimens of the Lams Sadiiii, out of a
flock of forty that flew past the ship from the westward. I\Ir. Ross remarked
that they had no other birds in company, and flew high as if migrating,
but afterwards alighted in the open water at some distance from the edge of
the ice. The operation of " flinching" a whale, Avhich in Davis's Strait
and the Greenland Seas collects a large assemblage of birds about the ship
had not the same effect here, five or six of the Lams Argentatus being all
that were thus attracted. Fulmar petrels, the usual visitants on such oc-
casions, are never seen here, Avhich seemed to us the more remarkable

302 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. as tijpy iiad generally been our companions in most other parts of the polar
v^4-^' regions that we had visited. We had to-day, for the first time this sum-
mer, seen a number of white whales {dclphinm albicans) near the ice; but
found them as usual so extremely wary as to elude every endeavour to
strike them, though the boats frequently made the attempt, this being the
only large sea-aninud inhabiting diese regions which we had never yet
taken.
Tues. 6. On the forenoon of the 6th a halo was observed round the sun, and on
the eastern side of it a slightly-coloured parhelion, distant from the sun
Wed. 7. 24°. 17. Some water, brought up on the 7th, from sixty fathoms or near the
bottom, was at the temperature of 31°. 6, that of the surlace being 31°. 3,
and of the air 35°. As soon as we had completed the stowage of the blub-
ber, and washed the ships and people's clothes, we cast off, taking in tow
the carcass of the whale (technically called the " crang") for our friends at
Igloolik, and with the intention also of looking for the buoy that had been
laid down in that neighbourhood. In the latter attempt we again failed,
the buoy having probably been swept away by the drift-ice ; nor could we
afterwards hit uj)on the exact spot where the attraction on the needles had
been observed. The wind dying away when the ships were off the north-
east end of the island, the boats were despatched to tow the whale on
shore, while Captain Lyon and myself went a-head to meet some of the
canoes that were paddling towards us. We soon joined eleven of them, and
on our informing the Esquimaux of the prize the boats were bringing them,
they paddled off with great delight. When they arrived at the spot and
had civilly asked permission to eat some of it, they dropped their canoes
astern to the whale's tail, from which they cut off enormous lumps of flesh
and ravenously devoured it ; after which they followed our boats in-shore,
where the carcass was made fivst to a mass of grounded ice for their future
disposal. In the mean time Captain Lyon and myself had rowed up to the
station formerly occupied by the tents, which however Ave now found wholly
deserted by the natives, who had left only a sledge or two, and a quantity of
blubber here and there under the stones before used for the tents.
Thur. 8. A fresh breeze having sprung up from the southward, Ave stood off and
on for the night, and on the 8th again made the ice, in Avhich no change
Avas perceptible. We hojjed however that some service Avould be done us
by the sAvell, though its effects Avould only be rendered apparent Avhen
the Avind veered to the AvestAvard. This taking place on the folloAving

Frid. 9.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 303

day, we had the satisfaction of seeing another larcre " patch" from one to ^^^^•

. , *^ uijust,

two miles in width separated from the fixed ice, and soon drifted out of sight
to the south-east. As we made several tacks off the island next to the
northward of Igloolik, called by the Esquimaux Neerlo-Na/do, two canoes
came off to us, in one of which was Toolemak. He and his companions
came on board the Fury, when I employed him for a couple of hours in
drawing a chart of the strait. Toolemak, though a sensible and intelligent
man, we soon found to be no draftsman, so that his performance in this
way, if taken alone, was not a very intelligible delineation of the coast.
By dint however of a great deal of talking on his part, and some exercise
of patience on ours, we at length obtained a copious verbal illustration of
his sketch, which confirmed all our former accounts respecting the existence
of a passage to the westward in this immediate neighbourhood, and the
large extent of the land called Keiyuk-tarruoke on the northern side of the
strait. The word Khanig he applied either to the strait or to some place about
its shores, as he had before done to Captain Lyon ; but the weather was at
this time unfortunately too thick to allow of his pointing out the exact di-
rection in which this interesting spot lay. This piece of information was,
just at the moment, desirable only as a matter of extreme curiosity and
almost painful interest, as it was certain that the passage was at present
inaccessible to ships on account of the ice. Toolemak also agreed with our
other Esquimaux informants in stating, that from the coast of Akkoolee no
land is visible to the westward ; nor was any ever heard of in that direction
by the Esquimaux. This fact they luiiformly assert Avith a whine of sorrow,
meaning thereby to intimate that their knowledge and resources are there
both at an end. Toolemak represented the coast of Keiyuk-tarruoke as
abounding with whales and narwhals, and repeatedly mentioned that ice-
bergs were seen on its northern side, as before described by Okotook. The
only actual addition to our former information Avas respecting some Esqui-
maux inhabiting an island of considerable size, at a great distance to the
eastward or north-east. These people they call by the name of Sedd-lfr-
mc-6o, a general term by which they distinguish all Esquimaux not belong-
ing to their own tribe, and of whom, with their accustomed self-conceit,
they invariably speak with undisguised contempt. It is remarkable that
even the natives of Southampton Island, notwithstanding their proximity to
the continental coast, come under this denomination ; there being no inter-
course whatever, as far as we could learn, between the two tribes.

304 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

n'2'i. rpj^^ gjjj g ijeinop close to the odnrc of the floe in the evening, I directed
^-'^^*-' them to be made fast; but the boat that went to make holes for the ice-
anchor*;, returning with the information that the ice was in too " rotten" a state
to hold them, we ran tlie ships into the floe under all sail, where they easily
made a dock for themselves, and remained quietly for the niglit, which
proved extremely fine and clear. A number of shrimps, ccliiiii, and other
marine insects were brought up in a net from the bottom.
Sat. 10. Some water brought up on the 10th from a <lepth of forty fathoms was at
the temperature of 32°, that of the surface being the same, and of the at-
mosphere 40°. In the evening we made sail and ran along the margin of the
ice, and soon after had the satisfaction of observing that another large floe
was just on the point of being detached. On arriving at its northern end,
we found that it still wanted a little to complete the separation, and with a
view of aj)i)lying the requisite force, or at least all that we had at our dis-
posal, the ships were made fast to it by several hawsers, and all their sails
set aback, tlie wind blowing fresli from the westward. This expedient soon
produced the desired effect ; the floe I)eginning lo disjoin in less than ten
minutes, and the whole of it then drifting away at the rate of a mile and a
half an hour, so that at midnight we were enabled to cast oflp and make sail
to windward of it.

This last disruption, while it gave us another short step to the westward,
allowed us also to approach Neerlo-Nakto as lu'ar as the sounding-;, which arc
here quite shoal, would j)crmit ; and at noon on the lltli we made the ships
fast to the ice in eight fathoms, on a bottom of small lime-stones, and went
on shore to examine the productions of the island, and obtain a more exten-
sive view of the neighbouring lands. We found it to resemble Igloolik in
its general character, but discovering an approach to the primitive formation
not perceptible at the latter island, numerous large masses of granite, gneiss,
and quartz appearing on the surface intermixed with the fragments of lime
of which it is principally composed. The island is extremely low, and its
surface is covered with numberless small and one very large pond of fresh
water, the resort of black and red-throated divers and of the long-tailed
ducks. A large flock of brent-geese were seen, and two or three procured
from some of the Estpiimaux whom we found on the island, and who had
caught them with the simres of whalebone before described. Large flocks
of eider and king-ducks were also flying about ; but the natives being in the
habit of visiting the island for the sake of the birds and their eggs, had

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 305

made them so wild that we procured but few. Captaiu Lyon's party were ^^^^'
fortunate in killinjj two deer, giving eachshij) one hundred and fifty pounds
of line venison exchisivc of the lieads and hearts, whicli as a matter of good
policy Avere considered the lawful perquisites of the sportsmen. Including
Ihese and the entrails, the weight of each deer was estimated at two hundred
and twenty pounds, which may be considered a favourable specimen of the
rein-deer here at their best season. One of these animals took the water in
a large pond, and was not obtained without much wading.

The Esquimaux we met on the island at first landing were four young men,
of which two were brothers of our little friend " Jolin Bull, " and had just
arrived from Amitioke. From them we learned that Ewerat and his party
had reached the place of their destination, and would probably come on to
Igloolik in the course of the summer. One of the young men who insisted
on attending me about the island the whole afternoon, made himself useful
in giving the Esquimaux names of the dift'erent lands in sight. On being
desired to inform us where K/iemig lay, he pointed in the exact direction in
which we had from the ships always supposed the strait to be ; that is, about
N.W.b.W. from Neerlo-nakto, upon which bearing was a high rocky hill of
a remarkable form, and the most conspicuous object in sight in coming off
the strait from the eastward. It is essential here to rcnuuk, that about this
period two or three charts had been drawn on board the Hccla by different
natives, of whom Toolemak was one, and they all pointed, in the direction
I have just mentioned to Khemig, which was now understood to be an island
lying in the strait, as in fact it afterwards proved. This information so
repeatedly and exi)licitly obtained, while it satisfied me more and more of
our being in the right track, could not fail also to add to my perplexity re-
specting the place visited by Captain Lyon, — a place evidently bearing a
similar name and frequented by the Esquimaux on their Avay to Akkoolee, but
lying by observation at least fifteen miles to the southward of the strait now
before us. The clearing up of all obscurity on this point was desirable at
the present moment, more as an object of curiosity or geographical research,
than as affecting the movements of the Expedition ; for these too evidently
depended on necessity not choice ; it being impossible, supposing even the
existence of half a dozen different channels, to navigate any but that in
which nature should open her barriers. TJiat this operation was going on
more rapidly here than in the passage to the southward of Igloolik, and
that from their comparative size and openness, as well as from the current

2 R

306 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. observed to set from the westward at our i)rpf«ent station, the probability
v^^^* was much in favour of this channel being the first cleared, was too plain to
admit doubt; and I therefore entertained none as to the point towards which
all our efforts should be directed. If after all there ahoukl be two channels
in this neighbourhood, both loading into the Polar Sea, one perhaps to the
north and the oUum- to the south of an island, (which in the present state of
our knowledge seemed the only reasonable conclusion,) the propriety of
pushing through that which was first opened still remained the same ; for
the quitting of the continental shore for a few miles could not, in such a
navigation as this, be put in competition with the value of a day or even an
hour of our renuiining navigable season.

Convinced, however, as I was of the expediency of pursuing this line of
conduct, which in truth seemed the only practicable one, yet every hour's
delay added an indescribable weight to my anxiety. For the same train of
reasoning, by which we flatter ourselves into a belief of having done our best
to avoid an evil, docs not always furnish a proportionate degree of patience to
enable us quietly to endure it ; and, stopped as we had now been, at the very
threshold of the North-Wcst Passage, for nearly four weeks, Avithout advanc-
ing twice as many miles to the westward, suspense at such a crisis was scarce-
ly the less painful because we knew it to be inevitable. The decayed state
of the ice, which even a fortnight before, had rendered travelling extremely
dangerous, could alone, therefore, under these vexatious circumstances, have
prevented my despatching another party, for the express purpose of deciding
the question respecting the Strait : for, highly as we had a right to value
the repeated and concurrent testimony of so many intelligent Esquimaux, it
was impossible to feel satisfied on such a subject, while our own ocular evi-
dence was still wanting. Observing, however, to-day, from an eminence
on which we took the angles for the survey, that the ice within the line of the
island appeared much less decayed than that in the stream of the Strait, I
determined on attempting, by this means, a journey to the westward, endea-
vouring first to reach some Islands in that direction ; and then, by passing
from one to the other, at length to gain the main-land, upon which it might
not perhaps be dithcult to travel to the Strait itself, and thus to end every
doubt, as well as every conjecture, respecting it.

While we were on shore, which was from a quarter past one till twenty
minutes past six, P.M., the tide ebbed three feet and a half, and appeared to
be still falling. The beach is extremely fiat and shelving, so that the boats

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 30T

touched the ground at the distance of half a mile from the shore, the bottom .^^^^

■^ August.

being composed of stones of all sizes. v^^y^

A breeze had sprung up from the south-east while we were on shore; but
the weather being fine we kept the ships fast, it being my intention to pre-
pare immediately for my proposed journey over the ice, for which our
present station was. particularly convenient. At four A.M. on the 12th, Mon. 12.
however, it freshened so much as to cause the ships to strike very heavily on
the ice, which was here of the " hummocky " kind. The swell having soon
after broken up the edge, a press of head-sail enabled us to force the ships
a short distance within the margin, and a few other loose masses drifting
down from the eastward, we were at length secure from any disturbance.
The rudders were however unshipped, in case of accidents, and in the after-
noon the wind moderated, though the weather continued extremely incle-
ment, with snow, which was afterwards succeeded by rain. On the 13th, Tues. 13.
the weather remained too thick and unsettled for leaving the ships, though
the wind was quite moderate, and in the evening shifted to the westward.
The loose ice was drifting away from the floe, against the wind, during the
whole of the day, affording another certain proof of a set to the south-east,
independently of tide. Several black whales came up close to the ships,
and three Sabine gulls, some ducks, dovekies, and silvery gulls, were also
seen.

Early on the morning of the 14th, the breeze having freshened from the Wed. 14:
north-west, another floe broke away from the fixed ice, allowing us to gain
about half a mile more to the westward ; such was the vexatious slowness
with which we were permitted to advance towards the object of our most
anxious wishes ! As, however, this disruption brought us so much nearer
the islands towards which I was about to travel, we cast off and beat up into
the biglit left by the floe.

My party consisted of Mr. Richards, and two men from each ship, and we
were furnished with ten days' provision. Mr. Crozier, with three additional
men, was appointed to assist in carrying our baggage to the first islands,
and then to return on board. Having given Captain Lyon the necessary in-
structions for proceeding during my absence, and appointed the narrow part
of the Strait as a rendezvous in case of any sudden disruption of the ice
allowing him to follow us, I left the ships at half-past one P.jM., but had
scarcely proceeded two hundred yards, when we found that a plank would
form an indispensable part of our equipment, for the purpose of crossing the

2 R 2

308 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. numerous pools and liolcs in llic ice. Two planks of fir nailed (o<jether
August. ....
v-^-y-^ being speedily furnished from the ships, at two P.M. we (inally look our

departure.

Having soon gained the more solid floe before observed from the island,
we found its edge distinctly defined by a strait line of " hummocky " ice,
where it was joined to the thinner floe occupying the stream of the Strait;
giving us the impression of its having been much longer formed than the
other in consequence of being out of the tide-way, and affording, by its
comparative solidity, very superior travelling. Being thus favoured, we
made quick progress to the westward for seven or eight miles, when the
holes and cracks began to increase in frccjuency and depth, and we were
three hours in accomplishing the last mile and a half; the warmth reflected
from the land, and the action of the tides in raising and depressing the ice,
having here cracked and partially detached it in many places. We landed at
a quarter past nine P.M., after seven hours' walking, the direct distance from
the ships not exceeding ten or eleven miles, and found it low water by the
shore about ten o'clock.

The difficulty experienced in landing made me apprehensive lest Mr. Crozier
and his party should not be able to get from the island without the as-
sistance of our bridge. I desjiatched him, however, at four A.M. on the
Tluir. 15. l.jth, and had the satisfaction to find that being now unencumbered with
loads, he and his men were able, by a circuitous route observed from the
hills, to leap from one mass of ice to another and thus to gain the more solid
floe. Having seen him thus far safely on his way, we crossed the island one-
third of a mile to the westward, carrying the plank with slings from our
shoulders, to prevent injuring it on the rocks. After passing over broken
and detached ice for a mile and a quarter to the next island, which is a
small one, we found it separated by a narrow channel of a hundred yards in
width from a third and larger. After dining and resting an hour or two
about noon, near the middle of this island, we arrived on its western shore
at six in the evening, when the Aveathcr becoming misty we pitched the
tent for the night. Between this and the next island was a large space en-
tirely clear of ice, and here we observed a black whale sporting about : ^ve
also met with two large deer and a fawn, but could not get near them. A
long-tailed duck with three very young ones, and a pair or two of red-
throated divers, were swimming about in the ponds. The former served us
as a supper, the amh-omeda klragona and ground-willow furnishing fuel for

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 309

cooking them. A pair of ravens, one or two silvery gulls, and a few snow- 182--

II 1-1 August.

buntings, were all we saw besides. v-^-n^

Heavy snow continued to fall during the night, rendering the atmosphere Frid. 16.
too thick to allow us to see our way till half-past nine A.M. on the 16th,
when we struck the tent, and set out upon the ice, which we now found
better for travelling than before, consisting of a level floe, intersected only
by numberless pools not more than knee-deep, and with their bottom gene-
rally strong enough to allow us to wade through them. Proceeding along
the southern side of the land on which the remarkable hill before-mentioned
is situated, and which I now named Mount Sabine, out of respect to iSIu.
Joseph Sabine, we halted at noon a mile and a half due south of it, and
observed the lat. 69° 37' 40" ; and then continuing our journey landed at
two P.M. to dine and rest. Serjeant Wise here shot a hare of a remark-
ably dark colour on the upper part of the body, and particularly about
the ears, but quite white underneath. Two or three ring-plovers were also
seen.

We moved again at half-past four ; and at a mile and a half in a W.b.N.^N.
direction, arrived at the extreme point of the island, and crossed the
ice about a hundred yards to the next. Traversing this also, we then
walked a mile and a half with the assistance of the plank, which it fre-
quently required extreme caution not to break, over loose and even drifting
ice to the next, on which we halted for the night at eight P.M., after a
day's journey of no great length, but attended with much wet and fatigue.
The snow, which fell at intervals during the day, was succeeded in the
evening by rain and fog, which continued very thick till six A.M. on the
17th, when we resumed our journey across the island; and after deeper Sat. 17.
wading than usual in reaching the ice, at length set forward upon it, and
at nine o'clock landed on a small island in a S.W.b.W. direction. The sun
now making its appearance, and the whole of our clothes and baggage being
wet, I determined to remain here a few hours to dry them, which wc were
soon enabled to do, the wind shifting to the N.W., and quickly dissipating
the fog and clouds. The warmth of the sun seemed not more agreeable and
invigorating to us than to the other inhabitants of the island. Those con-
sisted only of numerous large mosquitoes, which, though in a tori)id state
before, now commenced their attacks, and continued to annoy us during the
rest of our stay. Their sting however certainly produced in this climate
much less inflammation than is usual in a warmer one, though I do not know

310 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. ],o^y much of this difference is to be attributed to the man, and how much to

August.

>-*-y-^ the mosquito.

The islands over which we had lately passed, and which, at the request of
Mr. Richards, I named the Bouverie Islands, rise from two to six hundred
feet above the sea, with deep water quite close to their shores. They con-
sist principally of dark-coloured gneiss-rock, the strata of which, in all the
instances where I had an opportunity of examining them, dipped to the
northward or north-west. There are also on some of the islands consider-
able tracts where the rocks exhibited a schistose structure, the loose slaty
fragments, which I took to be mica-slate, varying from near a perpendiculai-
to an almost horizontal direction, and indifferently as to the direction of
their dip. On one island only, being that on which the three deer were
seen, the outer ends of these slaty fragments were covered with a thin super-
ficial coating of a verdigris-green substance, extending a foot or two along
the surface in different places, and giving the rock the singular appearance
of having been painted that colour. None of the fragments were thus
tinged in any part but their outer ends, nor could I find any other substance
in the same neighbourhood exhibiting a similar appearance.

After obtaining the meridian altitude, which gave the lat. 69° 37' 55", we
left the island, and directed our course across the ice to the N.W., towards
a low part of the land. On reaching this spot, which proved to be an isthmus
scarcely fifty yards in breadth, and ascending the first eminence, we had
every reason to be satisfied with our route, being now enabled to perceive
that we had in all probability reached the main -land; the ice lately crossed
being that of a spacious bay to the south, which I named after my fellow-
traveller Mr. Richards, and the sea to the northward, between us and the
high land of Keiyuk-tarruoke, bearing evident marks of our approach to the
supposed strait. The ice was here entirely broken up and in motion to the
eastward, and in many places about the northern shore there was abundance
of open water. Being satisfied that we could now perform the remainder of
our journey by land, I determined to leave the plank and a portion of our
provisions at this spot, and to make a forced march for the Strait as lightly
equipped as possible. A\'e here for the first time found the rocks to be
composed of red granite, a circumstance we hailed widi satisfaction at the
time, as Captain Lyon had met with a similar formation at the extent of his
journey to the westward. It was high water by the shore at about seven ia
the evening.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 311

At two o'clock on the morning of the 18th, the weather being extremely "^2^-
fine and clear, we rose with the sun ; and after depositing our spare stores v^,^^
within a heap of stuni's, left the isthmus, and directed our course over the ""*
hills to the westward, which consist partly of greyish gneiss and partly of red
granite, some of them rising at least a thousand or twelve hundred feet
above the level of the sea. These being in some places extremely steep,
with numberless loose fragments lying about, which only required the foot
to be set upon them to give them motion down the precipice, we were for
some time obliged to proceed M'ith much caution. At half-past five, how-
ever, we had arrived at a peninsula which promised to prove of high
interest, for it appeared to lead to the very spot where, from the set of the
tide and the trending of the coast, the strait was most likely to be found ;
and it presented at the same time a geological character differing from any
we had before met with. The appearance of the southern or inner part of
this peninsula is singular, being that of three or more nearly horizontal and
equidistant ranges or strata, resembling at a distance so many tiers or galle-
ries of a high and commanding fortification, which seemed to defy approach.
On reaching this place, where two long and deep ponds of fresh water serve
to contract still more the narrow isthmus l)y which it is divided from the
other land ; we found the rocks composed of a brownish-red sandstone in
numerous alternate strata of darker and lighter shades, though three or four
only of these were conspicuous at a distance.

We now turned nearly due north, the character of the rocks continuing
much the same, except that some narrow veins of a compact white sandstone
appeared here and there traversing the other. Some of this, as well as of the
red kind, occurred now and then in a pulverized state ; the former on first
taking it up, exactly resembled white sugar when moistened by water, but
being subsequently dried proved remarkably minute and fine. After cross-
ing a deep hollow, nearly intersecting the peninsula from east to west, we
observed the rocks to consist of a beautiful variety of the reddish sand-
stone, variegated with serpentine and nearly concentric delineations of a
darker red, and having numerous oval knoh of various sizes, like those of
wood, giving the smoothly rounded surface of the bare rock in many
places more the appearance of handsomely polished beef-wood than of
stone. After passing over a mile and a half of this, we arrived at about
seven A.M. at the ultimate object of our journey, the extreme northern
point of the peninsula overlooking the narrowest part of the desired strait

312 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. ^yi,i(;]i ijiy inunecliatcl v below iis in about aa cast and west direction,

August. ....

^^-r'^ being two miles in width, a])parcntly very deep, and with a tide or current of
at least two knots setting the loose ice tlirougli <n the eastward. Hcyoml us
to the west, the short-s again separated to the distance of several leagues;
and for more than three points of the compass in that direction no land
could be seen to the utmost limits of a clear horizon, except one island six
or seven miles distant. Over this we could not entertain a doubt of having
discovered the Polar Sea ; and loaded as it was with ice, we already felt as
if we were on the point of forcing our way through it along the northern
shores of America.

After despaiching one of our party to the foot of the point for some of
the sea-water, which was found extremely salt to the taste, Ave hailed the
interesting event of the morning by three hearty cheers and by a small extra
allowance of grog to our people, to drink a safe and speedy passage through
the rhaiuiel just discovered, which I ventured to name by anticipation, the
Strait ok the Fury and IIecla. Having bu'dt a pile of stones upon the pro-
montory which, from its situation with respect to the Continent of America,
I called Cape Nortii-East, we walked back to our tent and baggage, these
having, for the sake of greater expedition, been left two miles behind ; and
after resting a few hours set out at three P.M. on our return. To save our-
selves the fatigue of re-ascending the craggy and precipitous mountain land
passed over in the morning, we struck through some ravines and valleys
more to the southward, which however led us so far out of our way, with-
out much improving the road, that we did not reach our depot till a quarter
past seven in the evening, after a circuitous journey of fourteen or iiftecn
miles. This walk however subsequently proved of service in pointing out
the route by which another object might be attained.

The whole of the tract over which we passed this day was inconceivably
barren ami desolate, with scarcely a tuft of moss or grass, or even a snow
bunting's note to give occasional animation to the scene. I cannot help
adding however, that where, in some moist and sheltered situation, a little
patch of green did occur, the sorrel, (nimcx digi/iius,) was sure to have put
forth its leaves. Nor is this the only instance in which we have remarked
that this hardy and valuable antiscorbutic plant seems, as it Avere, to glory
in springing up and flourishing in situations where scarcely any other can
find soil or moisture for its sustenance. A number of small lakes occur in
every part of this country, as well as on all the islands that we visited.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 313

Those on the main land were mostly remarkable, as havinjj still a patch of 1822.

Ill f u August.

level solid ice, about ten inches thick, occupying the whole extent oi them, -^^r^-
except for a space of fifteen or twenty feet all round the shores, where the
ice had been dissolved by the warmth of the land. To us the fact was new
at this season, and is still somewhat unaccountable. Whether so strange
a circumstance is to be attributed to locality or to an unfavourable season,
tlie experience of a single year or two is not sulHcientto determine. Three
long-tailed ducks were killed out of a flock swimming in a lake ; these birds
being in moult could not rise from the water, but their quickness in diving
makes it extremely difficult to shoot them. A liare of a very dark colour
\vas seen near the tent, though one of these animals perfectly white had
been noticed on the same spot only the day before. It was high water by
the shore in Richards's Bay at a quarter before eight this evening.

At thirty minutes past five A.M. on the 19th, the ice was observed to be Mon. 19.
setting fast to the eastward in the Strait, as indeed it had always been
whenever we had obtained a distinct view of it, which circumstance tended
very strongly to confirm the impression we had before received of a per-
manent easterly current. Having employed a couple of hours in rc-packing
our baggage for travelling, we set out on the ice at six o'clock and reached
the small island at nine ; where we were saluted as before by swarms of
troublesome mosquitoes. The tide having fallen a little by the marks on the
rocks we judged it to have been high water at about half-past eight. Proceed,
ing again at half an hour past noon, and being now aware that our easiest
travelling was on the level ice, through the pools on which we had learned
to pass with less delay than at first, we were enabled to reach Deer Island
at a single journey, by taking care to avoid all the broken ice near the land.
This latter precaution was indeed so necessary, that, when at length we
wished to go on shore, it took us above an hour to effect the last two hundred
yards, and that with more wet, cold, and fatigue than we had experienced
in walking the whole preceding journey. We landed however at five P.jNI.,
and obtaining from the hills a distant view of the ships, observed that they
were employed in warping among the ice. There was now a great deal of
open water in the Strait, and the easternmost of the Bouverie Islands were
entirely cleared of the ice on which we had travelled upon our outward
journey. We here found some more of the verdigris-green substance, though
on the opposite side of the same island as before, occurring precisely under
similar circumstances, A little animal ran up the rocks near our tent, which

2 s

314 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1S22- at the time we took to be an crmiMC ; but which on subsequent recollection
vrf-Y-vj'' of its colour, furry coat, and brushy tail, I believe to have been a squirrel
of some kind, though we have not on any other occasion met Avith this
animal.
Tues. 20. It rained hard on the morning of the 20th till seven A.M., when we re-
ascended the hill to determine our best route to the ships according to the
position of the ice, and also with the intention of lighting a large smoky fire
to give intimation of our return, which signal I had agreed on with Captain
Lyon. In the latter attempt we failed, the andromcda being too wet even to
produce smoke enough for our purpose. We therefore set out upon the ice
at half-i)ast nine with the intention of making a hard push to get on board
without halting. With this view we kept well into the bay.'in order to avoid
the detached ice near the islands, but were once obliged to go on shore on
account of a broad crack that had lately been made in the floe. We could
at this time scarcely discover the ships from the ice ; but having the island
of Neerlo-natko as a guide, we continued to push on, hoping to reach them in
two or three hours. At thirty minutes after three P.M. however, being sur-
prised to find them still six or seven miles distant, we halted to dine, and to
let one of our party, who was seized with a shivering in consequence of twice
falling into the water, shift his clothes ; after which we again set forward.
At half-past five we came to a quantity of " hummocky" ice that lay oft" the
island, and finding here a broad lane of water obstructing our progress, the
idea first occurred to us that the ships must be adrift, the whole of the ice
outside of us having been lately broken up and detached from the floe on
which we stood. By means of ferrying upon one piece as a boat to the
other, we at length got across the lane of water and found the ice in sepa-
rate masses, but more closely packed on the other side. The plank being
now no longer serviceable, while it occasioned us much detention in carrying,
we fixed it in an upright position on a large floe-piece, and in a few minutes
after a gun from the Hecla, accompanied by the appointed signal that a boat
was coming, assured us of our being discovered by the ships. At nine P.M.
when some of our party were nearly exhausted wjth incessant jumping and
wading. Lieutenant Hoppncr met us in one of the boats, and we arrived on
board at ten o'clock, after twelve hours' laborious journey.

On almost all the shores both of the main-land and islands that we visited,
some traces of the Esquimaux were found ; but they were less numerous
than in any other places on which we had hitherto landed. This circum-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 315

stance rather seemed to intimate, as we afterwards found to be the case, that ^822.

August.
the shores of the Strait and its immediate neighbourhood are not a frequent v^-v-^

resort of the natives during the summer months.

I learned from Captain Lyon that Mr. Crozier and his party had scarcely-
got on board the ships when the weather became extremely thick and
continued so all night, so that his return was very opportune, and the
more so, as on the following morning the whole l)ody of western ice, in-
cluding that to which the ships were attached, was observed to have broken
up. Fortunately however the latter, by pressing against the island of Neerlo-
Nakto, enabled the ships for some time to retain their station and assisted in
keeping them off the shore ; but they Avere afterwards drifted about in the
shoal water near the island, and continued in a very unpleasant and hazard-
ous situation till the time of my return. Being immoveably beset by the
other ice that had been detached, on the night of the 17th the Fury sus-
tained one or two heavy " nips" by the pressure, which lifted her abaft, but
without any injury whatever. Great quantities of ice were observed to
drift past from the westward, from which direction, whenever the wind was
light, there appeared to be a constant current.

If Mr. Crozier's return was opportune, mine was certainly no less so, for Wed. 21.
at the very time of our crossing the lane of water as mentioned above, the
ice was in the act of opening out, and continued to do so for the rest of the
night ; so that on the morning of the 21st, the ships were nearly in clear
water, while the weather became so thick in an hour after our arrival, that
we could scarcely see a quarter of a mile for two days afterwards. At
eight A.M. we got under way, with a view of endeavouring to find the
margin of the fixed floe, by which alone Ave could hope to hold our ground
against the ice which we knew to be drifting down from the westward. In
this attempt we succeeded, and ran along it for a short distance, when the
fog coming on more thick than ever, we made fast in thirty-two fathoms,
being about four miles to the northward and westward of Necrlo-Natko.

On the 22d we twice made a mile or two along the edge of the floe, when- Tliur.22.
ever the weather permitted us to sec a short distance a-head ; but the sound-
ings being now too deep to give us warning of our approach to the Bouverie
Islands, we made fast in the evening in lifty-seven fathoms, the more de-
cayed state of the ice appearing to indicate our being near enough to the
land. The wind was very light from the eastward, and the state of the
weather rendered the ship so moist and unwholesome below that it Avas

2 s 2

16 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

dlt)

1822. necessary to light a fire in tlic warming stove, by which an inconceivable
v-*4-vj degree of dryness, warmth, and hoaltliy ventilation was produced in the
course of two or three hours. Several white whales were playing about the
ship'^, and a number of sillocks from four to eight inches in length, observed
near the small pieces of drift-ice. It appeared to us a remarkable coinci-
dence that the last time we had met Avith sillocks, which was in the entrance
to the Duke of York's Bay, white whales seemed to be hemming them in
upon the shores in shallow water.

Frid. 23. The ice coming in u|)on us soon closed the open space through which we
had been sailing ; and at half-past two A.M. on the 23d, a partial clearing of
the weather discovered to us the islands at the distance of a mile and a
half to the N.W.b.W. The wind veering to the N.N.E. in the course of the
afternoon, the weather became more clear ; but the breeze freshening at
night brought the whole body of external drift-ice upon us with considerable
pressure.

Sun. 25. t)n the 25th the wind having at length backed to the W.N.W., the prospect
began to brigliten; the ice in the fair-way of the Strait soon acquiring motion
to the eastward, and that near the ships shortly after beginning to drive,
though more slowly, in the same direction. Half an hour afternoon, as soon
as there ai)j)eared the least chance of making any progress we made sail and
prepared for moving the Fury. On heaving upon the hawsers, however, in
order to cast the ship's head towards a lane of water not two hundred yards
distant, we found her so compactly " soldered," as the sailors aptly call it,
between the masses of ice by the late pressure from without, that all our
power was insufficient to move her head a single degree of the compass.
Captain Lyon having suggested the mode of pulling us out by making sail on
the Ilecla, which the ice had entirely left, it was tried without effect, the
masses having so effectually overlaid each other by the pressure as, with the
assistance of a slight degree of frost, to form one body almost as compact as
a solid floe. No better success attended an attempt to detach one piece
after another, beginning from the outside, by the Hecla's dragging upon them
under all sail, for tlie ship was brought up without the masses separating.
One only method and that a slow and laborious one remained, which was to
employ all hands from both ships with handspikes, axes, and saws, to detach
and force off one or two masses at a time. This plan at length effected our
release ; and at nine P.^NI., after eight hours' incessant labour bestowed upon
an obstacle apparently so trifling, we got into clear water and stretched to

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. ' 317

the nortluvard, the main ice having in the meantime disappeared so effectually 1822.
that nothing' was eventually lost by our late detention. After standing on ^.-^
for an hour or two we had scarcely any ice about us, and by midnight were
entirely clear of it.

The wind gradually falling was succeeded by a light north-easterly Mon. 26.
breeze, with which at daylight on the 26th we steered under all possible
sail up the Strait. The course being shaped and no ice in our way, I
then went to bed ; but was immediately after informed by Mr. Crozier that
the compasses had shifted from N.|E., which was the course I left them
indicating, to E.|N., being a change of seven points, in less than ten mi-
nutes. After running half a mile in a true W.b.N. direction, the needles
began to return to their true position; in half a mile farther they had resumed
their proper direction and agreed exactly at North. Having sent a boat to
the Hecla immediately on our noticing the first alteration, I found from
Captain Lyon that a similar jihenonienon was observed to take place on
board that ship, which was following in our wake. The breeze slowly in-
creasing from the eastward, and the Aveather happily remaining unusually
clear for that direction of the wind, we soon arrived off the narrow part of
the Strait, immediately on opening which, we met a tide or current running
above two knots to the eastward with numerous eddies and ripplings. By
keeping on the south or continental shore, and passing along by Cape North-
East, within two or three hundred yards of the rocks, we succeeded with
the assistance of the boats a-head in getting through the channel soon after
eleven o'clock.

The length of this narroAvest part of the Strait is three miles, in an E.b.S.
and W.b.N. direction ; it is two miles across and nearly uniform in its width
the whole way through. The rocks of red sandstone on the south side shelve
gradually down from a height of three or four hundred feet, so that in sail-
ing through Ave had generally tAvo fathoms more depth of Avater on the outer
than on the inner side of the ship, the soundings continuing deep hoAvever
almost close to the shore. The opposite or northern land of the narrows,
Avhere on closer examination Ave found several islands, is also high, but less
shelving than the other, and presenting Avhen clear of snoAV a much darker
appearance. The eastern point of the entrance on this shore, Avhich I named
Cape Ossory, has a small rocky islet lying close off it, upon Avhich there AA-as
much heavy ice aground. In several other places also on both sides, but
particularly on the south shore, large heaps of ice lay piled up ujjon the rocks

318 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

18'22. jjj QQg oj. t\vo spots to the height of forty or fifty feet. The current in mid-

v-^^.-w channel was running three or four knots to the eastward when we came

through, and nothing but the boldness of the shore would have enabled

us to cflcct a jnxssage, as the wind was too light to stem the stream in the

middle.

Steering to the southward of the island before seen from Cape North-East,
in order still to keep along the continental shore, we passed between two
dangerous shoals, one of which runs oft' from the island and the other lies
qviite by itself, about midway between this and the main-land. The latter
was at this time ])ointed out by a great quantity of heavy ice lying aground
upon it, as well as by a yellow sandstone rock that made its ajipearance in
one or two places just above the surface of the water. After clearing these,
and again deepening our soundings, we had begun to indulge the most tlatter-
ing hopes of now making such a rapid progress as would in some degree com-
pensate for all our delays and disajjpuiiitments, wlion, at oncp to crush every
expectation of this sort, it was suddenly announced from the crow's-nest
that another barrier o^ fixed ice stretched completely across the Strait, a little
beyond us, in one continuous and impenetrable field, still occupying its
winter-station. In less than an hour we had reached its margin when, find-
ing this report but too correct, and that therefore all furtiier progress was at
present as impracticable as if no Strait existed, we ran the ships under all
sail for the floe, which proved so " rotten" and decayed that the ships forced
themselves three or four hundred yards through it before they stopped.
KeejMng all our canvass spread we then tried to break the thin edges about
the numerous holes, by dropping weights over the bows, as well as by vari-
ous other equally ineflectual expedients ; but the ice was " tough" enough
to resist every eftbrt of this kind, though its watery state was such as to
increase if possible our annoyance at being stopped by it. The passage to
the northward of the island was not even so clear as this by above two miles
of ice, so that in every respect our present route was to be preferred to the
other ; and thus after a vexatious delay of six weeks at the eastern entrance
of the' Strait, and at a time when we had every reason to hope that nature,
though hitherto tardy in her annual disruption of the ice, had at length made
an effort to complete it, did we find our progress once more opposed by a
barrier of the same continuous, impenetrable, and hopeless nature as at
first !

We lay here in thirty-six fathoms on a soft bottom, being about a mile and a

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 319

half from the hio;li ruffffcd land of the continent to the south, and a mile and ^^^^'

. . . . August.

three-quarters from the island, which is comparatively low. Some sea-water •-^-v-v,'

taken up from the surface in passins: through the narrows, was found by Mr.
Fisher to be of the specific gravity 1.0263, at the temperature of 52°.

The wind being light and variable on the 27th, two boats were sent to the Tues. 27,
island and two to the main-land by way of examining the natural productions, .
of which I shall have occasion to speak more fully hereafter. Specimens of
every thing noticed were brought on board by our gentlemen, and the fol-
lowing remarkable observations made on the tides, the first being Lieutenant
Reid's report on the main-land, and the second that of IMr. Henderson's on
the island : " The tide was found to ebb by the shore from thirty minutes
past nine till thirty minutes after eleven A.M., the fall being four inches.
From thirty minutes past eleven to fifteen minutes after noon it rose one inch,
and then fell four inches till two P.M., when the boat left the shore. "^
" Landing on the island at twenty minutes past nine A.M. the tide was ob-
served to fall six inches till thirty minutes past eleven, from which time till
noon it rose an inch and a half, then ebbed eight inches till thirty minutes
after two P.M." The tide, being tried in the offing by the small boat moored
to the bottom, was found to set as follows :

h. m.

per bour.

At 9.10 A.M.

E.S.E.

i mile

„ 11.15 „

W.S W.

To "

„ 2.0 P.M.

Westward

i »

» 4.0 „

Do.

1

Between seven and eight P.M. the loose ice began to leave the floe edge,
and to drift against a light wind to the eastward. By these and our subse-
quent obscrs^ations on the tides in this part of the Strait, it seems apparent
that the phenomena, both of the stream and of the rise and fall of the water,
are the joint effects of a tide and a current, the latter in general setting to the
eastward at this season.

The weather being warm, a sensible alteration was produced in the ap-
j>earance of the ice in the course of the day, and we could not now co«nmu-
nicate between the two ships by walking over the floe, without the jissist-
ance of planks. This circumstance encouraged me once more to attempt
getting the ships through it to the westward, by employing the method of
sawing and sinking, though where this labour was to end it was not easy to
guess, as our parties on shore had not been able to discover from the hills
any indication of open water in that direction. The saws and other geer

320 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. ■^verc, however, prepared for this attempt at four o'clock the following

August. ' '

v-»-^'■^ morning.

Wed. 28. The weather became so thick with rain and snow in the course of the
ni<,'lit, that we could not see half a mile in any direction ; but about one
A.M. on the ^Sth, we began to perceive, I)y a gradual alteration in the
soundings, that the ice to which the .ships were attached was adrift. No
time was therefore to be lost in getting the ships underway, to be at liberty
to act as circumstances might require, for we did not know in what direction
we were driving. The woathcr now became so much thicker, with snow in
large flakes, that we could uiih difficulty see three huiidiod yards a-head.
We stood to the eastward, however, and after getting .sight of the grounded
ice on the shoals, tacked oft" and on till wc should see how the Hoe we had
left was driving. It was not long before we perceived it to be setting directly
on the shoals, so that it was necessary for us to find our way between them, at
all risks, to avoid the certain danger of being forced upon the rocks. In
making a tack near the shoals, the Fury's helm was put down in eight
fathoms, but before the sails filled, the ship was carried by the current into
three, and the yellow rocks were plainly visible under her. She gathered
way, however, just in time to avoid grounding, and the Hecla, presently
after, escaping a similar accident near the same spot, we cleared the shoals
in another tack or two, and then stood to the eastward.

Proceeding with ail the caution which the state of the weather, and the
extremely confined nature of the navigation, rendered requisite, we soon
made the northern land of the narrows, within a mile of which we remained
for several hours, endeavouring to find some sheltered anchorage, the wind
being fresh from the N.N.W. and the weather becoming still more inclement
than before. So steep, however, was this shore, that we could obtain no
soundings with eighty-eight fathoms of line at half a mile distance, and
generally found from thirty to twenty-six within a cable's length of the
rocks, in every little nook the boats entered. In the evening, finding the
Aveather not likely to improve, and that the situation of the ships, if kept
under way during the night in this narrow and unknown channel, must be a
very dangerous one, we bore up to make the island, in the hope of finding
shelter under one of its numerous low points. In this last resource we were
not disappointed ; for in an hour's run we made the island, which was now so
covered with snow as to be easily mistaken for a floe of ice without great
attention to the leads ; and with a degree of good fortune which has never

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 321

yet deserted us in such cases, we succeeded in picking out an excellent an- '^_^^-
chorage in eleven fathoms, where we passed a thick, snowy, and dark night,
without any disturbance from wind or ice.

As soon as the anchors were dropped, my attention was once more turned
to tlic main object of the Expedition, from which it had for a moment been
diverted by the necessity of exerting every effort for the immediate safety of
the ships. This being now provided for, I had leisure to consider in what man-
ner, hampered as the ships were by the present state of the ice, our means
and exertions might during this unavoidable detention be employed to the
greatest advantage, or at least with the best prospect of ultimate utility.

Whatever doubts might at a distance have been entertained respecting
the identity, or the contrary, of the place visited by Captain Lyon with that
subsequently discovered by myself, there could be none on a nearer view ;
as, independently of the observed latitude, Captain Lyon could not, on ap-
proaching the narrows, recognise a single feature of the land ; our present
channel being evidently a much wider and more extensive one than that
pointed out by Toolemak on the journey. It became, tlierefore, a matter of
interest, now that this point was settled, and our progress again stopped by
an insuperable obstacle, to ascertain the extent and communication of the
southern inlet; and, should it prove a second strait, to watch the breaking up
of the ice about its eastern entrance, that no favourable opportunity might
be missed of pushing through it to the westward. Hitherto, as 1 have
before remarked, the question respecting the existence of a second passage,
had been wholly unimportant as concerned the movements of the Expedi-
tion, because we could see, at the time of our entering the present strait,
that the only possible track to the other was blocked by solid and continuous
ice. The mortifying prospect however of a second detention in this strait,
added to the consideration of the sucUlen changes that often take place in
the state of the ice, rendered it again necessary to revert to the southern
inlet, to which, but a few days before, we had ceased to attach any importance.
I therefore determined to desj)atch three separate parties, to satisfy all doubts
in that quarter, as well as to gain every possible infonnation as to the length
of the Strait, and the extent of the lixed ice, now more immediately before us.

With diis view, I requested Captain Lyon to take with him Mr. Griffiths
and four men, and proceed over land in a S.b.E. direction, till he should de-
termine by the difference of latitude, which amounted only to sixteen miles,
whether there was or was not a strait leading to the westward, about the

2 T

322 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. parallel of 69° 26', being nearly that in which the place called by the Esqui-
maux Khemig had been found by observation to lie. This appeared a simple

and effectual method of deciding a question, on which the operations of the
Expedition might idtimately depend. In the mean time, Lieutenant Palmer,
Avas directed to proceed in a boat to Igloolik, or Nocrlo-nakto, as might
be necessary, to ascertain whether the passage leading towards Khemig was
yet clear of ice ; and, should he find any one of the Esquimaux willing to
accompany him to the ships with his canoe, to bring him on board as a pilot.
The third party consisted of Mr. Biishnan, with three men, under the com-
mand of Lieutenant Roid, who was instructed to proceed along the conti-
nental coast to the westward, to gain as much information as possible re-
specting the termination of our present strait, the time of his return to the
ships being limited to four days, at the expiration of which the other two
parties might also be expected to reach us.

By this arrangement, in which the connexion of each expedition Avith the
others, and that of the whole with our main object, will easily be perceived,
I hoped to gain such information as would eitlier couiirm my determination
to continue our efforts in the present station of the ships, or point out,
beyond any doubt, the expediency of transferring them to some other
quarter. Having gone on board the Ilecla to communicate my views and
intentions to Captain Lyon, I directed every thing to be in readiness for
despatching the parties at noon on the following day.
Thur. 29. On the morning of the SDth, the wind being light from the eastward but
the weather much more clear than before, Ave Aveighed and stood over to the
main-land Avith the intention of putting our travellers on shore, but found
that coast now so lined with the ice Avhich had lately broken adrift, that it
was not possible for a boat to approach it. We could not help at this time
congratulating ourselves on the fortunate escape Ave had experienced, in not
having already cut any distance into the floe before it separated ; for in such
a case it Avoidd hardly have been possible to escape driving on shore Avith it.
Standing off to the westAvard, to see what service the late disruption had
done us, we found that a considerable floe had separated, cxacdy in a line
betAveen the island off Avhich Ave lay and a second to the Avestward of it,
subsequently named, at Lieutenant Hoppner's request, in honour of Lord
Amherst*. Tacking at the ncAvly-formed margin of the fixed ice, Ave observed,

• These two islands are probably those delineated by Iligliuk in this situation, in her chartj
(No. 2.)

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 323

not only tliat it was still firmly attached to the shores, but that it was now ^^^2-
< 1 1 1 1 • 1 • August

almost entirely " hummocky," and heavier than any we had seen since

making Igloolik ; some of the hummocks, as we afterwards found, measuring
from eight to ten feet above the surface of the sea.

The different character now assumed by the ice, while it certainly damped
our hopes of the passage being cleared this season by the gradual effect of
dissolution, confirmed however, in a very satisfactory manner, the belief
of our being in a broad channel communicating with a Avestern sea. As
the conclusions we immediately drew from this circumstance may not be so
obvious to others, I shall here briefly explain that, from the manner in which
the hummocky floes are formed, it is next to impossible that any of these of
considerable extent can ever be produced in a mere inlet having a narrow
communication with the sea. There is in fact no ice to which the denomi-
nation of " sea-ice" may be more strictly and exclusively applied than this ;
and we therefore felt confident that the immense floes which now opposed
our progress, must have come from the sea on one side or the other; while
the current, which we had observed to run in an easterly direction in the
narrows of this strait, precluded the possibility of such ice having found its
way in from that quarter. The only remaining conclusion was, that it must
have been set into the Strait from the westward towards the close of a sum-
mer, and cemented in its present situation by the frost of the succeeding winter.

Standing back towards the Eastern Island, which I named after my friend
and late companion in these regions. Captain Matthew Liddon of the
Royal Navy, and finding the shore quite clear of ice, we dropped our
anchors under its lee in twelve fathoms, on a muddy bottom, at the dis-
tance of half a mile from the beach. We had scarcely secured the ships,
however, when some large masses of heavy drift-ice began to set toward us,
and several of these successively coming in contact with the Furys bows
and cable, 1 directed the anchors to be immediately weighed again, rather
than run any risk of damage to them ; and sailing over to the fixed ice, made
our hawsers fast to it and lay securely for the night.

A great deal of snow having fallen in the last two days, scarcely a dark Frid. 30.
patch was now to be seen on any part of the land, so that the prospect at
daylight on the 30th, was as comfortless as can well be imagined for the
parties who were just about to find their way among the rocks and precipices.
Soon after four A.M., however, when we had ascertained that the drift-ice
was no longer lying in their way, they were all despatched in their different

2 T 2

324 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. (lirectioiT?. For each of the land-parties a depot of several days' provision

August. . _ * _ ' ■' *

v-'-Y-^^ and fuel was, in case of accidents, established on the beach; and Lieutenant

Paliner took in his boat a supply for nine days.

The fact of our never having- seen a stream of tide or current setting
through the narrows of the Strait in any direction but to the eastward, made
it an object of curiosity to ascertain by observation on tlie spot during at least
two consecutive tides, whether or not a permanent current existed there.
I determined therefore on despatching Mr. Crozier on ihis service ; and the
absence of .so many of our people necessarily limiting our means, his
establishment only consisted of the small nine-feet boat and two marines,
with wliicli he left us under sail at one P.M., being provisioned for four days.
I directed Mr. Crozier to land and pitch his tent somewhere about Cape
North-East, and after carefully observing the tides, both on shore and in the
offing, for the whole of one day, immediately to return to the ships. The
weather improving as the day advanced, a good deal of snow disappeared
from the islands, but little or none on the rugged high land of the continent.
Sat. 31. On the 31st, the wind blew fresh and cold from the north-west, which
caused a quantity of ice to separate from the fixed floe in small pieces during
the day, and drift past the shij)s. Early in the morning, a she-bear and her
two cubs were observed floating down on one of these masses, and coming
close to the Hecla were all killed. Tiie female proved remarkably small,
two or three men being able to lift her into a boat. A large party of us from
each ship passed several hours on shore at Liddon Island, in examining its
natural productions. The basis of this island, which rises perhaps in some
parts two hundred feet above the level of the sea, is a brownish sandstone,
though the same substance is abundantly found of different colours, such as
red of various shades, dark brown, white, and striped with cui-ved lines in
the manner described near Cape North-East. On the higher parts of the
land, nodules of white quartz, from an inch and a half in diameter to the
size of a grain of sand, are found in large quantities imbedded in the sand-
stone rock, and a great variety of other substances arc lying in loose pieces
on the beach. Of these one of the most abundant was a species of iron-
stone which, from its weight, appeared to be a rich ore; and a large rock on
the beach contained a good deal of asbestos. A great variety of other
specimens were procured from this island, which was however almost
entirely barren of the productions of the animal and vegetable kingdoms.
Of the former we saw only a single herd of deer, and the little vegeta-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 325

tion wliich might have afforded them subsistence, was now permanently '^-2-
covered with a coating of snow, from three to six inches in depth, and so v.*^-^
liard as to allow us to walk on it without sinking. The view from the high
part of the island, which was a favourable situation for opening the western
entrance of the Strait, Avas extremely satisfactory as regarded land, but not a
single break could be seen in the ice, to the utmost limits of the horizon.

At half-past nine on the morning of the 1st of September, one of our g^p"^ j
parties was descried at the appointed rendezvous on shore, which on our
sending a boat to bring them on board, proved to be Captain Lyon and
his people. From their early arrival we were in hopes that some decisive in-
formation had at length been obtained ; and our disappointment may there-
fore be imagined, in finding that, owing to insuperable obstacles on the road,
of which Captain Lyon's annexed account will give the best idea, he had
not been able to advance above five or six miles to the southward, and that
with excessive danger and fatigue, owing to the depth of the snow, and the
numerous lakes and precipices.

" On striking inland we found the mountains deeply covered with snow,
yet made about three miles uninterrupted, but by the precipices. At this
distance we found the mountains to increase considerably in height, and
they were so completely intersected by deep lakes, as frequently to oblige
us to retrace our steps and toil up the same cliffs which we had but a short
time before descended with considerable difficulty and danger. The depth
of the recently fallen snow was from one to three feet, and where chasms
occurred amongst the crags it was of course in a greater bod}'. We here
found it requisite to feel our way with poles, for had any of our party
fallen into a cleft of the rocks it would have been out of our power to
extricate him. The general acclivity of the mountains was so great that it
became necessary to disperse in climbing or descending, least the loose
fragments of a rock, or a false step, should have precipitated those beneath
several hundred feet to the bottom. We were employed above eight hours
to-day at this laborious work, and found in the evening that we had not
made more than five miles direct from our first landing-place, for we could
plainly see the open water in which the ships were lying, and with naked
eye discern the grounded ice off Liddon Island. We pitched our (cuts
under a crag on the mountain top where we passed a very cold night.

" We set out at six in the morning of the 31st, apparently with a better

ABSTRACT

of the

METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board

His Majesty's Ship

FuuY, at Sea, d

uring the Month of Auc/nst, 1822

rahrenheit's

mometc

Thcr-

Sea Water

the surfat

at

e.

Jiaronieter.

Prevailing
Winds.

Prevailing
leather.

Day

Place.

Mani-

Mini-

Mtan.

Moan
Triiip.

Specific
Gfiivily

Tfiui'. 1

wluii

weighed

Maxi-
miiiii.

Mini-
mum.

IMCKK.

Direction.

Volucily.

1

o
34

O

30

o
32.75

O

31.33

1.0205

o
55

29.58

i..clu.
29.39

inchcH

29.183

ESE

niodt.

,hazy and ruin

2

39

32

30.04

32.42

29.02

29.59

29.003

NE

mudt.

cloudy

3
4

50
39

33

20'-

39.37
34.5!

31.83
3! .50

1.0243

50

29.02
29.01

29.48
29.43

29.578
29.530

f AM. NR
I PM. SW

SWtoNW

light

UlOllt.

tine

cloudy, rain at
times

5

c«

40

28

34.33

31.00

29.01

29.50

29.5S2

South

modi.

cloudy, rain at
times

6

o

K

44

30

37.42

31.42

29.57

29.52

29.542

NW

lishtjcalni
at times

line

7

•3

44

31

35.25

32.11

1 .0201

5H

29.52

29.49

29.508

WNW

modt.

fine

8

3

37

31

33.42

32.07

29.57

29. 4J

29.503

WNW

light

hazy and rain

9

b

w

35

30

32.92

31.54

29.53

29.37

29.400

S to WNW

light

hazy, rain at
ti mes

10

o

48

32

20.37

31.92

29. .54

29.45

29.495

SW

modt.

cloudy

u

38

30

33.90

31.0-

29.71

29.00

29.003

WbN

modt.

fine

12

32

30

31.04

31.42

29.48

29.20

29.312

SSE

strong to
light

hazy,fnowand
sleet

13

41

30'

34.04

31.75

29.38

29.23

29.297

Westerly

light

foggy, rain at
times

14

4)
C

30

30

33.04

31.42

29.51

29.38

29.412

WNW

modt

cloudy

U

c

W

S

a;

38

32

34.42

31.12

29.40

29.38

29.395

NWbW

modt.

cloudy

10

36

31

33.17

31.21

29.13

29.40

29.413

NNW

modt.

hazy and snow

17

0*

J3

30

30

32.02

31. 3T

29.00

29.48

29.553

NWbW

light

cloudy

18

40

30

:',1.0S

31.83

29.04

29.00

29.015

North

modt.

fine

19

39

33

35 .75

32.54

29.70

29.05

29.080

<r(Hinil the
^ compass

light and
variable

cloudy

20

30

33

34.58

32.00

29.80

29.70

2(;.743

MNW

modt.

cloudy

21

34

31

32.67

31.50

29.01

29.54

29.002

NE

modt.

foggy and rain

22

30

30

32.71

29. CC

29.51

29.33

29.438

East

light

foggy

'1?,

40

29

33.08

29.07

29.33

29.21

29.257

NE

modt.

hazy and rain

24

-

30

32

33.92

30.50

29.40

29.38

29.430

NWbW

modt.

cloudy

25

>»

37

301

33. C2

30.2.1

29.01

29.48

29.503

NW

modt.

fine

20

»4

3

38

30

32.07

29. II'

1 .0203

52

29.70

29.00

29.050

East

light

cloudy

27

40

29

32.75

28.79

1 .0250

62

29.08

29.4129.572

ESE

light

cloudy

28

C 1.

31

30

30.71

28. 2t

29.37

29.09 29. ISt

NNW

mcidt.

liazy and snow

29

2^

33

29

30.42

28.54

29.30

29.02 29.173

NWbN

light

hazy, snow at
times

SO

J3

35

29

32.42

28.58

29.02

29.4129.534

(AM. North
(PM.West

light

cloudy

31

J ^

31

27

29. 92

28. i!

29.82

29.t2 29.72(-

NW

modt.

cloudy

50

27

33.08

30.89

29.82

29 02 29.500

[

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

327

prospect before us, but after scrambling about a mile found ourselves again
obliged to retrace our steps in order to avoid a chain of lakes, and when
after three hours' exertion we had, as we supposed, got nearly round these,
another cluster of greater magnitude was discovered, and we found our-
selves not five hundred yards from the spot on which avc had slept. In
descending a precipice one of the men lost his hold, but was fortunately
arrested by a rock which lay beneath the snow, and escaped with only a se-
vere contusion on the nose. We had been obliged to throw our knapsacks
down this cliff and use the greatest caution in sliding down it, but had no
sooner reached its foot than the discovery of the lake obliged us again to
gain the height. Finding it impossible to accomplish the service at this
rate of travelling, and having only five hours to complete the out-going time
I determined on turning back, and arrived at the ships before noon on the
1st of September.

" The mountains we passed were all of gneiss and granite, and I should
suppose many of them a thousand feet above the level of the sea. One chain
of lakes extended east and west about six or eight miles, and they were
apparently of great depth, although their width did not exceed a quarter
of a mile at any part. In these were several small falls or bars, over two of
which we waded. The steepness of the ridge of mountains bounding the
longest extent of lakes may be better understood by the outline I took on
the spot.

328 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. <.i flip upper or craggy part was of solid granite, and the slope of its
v^.-v^ debris, which however was in most cases deejily covered by snow. In all
the lakes was a sheet of solid ice, detached from the banks and floating
in the centre. Its thickness above water was from six to twelve inches.
The little vegetation we saw was shrivelled and dry, which may account
for the absence of deer. We saw numerous tracks of them near the lakes,
but they were not recent, and may have been made while the animals were
licrfling for their final departure ; a few small flocks of buntings were seen
as if also assembled to migrate to the soutliward."

Sun. 1. Being thus by a combination of untoward circvmistances baffled in an
endeavour which had apj)earcd almost certain of success, we had only to
await with patience the arrival of our other parties ; scarcely however ven-
turing to hope that their information alone could prove of any great interest
or importance in furthering our main object. The north-west wind freshen-
ing almost to a gale, which made mc somewhat apprehensive for Mr. Crozier
and his little establishment at the Narrows, I despatched Mr. Ross, at
seven this evening, to carry him a fresh supply of provisions and to assist
him on his return to the ship. At the same time I directed Mr. Ross to
occupy the following day in examining the portion of land forming the
northern shore of the Narrows, which we had some reason to suppose
insular.
Moil. 2. At nine A.M. on the 2d, Lieutenant Reid and his party were descried at
their landing-place, and a boat being sent for them arrived on board at half-
past eleven. An account of this Journey, which was accompanied by a
sketch of the coast, is here subjoined.

August. £< Landing at six A.M. on the 30th, we commenced our march about due
west along the coast, though not in a direct line, the hills being in many
parts perpendicular down to the water, and we had to cross one inlet in
which the ice was broken up. At noon we arrived at an inlet, from a
quarter of a mile to a mile and a quarter in width, with a ra])id run of water,
having in it two small islands, and in part covered with ice. Following the
stream down to the sea, without finding a fording-place, we ascended the
banks, and at length crossed upon the ice with much difiiculty. Dining on

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 329

the west side we continued our journey, and at half-past six pitclicd our '^■--•
tents for the night. This day's journey was from hill to hill, over ex- v.*-^-v-
tremely rugi^ed land, frequently interrupted by lakes, which made tlie
course so circuitous that, thougli in a direct line we could not have ad-
vanced more than fifteen miles, we had jjrobably traversed twice that
distance.

" Setting out at four A.M. on the 31st, we now kept more inland than 31.
before, and descended into a deep valley, having at the bottom a rapid
stream, which we were obliged to follow nearly to the sea before we
could cross it, after which we got upon tolerably good ground leading
gradually up to the hills. We then again began to ascend, hill after
hill rising in succession, and the rugged ground being covered with large
loose stones, having the space between them filled with snow, which made
the walking heavy and dangerous. At noon Ave had gained a hill of con-
siderable height, having walked sixteen miles, and now found ourselves
due west of the ships, distant about six leagues. From this siadou, which
was in some respects a commanding one, the bearings and an eye-sketch
were taken by Mr. Bushnan, but the land still interrupted our view to the
westward, so that in that direction very little more could be ascertained
with respect to the extent of the Strait than might be seen from the .ships.
Notwithstanding this circumstance however, as oiu' provisions were half ex-
pended, I deemed it prudent to proceed no farther, especially as the road
was now so rugged, that little or nothiiicr more could be effected in a few
hours' travelling. At three P.M. therefore we set out on our return to the
ciisiward and reached the Fury before noon on the 'id.

" In the course of our journey ^nly six rein-deer were seen ; but the
tracks of these animals, as well ixs of bears and foxes, were numerous. From
our farthest station on the western hills, which rise perhaps from eight to
nine hundred feet above the sea, we observed another head-land beyond
the extremei[)oint seen from the ships, and distant from it about three or
four leagues ; but the intervention of other laud prevented our discovering
the trending of the coast further to the westward. The northern land is
extremely high, and its western point appeared about ten leagues distant,
leaving an extensive opening in that direction. The ice seemed to extend
from Amherst Island as far as we could sec to the westward, presenting one
unbroken surface from the north to the south shore of the Strait."

2 U

330 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. Notwithstanding every exertion on the part of our travellers, their labours

Sept.
v«.v.^ had not thrown much light on tiic geography of this part of the coast, nor

added any information that could be of practical use in directing the opera-
tions of the sliips. The important question resj)ecting a second passage
leading to the M'cstward still remained as much a matter of mere con-
jecture as at first ; while the advanced period of the season, and the
unpromising appearance of tlie ice now opposing our progress, rendered it
more essential than ever that this point should, if possible, be fully decided.
Under this impression, it occurred to me that the desired object might pos-
sibly be accomplished, by pursuing the route along the head or western
shore of Richards' Bay, part of which I had already traversed on my former
journey, and found it much less laborious walking than that experienced by
Captain Lyon on the higher and more rugged mountains inland. I deter-
mined therefore to make this attempt, taking with me Mr. Richards and most
of my former companions, and proceeding in a boat as far as the isthmus
mentioned on the 17th of August, from whence our journey might at once
be advantageously commenced.
Tues. 3. This night proved the coldest we had experienced during the present sea-
son, and the thermometer stood at 24° when I left the ships at four A.M. on
the 3d, having previously directed Captain Lyon to remain as near their
present station as might be consistent with safety, and carefully to watch
for any alteration that might occur in the western ice. I also requested
Captain Lyon to render Mr. Fisher every assistance in his power in the tri-
gonometrical measurement of some high snow-capped hills to the north-west,
which at my desire he had undertaken. To the land on which these moun-
tains stand, and which the Esquimaux call Keii/u/i-tnrnio/ce, I gave the name
of CocKBURN Island, in honour of Vice- Admiral Sir George Cockburv, one
of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, whose warm personal interest
in every thing relating to Northern Discovery can only be surpassed by the
public zeal with which he has always promoted it.

Being favoured by a strong north-westerly breeze, we reached the nar-
rows at half-past six A.jNI., and immediately encountered a race or ripple so
heavy and dangerous, that it was only by carrying a press of canvass on the
boat that we succeeded in keeping the seas from constantly breaking into
her. This rippling ajipeared to be occasioned by the sudden obstruction
which the current meets at the western mouth of the narrows, aided in

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 331

the present instance, by the strong breeze that blew directly upon the corner ^,^^^-
forming the entrance on the south side. On clearing this, which we did k^-y^^
after running about one-third of a mile and then getting into smooth water,
though the current was running at least three knots to the eastward, the
thoughts of all our party were, by one common impulse, directed to-
wards Mr. Crozior and his little boat, which could not possibly have lived
in the sea we had just encountered. It was not, therefore, without the
most serious apprehension on his account that I landed at Cape North-East,
where I had directed the observations to be made on the tides ; and send-
ing Mr. Richards one way along the shore, proceeded myself along the other
to look for him. On firing a musket, after a quarter of an hour's walk, I had
the indescribable satisfaction of seeing Mr. Crozier make his appearance
from behind a rock, where he was engaged in watching the tide-mark. I
found him and his party quite safe and well, though they had encountered
no small danger, while attempting to try the velocity of the stream in the
narrows, being beset by a quantity of drift-ice from which they with dif-
ficulty escaped to the shore. I found also that Mr. Ross, after towing them
in when adrift, and leaving Mr. Grozier his provisions, had proceeded to
accomplish his other object, appointing a place to meet them on his return
to the ships. In half an hour after we saw the gig ci'ossing to us under
sail, and were soon joined by Mr. Ross, who infoi'med me that he had de-
termined the insularity of the northern land, which I therefore distinguished
by the name of Ormond Island, out of respect to the Eakl of Ormond and

OSSORY.

Having furnished our gentlemen with an additional supply of provisions,
in case of their being unavoidably detained by the continuance of the wind,
I made sail for the isthmus at ten A.M., where we arrived after an hour's
run, and hauling the boat up on the rocks and depositing the greater part
of our stores near her, set oft" at one P.M. along the shore of Richards'
Bay, being equipped with only three days' provision and as small a weight
of clothing as possible. The coast, though not bad for travelling, led
us so much more to the westward than 1 expected, in consequence of its
numerous indentations that, after above five hours' hard walking, wc had
only made good a W.S.W. course, direct distance six miles. One of our
men then complaining of giddiness and other unpleasant symptoms, we
halted and pitched the tent amidst rugged and barren rocks of red granite,
dreary and desolate beyond description. A single snow-bunting was literally

•2 V 2

332 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. gij „,g gj^^y Qf animal life during this afternoon's walk ; but the tracks of deer,
all going to the southward, were everywhere seen upon the snow. We ob-

tained on every eminence a distinct view of the ice the whole way down to
Necrlo-nakto, in which space not a drop of clear water was discernible ; the
whole of Richards' Bay was (ilicd with ice as before.
Wed. 4. We moved at six P.M. on the 4th, and soon came to a number of lakes
from half a mile to two miles in ItMigtli, occurring in chains of three or four
together, round which we had to walk at the expense of much time and
labour. All these terminated towards the sea in inlets, one of which
that wc came to at nine A.M., and whicli I named after Mu. H.\i.se of
the Fury, Avas three or four miles in length, and detained us two hours in
walking round the head of it. These inlets were still filled with ice of the
last winter's formation, except close round the shores, where a narrow space
of open water had been formed by the warmth of the land. We halted at a
quarter past eleven, having nuidc good four miles and a half in a S.b.W. di-
rection, and found ourselves by observation at noon in latitude 69° 32' oS'.
Continuing our journey at three P.M. we soon arrived at the shores of ano-
ther inlet like the former, two or three miles in length, up which we had to
walk above two before we could make any southing. Wc were tlien for the
first time enabled to proceed almost directly to the southward, our only in-
terruption being occasioned by the numerous steep and craggy hills which
every where presented themselves. At halt-past five we suddenly came in
sight of a high and remarkably level piece of table-land, immediately to the
southward of us, and extending for several miles in an east and west direc-
tion. Along the upper part ran a narrow perj)endicular ridge having a dark
appearance, and the rest formed a yellow shelving slope, as if composed of
the debris falling uniformly from above. At half-past six, on gaining a sight
of the sea from the top of a hill, we immediately recognised to the eastward
the numerous islands of red granite described by Captain Lyon ; and now
perceived Avhat had before been surmised, that the south shore of Richards'
Bay formed the northern coast of the inlet, up Avhich his journey with the
Esquimaux had been pursued. Our latitude by account from noon being
now 69° 28', Ave felt confident that a sliort Avalk directly to the south must
bring us to any strait connnunicating Avith that inlet, and Ave therefore
pushed on in confident expectation of being near our journey's end. At
seven P.M., leaving the men to pitch the tent in a sheltered A'alley, Mr,
Richards and myself ascended the hill that rose beyond it, and on reaching

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 333

its summit found ourselves overlooking a long and narrow arm of the sea ^822,
communicating with tlie inlet before seen to the eastward, and appearing to \^^
extend several miles nearly in an east and west direction, or parallel to the
table-land before described, from which it is distant three or four miles. The
space between the creek and the table-land is quite low, forming a striking con-
trast with the rugged shore on which we stood, and being covered Avith abun-
dant vegetation, as well as intersected by numerous ponds of water. The
breadth of the little creek at the place at which we had arrived, being half a
mile above its junction with the wider inlet in which the Coxc Islands lie, is
about half a mile, and continues nearly the same for three or four miles that
we could trace it in a westerly direction. Beyond this it seemed to turn
more northerly, and our view being obstructed by the high and rugged hills
of which, on the north side of the creek, the whole tract of country is com-
posed, 1 determined to pursue our journey along its banks in the morning,
to ascertain its further extent, or at least to trace it till it was no longer
navigable for ships. Tliat the creek we now overlooked was a part of the
same arm of the sea which Captain Lyon had visited, the latitude, the bear-
ings of Igloolik which was now plainly visible, and the number and appear-
ance of the Coxe Islands, which were too remarkable to be mistaken, all con-
curred in assuring us ; and it only therefore remained for us to determine
whether it would furnish a passage for the ships. Having made all the re-
marks which the lateness of the evening would permit, we descended to the
tent at dusk, being directed by a cheerful blazing fire of the andromeda tetra-
s;ona, which in its present dry state served as excellent fuel for warming our
provisions.

Setting forward at five A.IM. on the 5th, along some pleasant valleys covered Thur. 5-
with grass and other vegetation, and tlie resort of numerous rein-deer, we
walked six or seven miles in a direction parallel to that of the creek ; when, find-
ing the latter considerably narrowed, and the numerous low points of its south
shore rendering the water too shoal, to all appearance, even for the navigation
of a sloop of ten tons, I determined to waste no more time in the further exami-
nation of so insignificant a place. There was not in this creek the least per-
ceptible stream of tide or current, which circumstance alone, considering the
strength of that which rushes through the Strait of the Fury and Heda, would
have been sufficient perhaps to demonstrate that it had no outlet to the west-
ward. Its whole appearance indeed indicated it to be what it has since
proved, a mere inlet of the sea, similar to those we had before passed, com-

334 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. miunicatiiig with lakes and streams which annually pour their waters into it,
J-Aij affording excellent limjalc navigation to the Esquimaux, and supplying them
with the salmon witii which they had lately provided us. Tiie farther we
went to the westward the higher the hills became ; and the commanding pros-
j)cct thus afibrded enabled us distinctly to perceive with a glass that, though
the ice had been entirely dissolved in the creek, and for half a mile below it,
the whole sea beyond this to the eastward, even as far as Igloolik, was co-
vered with one continuous and unbroken floe.

Having now completely satisiied myseli' that, as respected both ice and land,
there was no navigable passage for ships about this latitude, no time was
lost in setting out on our return. To avoid the numerous indentations of
Richards" Bay, wc kept rather more inland ; by which means, though we at
first encountered some of the steep precipices and deeper snow described by
our other travellers, we eventually saved ourselves much walking. On this
high ridge the hills, which are generally steep on both sides, and with a
quantity of the loose debris lying uj) and down tliem, occur very close toge-
ther ; so that no sooner has the summit of one been gained, than another of
equally forbidding aspect presents itself, the valleys between them being
chiefly occupied by lakes of various sizes, all except the mere shallow ponds
having a floe of solid ice covering their surface. Some of the smaller streams
that supply the lakes had now been arrested by the autumnal frost, and the
smallest pools on the rocks were frozen to the bottom ; but the larger
streams were still running in full force, and no " young " ice had as yet
formed upon the lakes. The rocks are here entirely of red granite ; and we
frequently noticed rounded and insulated hills of this shape.

^^^^i-Js^SS::

situated at the end of a valley, and appearing as it were to flank it.
Frid. 5. Nothing of interest occurred during the rest of our journey to the boat,
which we reached before dark on the evening of the Gth, having suffered
only a few trifling bruises in the course of our scrambling over the rocks.
The thermometer fell to 19° at night, but our depot at the boat furnishing

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 335

abundance of additional clothing, we found tl>.c tent as warm as could be l^^^.
desired ; which was by no means the case at this season when we were lightly

equipped for travelling. The night was beautifully clear, with a bright moon-
light ; but a cloud of dense vapour hung over the land in most parts, which
was not entirely dissipated until late on the following day.

We launched the boat at day-break on the 7th, and on arriving at the nar- Sat. 7.
rows, were glad to find that our other boats had left the place. The current
was as usual setting to the eastward, and in one place about the middle of
the narrows, where a large collection of squeezed-up ice formed a small
projecting point, it ran full four knots. Rowing over to the north shore,
we landed there to dine at a quarter past eleven, which was just the
time of high water, on an islet at the entrance of a bay. While rest-
ing here we observed the small pieces of ice setting fast to the Avestward^
and proceeding at two P.M., found the boat favoured by a considerable tide
in tlie same direction. This we kept till about five P.M., when Ave had
reached Liddon Island, and were there met by a tide from the westward, it
being then about low water by the shore ; from which it seemed reasonable
to conclude that the flood-tide came from the westward. At half-past eight
Ave arrived on board, Avhere I Avas happy to find that all our parties had re-
turned Avithout accident, except that Lieutenant Palmer had been Avounded
in his hand, and temporarily blinded by a gun accidentally going ofl^, from
Avhich hoAvever he fortunately suffered no eventual injury. Lieutenant Pal-
mer reported his having ascertained that the ice still remained attached to
the land from the Avestern part of Igloolik across to the continent, precluding
all possibility of a passage to the Avcstward in that direction. Lieutenant
Palmer's report contained numerous observations for the geographical posi-
tion of the parts of the land Avhich he visited, and some notices respecting
the Esquimaux mode of burial, Avhich Avill be given in another place.

No alteration had taken place in the state of the ice during my absence,
except Avhat Avas occasioned by a few small pieces noAv and then breaking off
from the margin, AA^hich hoAvcver scarcely eftected a change that Avas sensible
in the course of several days. The ships had therefore remained luidis-
turbcd at the station Avhcre I left them ; and in order to occupy the time as
usefully as possible. Captain Lyon had despatched a party under the com-
mand of Lieutenant Hoppner to travel along some low land next the sea, to
the wcstAA'ard ; with the hope of his thus being enabled, by escaping the
rugged ground encountered by Lieutenant Reid, to add something more to

336

SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

our knowlcds^e of the continental shore of the Strait. Lieutenant Hoppner
had just returned from this excursion, an account of which, together with
those of Messrs. Crozier and Rass, will bring up the narrative of our pro-

ceedings to this time.

MR. CROZIER'S ACCOUNT OF THE TIDES.

" During the time of our stay at the narrows of the Strait no opportunity
was lost of continuing our observations on the tides, an abstract of whicli is
contained in the following Table. By these it will be perceived tluit in mid-
channel the stream constantly set to the eastward from dayliglit till dark, and
that when on the south shore a westerly set was observable, the tide was
generally falling. In rowing along the north sliorc of the narrows, on our
return we had a strong westerly set of at least two miles an hour, from
thirty minutes after eleven A.M. till thirty minutes after two P.M. on the 3d,
during most of which time the tide was ebbing by the shore, and having
landed the same evening upon the east end of Liddon Island, we found it
high water at seven P.M., being about an hour earlier than the last observed
tide in the narrows.

Tide Table in the N.irrows of the Strait of tlie Fuiv and Ilecla.

Day.
1822.

High Water.

l,..w \\ater.

Kisc

of

Tide.

F.ii;

..f

Tiilu.

REMARKS, &c.

H.M.

A.M.

or

I'.M.

H.M.

A.M.

or
P.M.

Aug. 31.

6.20
C.15

A.M.
I'.M.

0.10

P.M.

fl. in.
5.2

It. in.

.^).IU

Tlic slroani in mid-channel was sptting to the eastwarrl durinj; the
whole Hay. I'loni .1.30 A.M., till 1 1, an eddy set alrinj; tin- soulh
shore to the westward. .About I P.M. it bepin to run to the east-
ward, i\nd continued to do so the rest of the day. rrom 6.15 P.M.
till 7.10, the water neither rose nor fell by the shore.

Sept. 1*.

B.-IO

A.M.

0.50

P.M.

7.0

Thi' stream constantly runnin:; to the eastward in niid-cliannel.
.\n t'ddy setting to the westwaril close to the south shore till near
noon. M 1 P.M. it again set to the eastward and ei>ntinued to do
so till tlarU.

* It was full moon at 6.5 1 A.M. this day.

,. 2-

7.30

P.M.

1.30

I'.M.

8.9

No eddy nor slack was observed this ilay, the wind being strong
from the westward. The current constantly setting fast to tlic east-
ward ; at about 8 .■^.M. not less than four miles per hour.

,. s.

about
8

A.M.

This tide, by the mark on the rocks, rose two inches above that
of the preceding evening, being also the highest of any we ob.servrd.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 337

" From these observations it would appear that the regular stream of flood-
tide sets to the eastward, and that of the ebb to the westward, in this Strait;
though, at this season, the latter is not always perceptible, on account of the
rapid current permanently running against it in an easterly direction."

After towing Mr. Crozicr to the shore, under circumstances of consi-
derable danger to that gentleman's party in their little boat, Mr. Ross imme-
diately proceeded in execution of the service with which he was charged,
and landing a little to the northward of Capo Ossory, observed the latitude
to be 69° 43' 30". He then rowed along the shore to the northward, passing
one or two bays and several small islands, and landed in the evening upon a
rugged islet, a quarter of a mile long, from whence he had the passage
directly open between Ormond Island and tlie northern shore, and after-
wards perceived an island lying towards its western opening, which had
before been noticed from the opposite side. The rocks along this coast
were found to be composed of greyish gneiss, and on some of the islands
numerous masses of reddish granite also occurred, lying detached upon the
surface. On the small islet adjoining Cape Ossory, Mr. Ross noticed a
broad vein of dark-coloured hornblende, imbedded in the gneiss ; and a
similar structure presented itself near a small bay just to the northward of
it, the vein being here about thirty yards wide, forty or fifty feet high, and
reaching as far under water as could be distinguished. The appearance of
this, at a short distance, was not unlike that of a high pile of coal, and from
the direction it took, it seemed to be a continuation of the vein before
noticed.

Mr. Ross's report, of which I have here given a brief abstract, contained
also a variety of useful angles, observations, and other hydrographical ma-
terials, by which the whole of this part of the coast has been laid down on
the chart.

LIEUTENANT HOPPNER'S REPORT.

" Landing on Amherst Island at five A.M. on the 6tli, we hauled the boat
on shore, and proceeded with three days' provisions towards the western end
of the passage dividing the island from the main-land. The tide being out,
we experienced some difficulty in reaching the firm ice in the centre of the

2 X

338 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. passage ; but having at length, by the assistance of a plank, crossed the
vrfv^ loose pieces near the shore, we found the " young ice " connecting the rest
sufficiently strong to enable us to pass over it with case, and we arrived on
the main-land about one P3I. At two we recommenced our walk along-
shore to the westward ; and as the extreme point of land seen from the ships
did not seem to be more than eight miles distant, and the ground was good
for travelling, I determined to leave our knapsacks and other baggage be-
hind, and was in hopes of being thus enabled to obtain a clear view round
the point before sun-set, and of returning to our tent at night. In this ex-
pectation, however, I was altogether disappointed ; for iifter three hours'
hard walking, v.'e found the point was still at least five or six miles from us,
which obliged me to give up the attempt, and to return to the tent for the
night.
7tli. " The distance to the western extreme being greater than I could now
hope to travel in the time to which I was limited by my instructions, I
ascended a high hill at five A.M. on the 7tli to obtain a view of the Strait.
The horizon, however, was so obscured by fog that we could only at inter-
vals see the tops of the northern hills. Our prospect to the w'estward was
also very limited, but as far as could be discerned, the ice appeared per-
fectly close and composed of high hummocks with a few heavy floe-pieces.
Proceeding on our return at eight o'clock, we reached Amherst Island by
noon, the young ice having every where become so firm that we might easily
have returned to the ships upon it, without the assistance of a plank. The
fog having now cleared away, gave us a good view from the west end of the
island, where we could perceive that no land was visible for three or four
points of the comj)ass between the north and south shores of the Strait. In
this space nothing was to be seen but compact heavy ice, Avith a white haze
hanging over the horizon to the westward. Being anxious to examine also
the state of the ice on the north side of the island, I left the party, when two
miles short of the boat, and walked to a high ridge on that side, from which
I perceived a remarkable bluff* on the north shore of the Strait, appearing
to be detached from the other land, but this my position did not enable me
to determine.

" I found the ice on the north side of the island perfectly close and much
heavier than on the opposite shore, being generally, composed of large floe-

* Afterwards called by Lieutenant Reid, Cape Hallowexi,

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 339

pieces. This land, from abreast the west end of Amherst Island, changes ^^^'^-
its aspect very much, the hills becoming less rugged to the westward, and
liaving at their foot a sloping plain covered with fine pasturage, extending
in one place four or five miles towards the sea. On this plain we passed
several circles of stones, placed by the Esquimaux, and others set up in a
similar manner to those before observed in different parts of the coast.
These did not bear the marks of having been recently visited ; but the tracks
of deer were so numerous, and the aspect of the country So favourable for
a summer residence, that it appeared a likely place for the Esquimaux to
resort to occasionally during that season."

The result of our late endeavours, necessarily cramped as they had been,
was to confirm, in the most satisfactory manner, the conviction that we were
now in the only passage leading to the westward that existed in this neigh-
bourhood. There Avas, and indeed still is, reason to believe, from the
information of the Esquimaux, that Cockbura Island extends two degrees to
the (northward and very considerably to the eastward of this Strait. To
have abandoned without further trial the most promising place, as respects
the Nortli-West Passage, that the most sanguine mind could hope to dis-
cover, upon the chance of saving time by pursuing a circuitous route of
perhaps three or four hundred miles of unknown coast, and of finding a
more navigable passage two degrees farther north, I should have considered
an unjustifiable departure from the plain tenor of my instructions, if not a
direct abandonment of the cause in which we were engaged. Notwithstand-
ing, therefore, the present unpromising appearance of the ice, I had no
alternative left me but patiently to await its disruption, and instantly to avail
myself of any alteration that nature might yet effect in our favour.

2X2

340 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

CHAPTER XII.

A JOURNEY PERFORMED ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE OF COCKBVRN ISLAND CONFIR-
MATION OF AN OUTLET TO THE POLAR SEA PARTIAL DISRUPTION OF THE OLD

ICE, AND FORMATION OF NEW RETURN THROUGH THE NARROWS TO THE EAST-
WARD PROCEED TO EXAMINE THE COAST TO THE NORTH-EASTWARD FURY'S

ANCHOR BROKEN STAND OVER TO IGLOOLIK TO LOOK FOR WINTER-QUARTERS

EXCURSION TO THE HEAD OF QUILLIAM CREEK SHIPS FORCED TO THE WESTWARD

BY G.\LES OF WIND A CANAL SAWED THROUGH THE ICE, AND THE SHIPS SECURED

IN THEIR WINTER STATION CONTINUED VISITS OF THE ESQUIMAUX, AND ARRIVAL

OP SOME OF THE WINTER-ISLAND TRIBE PROPOSED PLAN OF OPERATIONS IN THE

ENSUING SPUING.

A LIGHT air spiingiiij^ up from (he eastward on the morning of the 8th, we
took advantage o!" it to run up to tlie margin of the fixed ice, which was now
perhaps half a mile fartlier to tlic westward, in consequence of small pieces
being occasionally detached from it, than it had been when we tacked off it
ten days before. We here made fast nearly in a line between Amherst and
Liddon Islands, though much nearer to the former, and in fifty-eight fathoms,
on a soft muddy bottom. Though the easterly wind continued, the weather,
which had been foggy in the morning, cleared up after noon and a beautiful
day succeeded. At seven P.]M., some water brought up from thirty fathoms'
depth was at the temperature of 27f°, and some from fifty-five fathoms at 27|°;
that at the surface being 27f°, and of the air 25g°, the whole being taken by
the same thermometer. We noticed, however, a remarkable dift'erence in the
temperature of the surface-water on the two sides of the ship, that drawn on
the starboard side being, as above stated, at 27|°, and on the larboard 30°
and 30|° the whole afternoon. The difference was perhaps on this occasion
to be attributed to the sun being more on the larboard side than on the other;

OF A NORTH WEST PASSAGE. 341

but nearly the same tiling occurred on the 11th, when the reverse was the 'f^^-
case with respect to the sun. In every instance the water was drawn in the

same bucket, and from within a foot of the ship's bends ; and to whatever
cause it was to be attributed, it shews in how great a degree the tempera-
ture of the surface-water may be affected by some local and perhaps trivial
circumstance. A great number of seals were lying on the ice during the
day, and three swans were observed flying to the south-eastward.

At daylight on the 9th, I sent Mr. Ross on shore to Amherst Island with Mon.9.
two men, and furnished with a tent and provisions, for the purpose of regis-
tering the rise and fall of the tides, while observations were at the same time
made upon the stream or current in the offing. At eight A.M. the tempera-
ture of the sea-water at the surface was 27°

At thirty fathoms' depth . • . . . 27^

At 6fty-five „ „ 27i

Air in the shade ........ 28

Another clear and uncommonly beautiful day, such as we had scarcely expe-
rienced during the whole summer, gave us hopes of the season being some-
what lengthened by a mild autumn. In the evening we thought we could
perceive the sun glittering on a lane of water towards the western end of
the Strait, which might perhaps have been opened by the eastern breeze
now blowing. Every thing however remained unmoved on our side, and a
great quantity of young ice formed on the sea outside of us, so that it was
scarcely practicable to get a boat out for trying the current. The pools on
the floes were now also so hardly frozen, that skating and sliding were going
on upon them the whole day, though but a week before it had been dan-
gerous to venture upon them.

This latter circumstance, together with the fineness of the weather and
the tempting appearance of the shore of Cockburn Island, which seemed
better calculated for travelling than any that wo had seen, combined to
induce me to despatch another party to the westward, with the hope of
increasing, by the only means within our reach, our knowledge of the lands
and sea in that direction. Lieutenant Rcid and I\Ir. Bushnan were once
more selected for that service to be accompanied by eight men, a large
number being preferred, because by this means only is it practicable to
accomplish a tolerably long journey, especially on account of the additional
weight of warm clothing which the present advanced state of the season

342 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

V^'^" rendered indispensable. Lieutenant Reid was furnished with six days'

Sept. '■ • I 1 I 1

provisions, and directed to land where most practicable on the northern

shore, and thence to pursue his journey to the westward as far as his re-
sources would admit, gaining all possible information that might be useful or
interesting. Every arrangement being made, the party was held in readiness
to leave the ships at daylight the following morning.
Tues. 10. Our travellers were favoured by another summer's day on the 10th, not a
breath of wind stirring, and the atmosphere being extremely clear and free
from clouds. INlr. Henderson being sent to Amherst Island to examine the ice
along its northern shore, where we hrst hoped to see some alteration, reported
on his return, that he had observed a crack extending from the western end
of the island across towards the northern shore of the Strait, which we
hoped might form a new line of separation just about to take place. In the
evening two of Lieutenant Reid's party returned on board with a note,
informing me that one of the men being taken ill, that officer had judged
it prudent immediately to send him back with one of his shipmates to take
care of him.

At four P.M. the temperature of the sea-water at the surface was . 29°

At 20 fathoms' depth

55 30 ,, ,,

,1 ^0 ,* ,,

Air in the shade

28^
28
28
32|

the whole being taken by the same mercurial thermometer. The young ice
increased very considerably in consequence of the calm weather and the
unruffled smoothness of the sea, and several sheets of it drifting in towards
the floe completely froze the ships in for the time, our rudders being im-
movcably set fast. This night was one of the clearest I ever saw, the hea-
Wed. 11. venly bodies shining with uncommon brilliancy, and was succeeded on the
llth by another lovely day, similar to the three preceding ones. The tem-
perature of the sea-water at the surface was

at 10 A.M.

at 7.30 P.M.

0

2SJ .

0

. . 2Si

At 20 fathoms' depth

2Si .

. 281

5. 30 „

28

. . 21

55 40

2S .

. . 28

51 55 „ „

21

. 28

Air in the shade .

2Si . ,

. 2G1

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 345

In the morning experiments, however, the temperature of the surface, as \^^-
given above, was taken on the starboard side, on which a bright siln had v^»,^
been shining for several hours ; whereas, on the larboard or shady side the
water was at the temperature of 30'', or a degree and a quarter warmer. A
party of the Hecla's people, sent by Captain Lyou to Amherst Island, were
fortunate in killing a deer.

An easterly breeze, though a very light one, served consid^rably toThur. 12.
widen the crack in the ice before seen to the Avestward ; and, as the floe
had certainly not moved in our neighbourhood, a hope was excited that
there must be some room to the wc-tward to have allowed a separation to
take place. We therefore anxiously looked for a strong easterly wind, as the
most probable means of at length clearing a passage through the Strait.
The weather continued remarkably mild and pleasant, and some thawing
was going on during the day. Our hunting parties were again sent on shore
to the island, but without success.

Just before daylight on the 13th the floe suddenly broke between the two Frid. IX
ships, and we were for some time in hopes that a general change was
about to take place in our favour, as we could soon after perceive a good
deal of open water immediately to the westward of the ice to which the
ships were attached. We found, however, as the day broke, that no
alteration had taken place near us but the separation of a considerable
mass near the island, leaving no passage whatever into the open water
seen beyond. The llccla, happening to be fast to the broken mass, was
obliged to make all sail, to stem a current that carried her with it some dis-
tance to the eastward. So far however was this current from being percep-
tible on or near the surface that, on making several trials, a superficial
set, occasioned by an easterly breeze, was uniformlv found in an opposite
direction.

The latitude of our present station was 69° 48' 10" ; the longitude, by chro-
nometers, 83° 29' 27"; the variation of the magnetic needle 89° 18" 19"; and
the dip, as obtained by Mr. Fisher, 88° 21' 21". The view of the Strait from
this position was calcidated to impress us with the idea of its being a mag-
nificent passage into the Polar Sea, especially on one of the clear and cloud-
less days which we had lately enjoyed. One of the most striking features
of this truly polar landscape is that which is presented by the snow-capped
mountains of Cockburn Island, to the north-west of the ships, the highest
of which Mr. Fisher determined, by accurate trigonometrical measurement.

344 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

J, • to be one thousand tour lunidrcd and ibrtv-scvcn feet above the level of the
Sept. _ •'

sea. The tops of these mountains have a smoothly-rounded outline ; and as
they wore covered with snow for about one-foiirtli downwards from their
summits as early as the 18th of August, when we first discovered them from
the narrows, it is probable that they had been so during the whole summer.
To the eastward of these tlic land becomes mucli more rugged thougli con-
siderably lower; and in every part there appeared to be a space of shelving
ground next the sea, like that over which Lieutenant Ucid wtis now j)ur-
suing his journey.

The appearance of Amherst Island also is remarkable on account of the
materials of which it is composed, which, unless covered with snow, pre-
sent an aspect singularly dark, and allbrding a striking contrast with the
surrounding lands. It was curious indeed to observe that, as if determined
to preserve this singularity, the snow was always first dissolved upon this
island, which, even on some very cold days, contrived to throw off its fleecy
mantle when no other shore was uncovered, which circumstance may per-
haps be in part attributed to the colour as well as to the other qimlities of
the rocks. The geological character of Amherst Island, wliich 1 had not
myself an opportunity of visiting, differs from any we have hitherto met
with. I am happy therefore in availing myself of the following extracts
from the journals of Captain Lyon and Mr. Edwards, who walked over
various parts of the island, and have been kind enough to furnish me with
these notices.

" The beach on which wc landed," says Captain Lyon, " was flat, and
entirely covered with minute scales of black slate, and the whole of the
northern side of the island that I visited consists of the same substance,
lying in lamina; wliich are loose and easily detached, those near the surface
being for the most part curiously fluted, or having small rounded ridges of a
finger's breadth running in parallel lines across them. From the ajjpearance
of the ground where some broad chasms lay open, one of the seamen who
accompanied me, and had been brought up in a coal country, wsis led to
observe that he had no doubt of that mineral existing here, a short distance
below the surface ; but, after a narrow search, no pieces could be discovered.
Towards the centre of the island we found it assume a different aspect, be-
yond aline that may be supposed to intersect it from east to west. The south-
ern half was covered in many places with small amorphous masses of clay and

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 345

limestone, and some low swampy places were thinly clothed with shrivelled 1822.
grass and moss ; while on the northern or slaty side we could perceive no ^^ '
signs of vegetation. On coasting the beach to return to the boat, we passed
the remains of two Esquimaux circles of stones apparently long forsaken, as
no bones were found near them, and they were partly buried in the slaty
beach.

" Near the place at which Mr. Ross was stationed to observe the tides, I
found a most fairy-like grotto in a small cliff of black and rugged slate,
through which the water as it oozed had formed most brilliant icy stalactites,
five or six feet in length. These hung across the front of the cave in a
variety of fanciful forms over a small basin, which was frozen as smooth as
the most polished mirror. The sun shone full but powerless on the silvery
icicles, which formed a brilliant contrast to the deep ebon shade of the
cave behind them. The whole appearance of this little spot was of the
most delicate and novel description, and I felt that neither by pen nor pencil
could I do it justice.

" The base of Amherst Island," Mr. Edwards observes, " is an argilla-
ceous schist of various qualities, from a very fine and soft to a compact
coarse variety, which answers to the greywacke schist of geologists.
The kinds alternate with each other, and those of intermediate quality
are remarkable for having the surfaces of the lamina; divided into pa-
rallel longitudinal beds, by narrow but deeply impressed lines, such as may
be seen in very coarse pastry. In some specimens these lines are inter-
sected by others at right angles, forming small quadrilateral and elliptic ele-
vations. One side only of the laminae, in some varieties, is so impressed,
while in others both sides are similar ; in this latter case the lines on one
side coincide with those on the other. Flat circular depressions are also
seen occasionally upon the surface, but I did not notice any organic remains.

" The more elevated ridges of the island arc formed of the disintegrating
remains of a super-incumbent stratum of compact limestone. It is hard and
sonorous, internally of a dark greyish blue colour ; externally, where ex-
posed to air or moisture, deeply ferruginous. It docs not burn into quick
lime, but contains minute veins of calc-spar, and corresponds with the calc
of Kirwan. Worn blocks of sandstone, granite, gneiss, and other quartzose
rocks, ai"e scattered over the surface of the island."

The observations made by Mr. Ross upon the tides, together with those
upon the set of the stream in the offing, are comprised in the following
Table :— 2 Y

Tide-Table at A

MIItUST

Island.

D.y.

1822.

Time.

Tide by the
Shore.

Set

of tbc Stream in llic OlTing.

Wind
very
liglit
from

H. M.

A.M. or
P.M.

Rose.

Fell.

Hoar.

A.M. or
P.M.

Fury's Ob-
servations.

fUlc per' Hecla's Ob-
Hour. 1 servations.

Rale per
Hour.

Sept.

from 1

1
[■A.M.

ft. In.

Fu lu.

1

A.M.

South

Mi|e».

4

Muc».

North.

to

2.0

5

)9

s.w.

1
2

8.20

C

}J

do.

\

East.

7

Jf

do.

1
1

Westward

i

8.20

J" • '

8

.'»

do.

1

4

do.

to

I.O

9

fy

S.b.W.

I
tl

none.

10.30

10

3>

none.

none.

9th,

11

a

none.

none.

..

10. Si)

1 A.M.
P.M.

noon

—

none.

none.

to

2.5i

1

P.M.

S.W,

-I

N.W.

i

5

2

,,

West.

3

N.W.

1

2

5 to

5. SO

JP.M.

Statioi]

ary.

S
4

>j

W.N.W.

E.SE.

b

X
6

none,
none.

5.30

1 P.M.

5.20

,,

AV.b.N.

i

2

W.b.N.

to

.

7.35

C

..

S.W.

I

2

Calm.

2

. A.M.

8

•»

W.b.N.

1

3

•

2 to
2.15

|a.m.

Station

ary

4

5
6

A.M.

W.S.AV.

S.W.b.W.
do.

t

2

i

i

Calm.
North.

2.15

1

[■A.M.

7

J?

do.

i

N.W.

to

e.u

8

Ji

do.

i

10

9

yj

S.W.

1

10

Jf

W.b.S.

i

10th,

10
to

1 A.M.

0.10^

11
noon

1

none.
S.W.

1
8

>. 4

noon

1.10

P.M.

West.

\

noon
to

J P.M.

1.5

2
3

39

S.W.
do.

1

6.25

4.15

*y

N.W.

i

6.25

1 P.M.
J A.M.

5

i}

do.

i

to

n.lJ^

6

?j

W.N.W.

1

3.30

7

'>

N.E.

i

S.W.

3.30

1

to

I A.M.

6.6

..

11. .SO

-

••

llth,

11.30

to
11.50

wate

r still rising.

O.li

••

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 347

Gn the I4th, while an easterly breeze continued, the water increased ^}'^'^-

. Sept.

rery much in breadth to the westward of the fixed floe to which we were v-»-y-»j
attached ; several lanes opening out, and leaving in some places a channel
not less than three miles in width. At two P.M. the wind, suddenly shifting
to the westward, closed up every ojien space in the course of a few hours,
leaving not a drop of water in sight from the masthead in that direction.
To this however we had no objection ; for being now certain that the ice was at
liberty to move in the western part of the Strait, we felt confident that if once
our present narrow barrier were also detached, the ordinary changes of wind
and tide would inevitably aftbrd us opportunities of making progress. When
a body of ice has once broken from the land and found some room to move
about, the case is seldom a hopeless one ; but the kind of hermttkal-sealing
which we had lately witnessed leaves, while it lasts, no resource but pa-
tience, and watchfulness. The westerly wind was accompanied by fine
snow which continued during the night, rendering the weather extremely
thick, and our situation consequently very precarious should the ice give
way during the hours of darkness.

The recent separation of the ice to the westward, while it kept alive our Sun. 15.
hopes of soon proceeding on our w^ay, made us also at this moment some-
what apprehensive lest Lieutenant Reid and his party might, in their return
to the ships, be caught upon it while it was adrift, and escape our observa-
tion during tlie thick weather or in the nisrht. It was therefore with arreat
satisfaction that, at four P.M. on the loth, we discovered our travellers upon
the ice. A fresh party being despatched to meet and^to relieve them of their
knapsacks. Lieutenant Reid arrived safely on board at seven P.lNl., having
by a quick and most satisfactory journey, ascertained the immediate junction
of the Strait of the Fury and Hecla with the Polar Sea. Lieutenant Reid's
account, which is here subjoined, weis accompanied by an accurate plan of
the Strait, drawn by Mr. Bushnan, and constructed by a series of triangles
extending considerably to the eastward of the Narrows, and thence carried
on to Igloolik.

LIEUTENANT REID'S ACCOUNT.

" At daylight on the 10th, the weather being remarkably fine, I left the lo.
Fury with my party, and on our journey towards the land found the walking

2 Y 2

348 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

extremely good, the late frost having filled up all the holes and pools upon
the ice. After the first four miles the character of the ice changed from the
rough and ' hummocky ' kind to a smooth level floe, and this continued the
whole way to the land, except that in its immediate neighbourhood it was
much broken up and detached ; which occasioned us much difliculty and
some wetting in getting lo the beach. One of the Hecla's men having been
taken ill about this time I determined to send him back to the ships without
delay, and directed one of his shipmates to accompany and take care of
him. This reduction of our number considerably increasing the loads of tl;e
rest of the party, one day's provision was deposited at the landing-place,
and with the remainder we set out to the westward.

" From one till four P.M. we walked nine miles over excellent ground for
travelling, and then obtained sights for the chronometer, giving the longitude
83° 58' 30" ; after w-hich we again moved forw-arl, and having advanced six
miles in a direction a little to the ncuthward of west, halted and pitched the
tent for the night. The land over whi^h we had this day travelled is prin-
cipally composed of sandstone, with here and there a piece of granite. In
the course of tlic day Ave passed the stones of an Esquimaux summer
habitation, arranged as usual in a circular form, but it did not appear of
recent date. The ice in the Strait still presented the same unbroken sur-
face as that seen from the ship^, except quite close in-shorc, wliore it was
detached by the action of the tides. We also observed a few narrow lanes of
water here and there running into the floe, but they extended only a short
distance from the land. .
]l_ " At five A.M. on the 1 1th, we re-commenced our walk to the westward,

and at seven came to a ravine with a rapid run of water, which we crossed
after a little detention, and stopped to breakfast one mile to the westward of
it. Again proceeding at nine o'clock, we continued our walk till noon,
when we halted to obtain the meridian altitude, which gave the latitude
70° 00' 05", and soon after setting forward again, pitched our tent for the
night at half-past six P.M. our day's journey being estimated at thirteen miles
in a W.i,N. direction. We could here perceive that the opposite or main-
land gradually trended to the southward, leaving a broad entrance into the
Western Sea, though covered with even and apparently unbroken ice. The
weather being clear afforded us an extensive prospect to the westward, and
we could now perceive that a bluff near the north shore, which had before
appeared insular, formed in reality the northern point of the entrance, and

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 34&

I named it Cape Hallowell, out of respect to Vice-Admiral Sir Benjamin 1822:
Hallowell. This head-land was joined to Cockburn Island by a piece of ^--v-^
low land not visible at any great distance, and receding considerably so as
to form a fine bay, which I named after Captain William Autridge, of the
Royal Navy. To the southward of Cape Hallowell are several small rocky
islets, and near these, as well as in every other part of the entrance of the
Strait, the ice presented the same unbroken appearance as before.

" At half-past five A.M. on the l-2th, we again set forward, and continuing 12.
our walk till nine o'clock, pitched the tent upon a rising ground, from
whence we commanded a good view around us, and being near the entrance
of an inlet running up to the north-eastward. The opening of the Strait
into the Polar Sea was now so decided, that I considered the principal
object of my journey accomplished ; but being desirous of obtaining obser-
vations at this spot, and the weatlier being cloudy, I determined on remain-
ing a few hours for that purpose. In the mean time Mr. Bushnan and
myself walked up the banks of the inlet, which I named after my friend-
Mr. Thomas Whvte, and found it to extend five or six miles in a north-east
direction, its general breadth being from a mile to a mile and a half. A^
the head of the inlet we found two ravines running into it, and the vegeta-
tion was here more abundant than any I had seen during the voyage. We
saw also the remains of two Esquimaux huts, which Avere old and appeared
to have been winter habitations.

" The sky being still clouded on the morning of the 13th, we set out on 13:
our return to the eastward, from which quarter the wind soon after freshened
up Avith constant snoAV and sleet. At one P.M. on the 14th, we reached our ]4.
landing-place, Avhen we found thai a great alteration had taken place in the
state of the ice, there being now a considerable lane of Avater running oft" in
the direction of the ships, Avhile near the shore some pressure api)eaied to
have taken place. On the folloAving day, Avhen the snoAv ceased falling for 15,
a short time, a still greater change AAas perceptible, there being in-shore a
space of clear Avater extending three miles from east to Avest, and more nu-
merous marks than before of recent pressure. Upon the Avhole, the change
in the state of the ice since our outward journey Avas very striking, and
seemed to aff"ord a hope that the passage of the ships might still be faAoured
by some more extensive movement.

" At half-past eleven A.M., the tide being out so as to faA'our our getting

350 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. upon the ice, we set out for the ships, steering by a pocket-compass, as the
weather was too thick to allow us to see them. Passing several ' lanes ' of
water, one of them of considerable breadth, and observing several places in
which the ice had been thrown up l)y pressure, we came, at hall-past one
P.M. to a broad lane, with the ice in motion on the opposite side. As
the direction of the ships was still uncertain, we halted here to dine, and
obtaining a sight of them soon after, in a clearer intenal, again set out. At
four, the Fury made the signal of having discovered us, and at seven
o'clock, being met by a fresh party, we arrived on board."

^Ir. Bushnau remarked, in the course of this journey, that though in
some places, and particularly at the head of Wliyte Inlet, the vegetation was
remai"kably abundant, yet the plants were singularly backward and dwarfish,
and flowers rare ; Avliich remark was also made by most of our other tra-
vellei-s. The Esquimaux huts at the head of Whyte Inlet, Mr. Bushnan
describes as being one round, and the other rectangular ; the latter, which
Avas the largest, being seven feet in length, and five in breadth. They were
made with large slabs of sandstone, and had every appearance of having
been winter residences.

Sun. 15. The weather continuing very thick with small snow, and there being now
every reason to suppose a iinal disruption of the iixed ice at hand, 1 deter-
mined to provide against the danger to which, at night, this long-wished-for
event would expose the ships, by adopting a plan that had often before oc-
curred to me, as likely to prove beneficial in unknown and critical navigation
such as this. This was nothing more than the establishment of a temporary
light-house on shore during tlu^ night, which, in case of our getting adrift,
would, together with the soundings, afford us that security which the slug-
gish traversing of the compasses otherwise rendered extremely doubtful.
For this puqjose, two steady men, provided with a tent and blankets, were
landed on the east point of Amherst Island at sunset, to keep up some
bright lights during the eight hours of darkness, and to be sent for at daylight

Mon.16. in the morning. On the 10th the north-west wind continued, but no alteration
whatever took place in the ice. Small snoAV was almost constantly falling
during the day, which once more, and permanently for the winter, as it
afterw-ards proved, covered those parts of the land that the late fine weather

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 351

had partially cleared. A number of seals were seen upon the ice, and these '^22.
were all the animals we noticed about this time. Our light-house was again -sl.-Aj
established at sunset.

On the 17th, the wind freshened almost to a gale from the north-west, with Tues.
thicker and more constant snow than before. The thermometer fell to 163°
at six A.M., rose no higher than 20° in the course of the day, and got down
to 12" at night, so that the young ice began now to form about us in great
quantities. The danger of our being seriously hampered, should the ice
come adrift in the night, being much increased by this new annoyance,
which we well knew to be the certain symptom of approaching winter, it
became absolutely necessary to move somewhere out of the way. We there-
fore cast off and stood a little within the east point of Amherst Island, where
a good birth was found along-side another floe of land-ice, and sheltered by
the island from any thing coming up the Strait from the westward. The
Fury was set fast by the young ice in the course of the night, which proved
clearer than was expected, with a faint appearance of the Aurora Borealis in
the N.N.W. quarter.

Appearances had now become so much against our making any further
progress this season, as to render it a matter of very serious consideration
whether we ought to risk being shut up during the winter, in the middle of
the Strait, where, from whatever cause it might proceed, the last year's ice was
not yet wholly detached from the shores ; and where a fresh formation had
already commenced, which there was but too much reason to believe would
prove a permanent one. It has been seen by what gradual steps our informa-
tion was obtained respecting the Strait now before us, how frequent were the
delays, and how insurmountable the obstacles we had to encounter; and,
though no account, however detailed, can convey an adequate idea of the
anxiety with which each scrap of information wa-^ sought after and received,
or the daily and hourly mortincation attendant on each fresh delay, the fore-
going narrative is, perhaps, sufficient to shew that it was not without consider-
able mental solicitude, as well as physical exertion, that we had effected even
thus far our passage to the westward. In proportion to the labour and disap-
pointments which the attainment of this object had cost us, was the reluc-
tance I felt in admitting even a thought of its abandonment ; and as long as
the weather continued open, I always ventured to cherish a belief that some
favourable alteration might yet occur. Now, however, that the frost was
hourly at work in re-connecting, by numberless links, the " older " masses.

352 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. ^ijose partial separation liad lately excited o\ir hopes, it seemed scarcely
^ reasonable any longer to entertain an expectation of such a change as could
essentially promote our ultimate object. Had we, indeed, succeeded in
getting fairly through the Strait, and then found no more than the ordiiian/
obstacles of these seas to contend with, I could not have had a moment's
hesitation in continuing to push on to the last hour of the navigable season ;
taking our chance, as usual, of then linding a place of security for our win-
ter-quarters. But the prospect now before us offering no such encourage-
ment, it a])pearcd more prudent to regulate our proceedings according to
<*xisting circiunstances, and rather to moderate our views for the present,
than by an ill-timed j)ersevcrance to interfere with our hopes for the future.
It would undoubtedly have been interesting at this period of the voyage, to
have known whether the unfavourable state of the ice during the late sum-
mer was merely the result of an unusually bad season, or the effect of some
more permanent and local cause, rendering the navigation of this passage
equally impracticable in the general average of years. Without however at
present entering into that question, which it would require the experience of
several seasons to determine, and to which I shall have some future occasion
to revert, it is now only necessary to remark that in whatsoever state the ice
might here be found in the ensuing summer, there appeared no reason for
supposing our object would be furthered by wintering in the middle of the
Strait ; because its eastern entrance being certainly the lust to be cleared, it
would be an easy matter to regain our present advanced j^osition in a few
hours after that clearance should take place. On the other hand, supposing
the ice to remain unbroken till the same period next season, (and it was not
easy to get over the impression that what had hajipened one year would in all
probability happen the next,) our wintering in the Strait involved the cer-
tainty of being frozen up for eleven months, — a sickening prospect under
any circumstances, but in the present instance probably fatal to our best hopes
and expectations.

With the conviction of these unpleasant truths reluctantly forced upon my
mind, I considered it my duty to assist my own judgment at this crisis by
calling for the opinions of the senior officers of the Expedition. With this
view therefore I addressed a letter to Captain Lyon and Lieutenants Hoppner
and Nias respectively, directing their attention to the principal circumstances
of our present situation, and requesting their advice as to the measures most
^proper to be pursued for the successful prosecution of our enterprise.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 353

The officers agreeing with mc in opinion as to the expediency of our not ^^'^'^^
risking a detention in the Strait during the winter, I determined, on the v.*-.-^
grounds before detailed, no longer to postpone our departure, if indeed, as ^'""^- '^■
there was some reason to think, it had not already been delayed too long. I
therefore directed a memorandum to be read on board each ship, acquainting
the officers and men with my views as above stated, and also expressing my
intention to employ whatever time might yet remain of the present season, in
the examination of the coastofCockburn Island to the northward and eastward.
In the event of making little progress in that direction, I proposed looking
out for .some situation in the neighbourhood of Igloolik that might affijrd se-
curity to the ships during the winter, and by ensuring an early release in the
spring, allow us at least the liberty of choosing to what part of the coast our
efforts should then be directed. I gladly availed myself of this opportunity
to offer my best thanks so justly due to the officers and men under my com-
mand, for their zealous and unremitted exertions during the two seasons that
had passed ; and it was scarcely necessary to remind the ships' companies of
the necessity of continuing to the last those praiseworthy efforts, on which
the ultimate accomplishment of our enterprise might still depend.

The young ice had now formed so thick about the Fury, that it became
rather doubtful whether we should get her out without an increase of wind to
assist in extricating her, or a decrease of cold. At ten A.M. however we be-
gan to attempt it, but by noon had not moved the ship more than half her own
length. As soon as we had reached the outer point of the floe, in a bay of
which we had been lying, we had no longer the means of applying a force
from without and, if alone, should therefore have been helpless at least for a
time. The Hecla however being fortunately unencumbered, in consequence
of having lain in a less sheltered place, sent her boats with a hawser to the
margin of the young ice ; and ours being carried to meet it by men walking
upon planks at considerable risk of going through, she at length succeeded
in pulling us out ; and getting into clear water or rather into less tough ice, at
three P.M. we shaped a course to the eastward. At seven o'clock, it being too
late to run through the narrows, we anchored for the night in ten fathoms,
near the east end of Liddon Island, where we lay without disturbance.

Although the thermometer remained at 11° most of the night, little or no Tues.'20.
young ice had formed about the ships by daylight on the following morning.
This circumstance, which it may be practically useful to explain, arose from
the newly-formed sheets immediately drifting away from the land, on which

2 z

354 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. account, though the freezing process is constantly going on, a weather shore
is frequently the clearest, when no other part of the sea is free from young
ice. The latter part of this fact became evident soon after our getting under
way, the whole of the night's formation of ice having been drifted down and
stopped at the narrows ; producing so impenetrable a barrier that, at seven
A.M., the Fury was altogether stopped by it, and the Hecla coming up astern,
in half an hour afterwards. Boats were immediately got under the bows,
and every other means resorted to that we could devise, to break the young
ice ahead of the ships, but sometimes to no purpose for two hours together.
The ice was just in that state in which there is no such thing as operating
upon it ; too thick to allow a ship to be forced through it, too tough for regu-
lar sawing,. and yet dangerous for men to walk upon. To get a boat her own
length through it would occupy a dozen men a quarter of an hour, and that
by standing in the water the whole time, and after all without being able to
make a channel for the ship. When a vessel is thus stopped, provided the ob-
stacle does not exceed a certain strength, and the wind is favourable at the
time, there is nothing so effectual in forcing her ahead as what is technically
called " sallying," which consists in the men suddenly running from side to
side of the deck, thus causing the ship to roll and relieve herself from the.
friction and adhesion of the young ice against her bends. It is astonishing
indeed to see how immediately a progressive motion is sometimes thus im-
parted to a ship, when all other and more laborious means have failed in ad-
vancing her a single inch.

While thus employed during the forenoon, avc began to perceive about
half-past ten that the ships were driving back with a tide setting from the
eastward, which gradually increased in strength, and occasioned us to lose
one or two miles of ground while struggling to extricate the ships from the
ice. At three P.M. we at length got clear, and in passing Cape Ossory at
five found the tide slack, it being now low water by the .shore. From this
concluding observation on the tides in this part of the Strait of the Fury
and Hecla, as well as from all our preceding remarks, and especially the
more regular ones of Mr. Crozier already given, I believe there can be
little doubt that the flood-tide here comes from the westward. That there
is besides this, during a great part of the summer, a permanent current
setting from the same direction is also sufficiently apparent ; and the joint
effects of these two causes appear to account satisfactorily for the various
irregularities observed, as mcU in the set of the stream as in the rise and

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 355

fall of the water by the shore. The natural inference with respect to the ^^'^'^■
current seemed at the time to be, that it is occasioned by the annual melt- v.*-,-w
ing of the snows upon the shores of the Polar Sea, for which this Strait
affords the only outlet leading to the southward, within perhaps some hun-
dreds of miles ; and this supposition appeared the more reasonable from the
circumstance of the current having just now ceased, when the streams from
the land were once more arrested by the frost of approaching winter. It
must however be confessed, that this conjecture will not hold good with
respect to the current at Winter Island, where it was generally found to be
setting to the southward throughout the whole of the winter.

After clearing the narrows we ran down a few miles and then hove to for
the night, which proved dark and squally, the wind having increased and
veered more to the southward. The hours of darkness, in a confined and
little-known navigation, are always anxious ones ; but our situation was
to-night rendered still more critical, by the compasses being affected some-
what in the same manner as described on the morning of the 26th of August,
and in a situation from three to five miles to the southward of the same spot.
What the amount of the change was, the darkness prevented our deter-
mining ; but it could not have been less than six or seven points, as was
ascertained about the time of our heaving to, by the bearing of the Hecla
astern of us, without which guide we should have imputed it to an alteration
in the wind. We kept however in deep water during the night, and at
daylight on the 2 1st made all sail along Cockburn Island on which the wind Sat. -21.
now directly blew. No ice was here seen to oppose our progress except
some broad streams of " pancake-ice ;" but it being impossible to run down
on a dead lee-shore to carry on the proposed examination, I made a tack to
fetch Tern Island and anchored under its lee for the night in thirteen
fathoms, at the distance of a mile from the shore. The island was now
so covered with snow that it might easily be mistaken for a floe of heavy
ice till closely approached. A number of sea-horses were seen here, and
Captain Lyon struck some of them, but was prevented securing them by
their taking to the young ice, through which the boats could not make their
way.

At break of day on the 22d we weighed and stood to the north-eastward, Sun. ■22.
with the intention of proceeding in the further examination of the shores of
Cockburn Island. The wind, however, freshened up so suddenly from the
S.E.b.S., that it was impossible to make any progress ; and at half-past eight

2 z i

3i6 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. A.M., lindins: the weather still bcconiins; worse, I determined to run back to

Sept. ' n a '

Tern Island, where alone we knewof any shelter during the approaching bad

weather. A fresh gale almost immediately coming on, with a considerable
sea and very thick snow, it was for some time doubtful whether we should
be able to find the little spot we were in search of. Discovering it at length
under our lee appearing like a long white cloud upon the horizon, we bore
up to run round the reefs by which it is encompassed, and which may be
perceived at a considerable distance by the whiteness of the water. Every
seaman will be aware of the difficulty of choosing an anchorage in a gale of
wind, and upon a coast so little known as to render extreme caution neces-
sary in approaching it. To these difficulties however must be added, in the
present instance, the extreme smallness of the island, which afforded so little
lee that, to use an expression of the seamen, it was like " anchoring under
the point of a needle." On the other hand it was requisite for the leading
ship to keep sufficient sail set to the last moment, to ensure gaining anchor-
age, which once lost would have placed us in a situation of extreme danger
during the ensuing dark and tempestuous night. The consequence was that
though the Fury's sails were clewed up and furled with the utmost alacrity,
the strain proved too heavy for the anchor, which after bringing the ship
nearly head to wind, began again to drag along the ground. The chain
cable being then veered to seventy fathoms, she was at length brought up,
being in five fathoms and a half and close to some grounded masses of ice
lying upon the reefs ; but we had every reason, notwithstanding this, to sup-
pose that all was not right with the anchor. The Hecla having the Fury as
a guide came to in a good birth a little outside of us.
Mon. 2.3. The gale now continued to increase, and a good deal of swell setting into
our roadstead incommoded us less by the additional strain thus put upon
the anchors, than by the numerous heavy masses of ice that it served to lift
off the ground, and which driving past the ships occasioned them some
heavy shocks during this inclement night. We rode the gale out however
quite securely, and on the morning of the 23d had once more a moderate
breeze, though with continued snow. Advantage was taken of this change
to shift our births a little further out, in case of the wind coming upon the
shore, when our conjectures respecting the Fury's anchor were disagreeably
verified by its coming to the bows with only one fluke. Having now but a
single serviceable anchor on deck, the launch was hoisted out and one re-
ceived from the Hecla. The wind shifted to the westward soon after we had

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 357

moved ; and the island now affording us no shelter and the night being toler- \^'^'^-
ably clear and fine, we weighed after dark, to avoid incurring further damage -^^r^j
to our ground tackle, in which our losses had already been serious ones.

The time had now arrived when I could no longer consider it prudent to Tues. 24.
venture the ships at sea; for with ten hours of darkness in the four-and-
twenty, a low temperature, and at times a considerable sea, it may readily
be supposed that our situation was one of almost constant and unavoidable
danger. Besides, on an unknown coast such as that I had purposed to ex-
amine, it occupies nearly one-half of a short day in looking out for ancho-
rage for the ensuing night, and that perhaps after all affording no security
to the ships, with much risk to the ground-tackle. These considerations
appeared to me so important, and the probability so small of effecting any
thing that could eventually promote our main object, that I determined on
running the ships over to Igloolik, before the strong autumnal equinoctial
gales usual in these regions should come on. Making sail therefore for
the island, we discovered it at half-past ten A.M., though such was the dif-
ficulty of distinguishing this from Neerlo-nakto, or either from the main-land,
on account of the snow that covered them that, had it not been for the Es-
(juimaux huts, we should not easily have recognised the place. At noon we
arrived ofi" the point where the tents had first been pitched, and were imme-
diately greeted by a number of the Esquimaux, who came running down to
the beach, shouting and jumping with all their might. The soundings,
tliough regularly decreasing, are shoal oft' this point ; and the Fury in standing
in shoaled the water to four fathoms and a half, at the distance of half a mile ;
l)ut by keeping out a little, and proceeding with caution along the south
shore of the island, we deepened to twenty, and being then led more oft'
the land, found no bottom with the hand-leads. Making a tack towards the
island we again came into regular soundings ; and at half-past two P.M. an-
chored in ten fathoms on a muddy bottom at the distance of two-thirds of a
mile from the shore.

As soon as we had anchored I went on shore, accompanied by several of
the officers, to pay the Esquimaux a visit, a crowd of them meeting us as
usual on the beach and greeting us with every demonstration of joy. They
seemed disappointed that we had not reached Akkoolee, for they always re-
ceive with eagerness any intelligence of their distant country-people. Many
of them, and Toolemak among the number, frequently repeated the expres-
sions, " Ou-yak Na-o ! " (no summer,) " Took-too Na-o ! " (no rein-deer,) which

358 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

we considered at the time as some confirmation of our own surmises respecting
the badness of the past summer. When we told them we were come to win-
ter among them, they expressed very great and doubtless very sincere de-
light, and even a few cor/ennas (thanks) escaped them on the first communica-
tion of this piece of intelligence.

Wc found these people already established in their winter residences,
which consisted principally of the huts before described, but modified in
various ways both as to form and materials. The roofs, which were wholly
wanting in the summer, were now formed by skins stretched tight across from
side to side. This, however, as we soon afterwards found, was only a prepara-
tion for the final winter covering of snow, and indeed many of the huts were
subsequently lined in the same way within, the skins being attached to the
sides and roof by slender threads of whalebone, disposed in large and re-
gular stitches. Before the passages already described, others were now
added from ten to fifteen feet in length, and from four to five feet high,
neatly constructed of large flat slabs of ice cemented together by snow and
water. Some huts also were entirely built of this material, of a rude circular
or octangular form, and roofed with skins like the others. The light and
transparent effect within these singular habitations gave one the idea of be-
ing in a house of ground-glass, and their newness made them look clean,
comfortable, and wholesome. Not so the more substantial bone huts, which,
from their extreme closeness and accumulated filth, emitted an almost insup-
portable stench, to which an abundant supply of raw and half-putrid walrus
flesh in no small degree contributed. The passages to these are so low as to
make it necessary to crawl on the hands and knees to enter them ; and the
floors of the apartments were in some so steep and slippery, that we could
with difficulty pass and repass, without the risk of continually falling among
the fiUh with which they were covered. These Avere the dirtiest because the
most durable of any Esquimaux habitations we had yet seen, and it may be
supposed they did not much improve during the winter. Some bitches with
young were very carefully and conveniently lodged in small square kennels,
made of four upright slabs of ice covered with a fifth, and having a small
hole as a door in one of the sides. The canoes were also laid upon two
slabs of this kind, like tall tomb-stones standing erect; and a quantity of
spare slabs lying in dilFcrent places gave the ground an appearance somewhat
resembling that of a statuary's yard. Large stores of walrus' and seals'
flesh, principally the former, were deposited under heaps of stones all about

y

'■- Sj
>

1 r • :?= •

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u

■ tJ

^^"f°iTfi*

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 359

the beach and, as we afterwards found, in various other parts of the island, "^■^■^•
which shewed that they had made some provision for the winter though, ^^
with their enormous consumption of food, it proved a very inadequate
one.

The breeze continuing fresh from the westward, with clear weather, the Wed. ss.
thermometer fell to 12° on the morning of the 25th. Being desirous of ascer-
taining, as soon as possible, in what situation it would be expedient to place
the ships for the winter, several boats were despatched to sound along the
shore ; when I found that the only spot likely to afford shelter, or even any
near approach to the land, was within a point called Oong-alooydt, at the en-
trance of a fine bay about two miles to the westward of our present anchor-
age. The young ice now covered the whole surface of the sea like floating
honey, the breeze not allowing it to become solid ; and, towards night, the
wind shifting to the eastward, soon raised the temperature too high for any
fresh formation of that kind. I determined, therefore, Avithout loss of time,
to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by this change, to run to the
westward in a boat as far as the fixed ice would permit ; and, if soon
stopped by that obstacle, to cross upon it to the main-land, and endeavour to
clear up the mystery respecting Khemig, which had cost us so many spe-
culations and conjectures.

Leaving the Fury at seven A.M. on the 26th, and being favoured by aThiir.2ti.
fresh easterly breeze, we soon cleared the south-west point of Igloolik ; and
having passed the little island of Ooglidghioo, immediately perceived to the
W.N.W. of us a group of islands, so exactly answering the description of
Coxe's Group, both in character and situation, as to leave no doubt of our
being exactly in Captain Lyon's former track. Being still favoured by the
wind, and by the total absence of fixed ice, we reached the islands at eleven
A.M., and after sailing a mile or two among them, came at once in sight of
the two bluffs forming the passage pointed out by Toolemak and then sup-
posed to be called Khemig. The land to the north called by the Esquimaux
Khiadlaghioo we now found to be, as we had before conjectured, the southern
shore of Richards' Bay ; and its extreme point to the eastward I subse-
quently named, by Lieutenant Nias's request, Cape M.-vtthew Smith, after
Captain Matthew Smith, of the Royal Navy. The land on our left, or
to the southward, proved an island, live miles and a quarter in length, of
the same bold and rugged character as the rest of this numerous group,
and by far the largest of them all. To prevent the necessity of reverting

360 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

'822. to tiiis subject I may at once add, that two or three months after this,
on laying before Ewerat our own chart of the whole coast, in order to

obtain the Esquimaux names, we discovered that the island just mentioned
was called Khemig, by which name Ormond Island was also distinguished ; the
word expressing in the Esquimaux language any thing stopping up the
mouth of a place or narrowing its entrance, and applied also more familiarly
to the cork of a bottle or a plug of any kind. And thus were reconciled all
the apparent inconsistencies respecting this hitherto mysterious and incom-
prehensible word, which had occasioned us so much perplexity.

After landing to dine upon one of the islands of which, from first to last,
we counted nearly one hundred, we again made sail and, running between
the bluffs, which are half a mile apart, continued our course in rather a
wider channel than before though still among islands. At half-past three
we were stopped by a floe of fixed ice stretching entirely across the
passage, and the weather now becoming thick wrth small snow, we landed and
pitched the tent for the night ; not, however, till I had recognised on the left
hand or main-land the remarkable cliff described in my former journey,
by which circumstance we were assured of being near the little inlet then
discovered.
Frid. 27. At daylight on the 27th, we crossed to a small island at the margin of the
ice ; and leaving the boat there in charge of the coxswain and two of the
crew, Mr. Ross and myself, accompanied by the other two, set out across the
ice at seven A.M. to gain the main-land, with the intention of determining
the extent of the inlet by walking up its southern bank. After an hour's
good travelling we landed at eight A.M., and had scarcely done so when we
found ourselves at the very entrance, being exactly opposite the place from
which Mr. Richards and myself had obtained the first view of the inlet.
The patch of ice on which we had been walking, and which was about three
miles long, proved the only remains of last year's formation; so forcibly had
nature struggled to get rid of this before the commencement of a fresh
winter.

We found this land similar to Igloolik in its geological character, being
composed of limestone in schistose fragments ; but in some parts, even for a
mile or two together, covered with herbage the most extensive and luxuriant
1 have ever seen near this latitude. Here and there occurred a little pile as
it were of the fragments of limestone, lying horizontally as if arranged by
art, and projecting a fcAv feet above the surface of the ground. The sides of

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 361

several small rising banks presented a similar disposition, but I did not notice ]^"^-
any boulders of harder substances resting upon any of them, nor indeed could .^^y~^
we find a single specimen of any other mineral than limestone. Walking
quickly to the Avestward along this shore, which afforded excellent tra-
velling, we soon perceived that our business was almost at an end, the
inlet terminating a very short distance beyond where I had first traced it,
the apparent turn to the northward being only that of a shallow bay.
To make quite sure, however, I sent Mr. Ross on v\ ith one of the men,
to walk to the head of it, while I with the other turned off to examine the
cliff-land to the southward. AVc found the slope of this to be composed as
was conjectured, of the dtbris falling from the perpendicular ridge above,
the whole being limestone without a single exception that we could discover.
The slope making an angle of about 60° with a horizontal line, and being in
some parts covered with snow, we with difficulty ascended it ; but found the
upper ridge wholly iin])ractical)le on account of the snow overhanging the
summit. The height of the perpendicular rock, which lies in broad hori-
zontal strata, is from twenty to thirty feet, the whole cliff" being about one
hundred and eighty above the level of the other ground. At the bottom of
the slope lay numerous heavy square blocks' of the limestone ; and upon
these, as well as on some of the smaller fragments, I observed impressions of
fossil-shells.

Having finished my examination of this remarkable piece of land, which
extends between four and five miles in an east and west direction, I went to
meet Mr. Ross ; who reported that, having walked three or four miles to the
westward, he found the inlet terminate about two miles further in that direc-
tion. Having thus completed our ol)ject, we set out on our return, and
reached the boat at three P.i\I. after a walk of twenty miles. The weather
fortunately remaining extremely mild, no young ice was formed to obstruct
our way, and we arrived on board at noon the following day, after an Sat. 28.
examination peculiarly satisfactory, inasmuch as it proved the non-exist-
ence of ani/ water communication with the Polar Sea, however small and
unfit for the navigation of ships, to the southward of the Strait of the Fury
and Hecla. Tlic creek whose extent to the westward we liad lately deter-
mined, I named after Capt.\in John Quilliam of the Royal Navy ; and the
Inlet, of which this is a continuation, was distinguished by the name of
Hooper Inlet, after my friend Mr. Hooper, purser of the Fury.

I found from Captain Lyon on my return that, in consequence of some ice

3 A

362

SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822.
Sept.

coming in near tlic ships, (most probably that which had lately been dis-
lodged from Richards' Bay,) he had shifted them round the point into the
births where it was my intention to place them during the winter ; where
they now lay in from eleven to fourteen fathoms at the distance of three
cables' lengths from the shore.

The point of Ooiiga-looj/at is rendered conspicuous at some distance l)y
fifteen walls of loose stones, disposed in a tolerably regular oval form,
about five feet high, from forty-one to twenty-seven feet in length, and
from thirty-three to eighteen in breadth, the longest diameter being from
north to south. The greater part of these had at their south ends a
kind of recess, and some of them two, as in the annexed figures 1 and
2, the entrance being through a gap in the wall, at c. A smaller oval

North.

of Stones was placed in the middle of the principal one, and had been
used simply for coniining the tent-skins of the Esquimaux, who had left
behind them the usual traces of recent habitation, such as oil, bones and
putrid flesh in abundance. The small central space at s was sunk about
a foot below the level of the ground, and the parts marked b had served as
beds, being raised with flat stones about a foot, and covered with shiuirle.
The use of the principal or outer circles, which differed from any thing Ave
had observed elsewhere, was not at first very obvious to us, but Ewerat and
Togolat one day explained that they Avere only used at the killing of a
whale, on Avhich rare and grand occasion they indulge, it seems, in more
than ordinary festivity and merriment. As far as we could understand their
description of this f6tc, it appears that the whole animal or a principal part

OF A NORTH-WEST PASS AGE. 363

of it is dragged into the enclosure, where some of the men are employed in 1822.
cutting it up and throwing the pieces over the wall to the rest, who stand v,^^^
ready to receive them outside ; Mhile the women range themselves in a
circle around the whale within, and continue singing during the operation.
One of these walls, Avhich was built with more neatness and regularity than
the others, had the inner oval larger in proportion than usual, and consisting
of heavy stones evidently laid as scats. Each of these stmcturcs, (which
were placed at the distance of thirty or forty yards apart,) was the distinct
property of a particular individual ; and had probably, in its turn, been the
seat of feasting and merriment either to the present owner, or those from
whom he had inherited it. The inner circles, however, appeared to be
made use of as common summer habitations, either from the convenience
and superior shelter they afford, or possibly from some superstitious rever-
ence entertained for this particular site. On a rising ground above, were
several large stones set upright in a line three or four hundred yards in
length ; with what intention we did not learn. Most of these people had now
returned to their winter station at the south-east end of the island. A sick
man with his family took up his quarters in our neighbourhood, for the
benefit of medical assistance ; and building a snow-hut near the ships, con-
tinued Mr. Skeoch's patient for a short time, and then joined the rest of tli,c
natives at the village.

The snow continued to fall during most of the 29th, on the evening of Sun. 29.
ivhich day the weather cleared up and the thermometer fell to lo° at mid-
night. Some young ice now formed near us, but for this and the two fol-
lowing days, when the temperature oscillated between 16° and 19°, it was
only of the " pancake " kind, being the softest of any that assumes an ap-
pearance of continuity. From the 2d to the 4th of October, however, when October,
the thermometer fell to 10° during the nights, the ice formed into a more F"d. 4.
solid sheet ; but being kept too constantly in motion by the wind to attach
itself to the land, still drove rapidly past the ships, which easily cut for
themselves a passage, as it were, through it, to the discomfiture only of the
buoys on the anchors, which were frequently pressed under the ice, but
would occasionally, by their buoyancy, force themselves up through some
thin part. The rapidity with which ice will fonn upon the surface of the
sea, even at no very low temperature of the atmosphere, was rendered
particularly apparent by what occurred for several days about this period,
when a continuous sheet, from three quarters of an inch to an inch and

3 A 2

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on beard His Majesty's Sliip
Fury, at Sea, during the Month of Sej-tembcr, lb22.

Day!

i

Place.

Falirpnlieit's
Thermuinetcr.

£ = i

i s =

Barometer.

Prevai
M'ind

ing

s.

Pre%ailing
Weather.

Mnxi-

Mini-

M>-,n.

MnxU

Mini.

IIIUDI.

Mc>.<.

Direction.

\>U...ty.

1

33

0

27

3°. 00

0

28.04

29.91

iiicbM

29.80

iitrhrs

.'9.898

NW

frcsli

cloudy

2 '

34

25

31. St

28.12

29.82

29.00

i'i.72i

NW

stronK & I
squally S

cloudy

3 i

36

21

27.58

27.08

29.83

29.78

29.8I0J

West

modt.

cloudy

i

30

25

27.58

27.17

29.91

29.83

29.883

WbN

modi.

cloudy

5

28

20

27.17

27.21

30.09

29.95

.'9.980

NW

modt.

cloudy

0 I

"o

2(S

10

21.71

27.2.5

29.98

29.84

29.92',

A\'est

modt.

cloudy — snow at times

7

X

28

19

22.92

27.00

29.80

29.72

J9.705

WXW

modt.

clear

S 1

£

33

30

20

25.58

28.10

29.t-2

29.70

29.773

E.SE

light

fine

0

i:

31

19

25.08

27.88

29.85

29.83

29.840

ENE

liKht

fine

10 ■

33

19

25.37

28.33

29.87

29.75

29.820

NM'bW

li^ht

fine

11

3

31

20

20.33

28.09

20.70

29.00

29.050

SE

It.&c;ilm)
at times ji

fine

12

'5

37

23

:«).20

29.83

29 58

29.51

29.54;

ESE

liijlit

hazy

13

'JO

3t

27

30.42

29.58

29.51

29.50

29.502

SE

fresh

hazy

11

^

33

21

27. M

28.40

29.50

29.48

29.4951

ENE

modt.

hazy and smiU snow

15

28

2U

24.23

28.05

20.53

29.45

29.487

NNW

light

hazy— snow at timt s

""•

30i

22

25.83

2S.0S

29.00

29.52

29.502

NW

modt.

cloudy

17

20

12

17.33

27.12

29.73

29.C0

29.042

WNW

fresh

cloudy— snow at time.'!

18

10

11

13.21

27.50

29.78

29.70

29.770

West

light

snow at limes

19

-*

18

11

11.29

27.22

29.?3

29.70

29.705

NW

light

cloudy

20

-t

20

11

18.00

27.61

29.88

29.83

29.850

NW

light

cloudy

21

29

20

25 .8*

28.21

30.02

29. b5

29.930

SEhE

modt.

cloudy

22

29

20

27.60

28.18

30.02

20.72

29.803

SSE

strong

hazy — snow at times

23

28

20

26.92

28.17

29.72

29.63

29.070

SSE

modt.

hazy— soow at times

24

1 Tc

i 28

li

22.25

27.75

29. 81;

29.72

2<.l,818

N-VV

modt.

cloudy

23

1 "^

25

12

18.90

27.45

29.81

29.01

•-'9.730

MNW

modt.

cloudy

26

1 s

; 1

29

27

28.42

; 28.25

29.6-1

.29.62

29.027

ENE

modt.

hazy

27

1 4»

20

27

27 .9C

28.79

29.02

29.60

29.613

ENE

modt.

liazy and snow

28

1 27

19 21.75

28.03

29.73

29.00

29.055

Northerly

modt.

hazy and snow

29

19

15 , 17. 2t

t 27.79

1 29.72

29.05

29.09S

NW

modt.

cloudy — snow at times

30

1

10

17.75

27.95

1

i

29.00

29..',7

29.590

NW

modt.

cloudy

1
1437

+11 t21.1-

1

27.97

30.02

29.15

29.730

1

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 3G5

a halt' in thickness, incessantly drove past the ships. The distance of ^^'''
the land a-head, under which this formation must have commenced, and v-^-r-w'
whicli appeared as though it were itself furnishing an inexhaustible store,
was not more than two miles and a quarter, and the rate at which the ice
came past us varied from a mile to a mile and a half an hour ; so that the
sheet must have been formed of this thickness in the course of two hours
and a half at farthest.

This continued without intermission for two days, the only annoyance
it occasioned being that of preventing our communication with the shore,
where some parties had previously been occupied in cutting turf for the sides
of t!ic house intended to be built as an observatory. On the night of the
4th, however, it began to shew its strength by causing the Hecla to drive
directly in our hawse, but she fortunately brought up just in time to secure
both ships from damage. It therefore became absolutely necessary to move
farther into the bay ; that we might have to encounter " younger " ice, and
thus avoid the risk, which now threatened us, of being driven out to sea for
the winter.

On the 5th, therefore, we commenced this attempt, it being my intention Sat. 5^-
whenever the ice became attached to the land, to cut our way back to the
present station. By dint of great exertion in all the boats, our people suc-
ceeded in rowing out a stream anchor, and laying it down a-hcad of the
Hecla, which was the weathermost ship ; and by this she was enabled before
dark to warp about one-third of a mile farther into the bay. On the follow- Sun. G.
ing day she advanced a little farther by the same means, and then by liaAvsers
run down from her the Fury was moved up to the same station. The ice
had now become much stronger, and the wind falling in the evening, it-
was broken off near us and arrested in its drift, partly perhaps by the
ships themselves which now lay at the edge of the newly-formed floe.
Near the time of sunset this afternoon a splendid parhelion appeared on
eacii side at the distance of 22° 17' from the sun, displaying very rich pris-
matic colours and quite dazzling the eye to look steadfastly at them. A pa-
raselena was also seen, at night, on each side the moon, their angular
distance from that object measuring 23°. The thermometer fell to zero at
midnight and the temperature still farther decreased to —2° on the morning
of the 7th, which kept every thing quiet during the day, and gave us hopes Mon. 7.
that no disruption would again disturb us. The fall of the thermometer to
zero occasioned as usual a considerable condensation of vapour into Mater,

366 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. upon the beams of the lower deck ; but directions bein": ffivcn for corn-
October. * . . . " "
v-^Y>^ mencmg our winter system of ventilation, dryness was restored in less than

three hours after the lightins? of the main-hatchway stove.

Tues. 8. The wind clianging to the south-eiist on the 8th, and soon increasing to a
fresh breeze which shortly raised the tliornionieter to +2j° the ice was once
more set in motion, breaking in all directions, and one sheet doubling under
another wherever a separation had been effected. The wind increasing
and with it the pressure also, the ships were turned round with their sterns
towards the north-west shore of the bay, \ipon which, but for the anchors,
Ave must have been immediately driven. Even these however could not
long sustain the ships against the ice, which from being at lirst only an inch
or two in thickness became in a few hours more than as many feet, by the
long-continued process of one sheet overlaying the other. The Fury soon
drove past the Hecla, the latter happening to rest against a stouter part of
the ice, which for some time held her to windward. The breeze still in-
creasing, the lower yards and top-gallant-masts were struck, and the rudders
kept ready for unshipping, if it should be found necessary : we lay however
tolerably quiet, driving but a little in the course of the night. Notwithstand-
ing the constant motion and dangerous state of the ice during the day, several
of the Esquimaux walked fearlessly, though cautiously, off to tlie ships. Their
method is to go in a line a-head, or by single files, the leader and perhaps one
or two of the others carrying a spear, with which they constantly try the ice
before them, keeping their legs as far asunder as possible so as to bear upon
a large surface, and carefully avoiding the parts that look black. In this
manner, during this and the succeeding day, when I would not on any con-
sideration have ventured a man of ours in a similar situation, did these
people continue to visit us, some women and even children being among the
number.

Ved. 9. On the morning of the 9th, the wind began to freshen to a gale, by which
the ice was again set in motion, and the squeezing and doubling re-com-
menced with fresh violence. In the afternoon the Fury drove rapidly to
the westward but, occasionally holding on, allowed a great deal of ice
to go past her and interpose itself between the ship and the land. As
soon as this had taken place, and the ships were thus secured from the
danger of driving on the beach, we should have been glad to purchase our
anchors, which then became the objects of our greatest solicitude. The
Fury was so closely and constantly hemmed in that, with her, this was

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 3r,7

impracticable ; but an opportunity unexpectedly offering for the Hecla to do 1822.
so, Captain Lyon instantly took advantage of it ; when, to our inexpressible "^"^ ^^'

mortiiication, her anchor was found to have lost both the flukes. There was
scarcely any loss which we could not better have afforded ; and I had every
reason to apprehend that the Fury would incur a similar one ; for the gale
still increasing, her anchor was dragged over the ground nearly a mile with-
out stopping, and at times continued to be so during the night, which proved
a most tempestuous and inclement one.

In the course of the evening, while the ice was driving past the Fury
and fresh separations were almost every moment taking place in it, a little
Esquimaux boy, named Aglooha, about ten years of age, a son of our
patient at the point, found his way along-side, and was very quietly stepping
from one piece of ice to another in order to keep his ground abreast our
gangway. Observing him in this situation, we threw him the bight of a
rope into which he put himself, and was hauled on board. With this indul-
gence he was pleased, not from the idea of having escaped any danger, for
he had certainly never felt apprehension, but because he might see the
ship and pick up something from the Kabloonas.

Towards daylight on the 10th, the ice ceased moving, a great quantity Thur. 10.
being now packed betAveen the ships and the land. The Hecla had been
driven to the westward of the Fury, but both were secure from going on
shore, and our anchor was now once more the sole cause of apprehension.
On its moderating and clearing up in the course of the forenoon, we found
that we had drifted more than a mile and a half from the point of Oonga-
looyat, the station originally selected for the Avinter-quarters of the ships,
being now nearer to the western point of the bay. We could, however, do
nothing but wait in patience to see if any further change would take j)lace
in the state of the ice and, whenever it appeared to be permanently lixed,
commence the operation, which would now be no easy one, of cutting back
to the point. In the mean time the ice not being likely to move without
some alteration in the wind, we took the opportunity afforded by the Esqui-
maux sledges, of which several came down to the sliij)s, to obtain some
water from the shore, our stock being nearly expended and the snow not
yet sufficiently deep for collecting it to thaw. Mr. Crawford and one of our
men, therefore, accompanied the Esquimaux with a sledge loadetl with small
casks, which they soon filled with water, though at the expense of lalling

368 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. tiiioudi the ice more than once, in consequence of its irresrular and deceit-
October. ^
^-^«/^^ tul suitace.

Frid. 11. On the 11th, the wind backed a little to the north-cast, and the ice re-
mained quiet ; but the small snow that almost constantly fell keeping the
thennomoter nearly up to the freezing point, we felt a-^sured that a westerly
breeze would again set it in motion, and subject us to the risk of losing
more anchors, or of being driven out to winter at sea. The Esquimaux,
finding their sledges might be turned to some account in our service,
brought six or seven of them down to us on the 12th, when each ship em-
ployed two in procuring water. Being unwilling also to subject our own
people to the risk of falling in, to which they were much more liable than
the natives, we did not hesitate to intrust the latter with the sole charge
of our casks and tools for breaking the ice in the ponds. They performed
all that we desired with great faithfulness and punctuality, bringing several
turns of water in the course of the day, and receiving some small though
useful reward for their })ains.

Sun. 13. The wind remaining easterly during the greater part of the 13tli, the ice
gave us no disturbance ; till a very moderate breeze springing up at nine
P.]\I. from the opposite quarter at once set the whole in motion near the
ships, and we soon began to drive with it to the eastward. The Hecla's an-
chor was immediately and of necessity let go ; in less than an hour after-
wards however tlie wind very opportunely backed to the southward, and no
further alteration took place than the opening of a few small '* holes" of
water. This motion of the ice was so far favourable to us that, on the fol-

T'op.. 14. lowing day, we had an opportunity of purchasing our anchor on board the
Fury, though not without heaving it by main force from under a floe. This
labour however was amply repaid by our finding it perfectly uninjured,
though polished quite bright on the lower side by dragging along the ground.
It is perhaps proper for me here to notice, that the Fury had on this occasion
a hempen cable bent, and the Hecla an iron one, and that while the anchor of
the former was dragged a full mile and a half w'ithout any injury, that of the
llccla was broken in driving about one-tenth of the same distance. I may-
add moreover, that our former losses in anchors had also occurred with iron
cables, which were preferred for general use on this service, to obviate the
danger of their being damaged either upon foul ground or by the chafing of
ice. From the circumstances just noticed, however, it is by no means my

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 309

intention hastily to infer that our losses in this way were to be attributed to ^^'■^-•
the unyielding nature, or any other supposed bad quality of the chain-cables, ^^,'*^
(though this was the opinion expressed by our most experienced seamen at
the time,) for a few insulated facts are of themselves of very little import-
ance. But it is only by the collection of such facts under the various circum-
stances of trial which may occur to seamen, that the comparative merits of
the two kinds of cables can ultimately be determined.

The wind was easterly with a mild atmosphere till the night of the loth, Tues. 1.3.
when the thermometer began to fall immediately on the springing up of a
north-west breeze. Some remarkable alterations took place however this
evening, according to the clearness of the atmosphere or the contrary. Be-
tween four and five o'clock the weather becoming clear overhead, the tempera-
ture fell to 122°; ^' thirty minutes after five a partial haze came on, when
the thermometer immediately rose to log° ; and this soon after disappearing,
the thermometer again fell to 13°, the wind continuing at N.W. the whole
time. The breeze gradually increased in the course of the night, and on
the following day blew a gale for some hours, with considerable snow-drift. Wed. 16.
As soon as it moderated we felt assured that the ice was now permanently
fixed for the winter, and arrangements were therefore made for commencing
our sawing operations the next morning. Such however was the laborious
nature of this task, in consequence of the repeated doubling and squeezing
of the ice, that after nine hours' hard work for both crews on the 17th, we Thur. i".
could only succeed in getting in five and twenty fathoms of the Hecla's chain-
cable before dark. It is scarcely possible indeed to describe the teasing na-
ture of ice in this state, and the impossibility of cutting a passage through it
in any reasonable time. So many strata had overlaid each other that the
whole thickness in some places exceeded seven feet, which in others was in-
creased still further by masses squeezed up and lying over-end. Ice even of
this thickness, if it were only solid, would afford by its continuity some
means of pulling it out ; but in the present instance, after the saws had de-
tached it, each separate layer was to be fished out by hooks and ropes, and
as soon as one was removed another rose to the surface, leaving after all so
much " sludge" or small powdered ice, as immediately to produce a fresh
formation on the surface. On the 18th however the Hecla's anchor was got Frid. i--.
to the bows, and happily without injury to it; our next object was to get
that ship close to the Fury, and then to commence a canal for both to warp in
to the eastward.

3 B

370 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822.
October

It happened that immediately beyond the Fury in that direction, there wad
a level undisturbed floe of some extent, which it would be comparatively
easy to saw and sink ; while the whole of the ice between the two ships was
of the impracticable nature I have endeavoured to describe above. As it was
indispensible for Mr. Fisher's observations and experiments that the Fury
should be near the shore, I determined on this account as well as another
that suggested itself about this time, and of which I shall speak in another
place, not to incur the risk of both ships wintering at a distance from the
land, by persevering too long in our attempts upon the Ilecla, especially
as the frost was now hourly increasing the difficulty we should have in moving
the Fury into a convenient birth. The result of two whole days' wet and
Sun. 20. fatiguing labour on the 19th and SOth, being only to advance the Hecla about
two-thirds of her own length each day, I directed that object to be aban-
doned without further delay, and the canal to be commenced ahead of the
Fury.
Mon. 21. On the 21st a large basin was cut in a level piece of ice for the reception
of a quantity of squcezcd-up masses that lay between us and the regular floe,
and which it was much easier to float away into any space that would be
found for them, than to haul out of the water by piece-meal. This being
accomplished, the work went on more quickly ; but it was not till the after-
Wed. 30. noon of the 30tli that the whole was completed, and the Fury placed in the
best birth for the winter that circumstances would permit. This was how-
ever by no means so far out towards Oongalooyat as was originally intended;
but the ice had in this neighbourhood been thrown up into such high and
numerous hummocks, that to get the ship any further that way was entirely
beyond our means ; and we were therefore obliged to rest contented with the
facilities our present situation aftbrdcd for Mr. Fisher's observations during
the winter. An early release in the spring could here be scarcely expected,
nor indeed did the nature of the ice about us independently of situation
allow us to hope for it ; but both these unfavourable circumstances had been
brought about by a contingency which no human power or judgment could
have obviated, and at which therefore it would have been unreasonable as
well as useless to repine. We lay here in rather less than five fathoms', on a
muddy bottom at the distance of one cable's length from the eastern shore
of the bay.

The whole length of the canal was four thousand three hundred and forty-
three feet ; the thickness of the ice in the level and regular parts being from

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 371

twelve to fourteen inches, but in many places, where a separation had oc- 1822.
curred, amounting to several feet. I cannot sufficiently do justice to the

cheerful alacrity with which the men continued this laborious work during
thirteen days, the thermometer being frequently at zeru, and once as low as
— 9° in that interval. It was satisfactory, moreover, to find that, in the
performance of this, not a single addition had been made to the sick-list of
either ship, except by the accident of one man's falling into the canal, and
who returned to his duty a day or two afterwards.

While our people were thus employed, the Esquimaux had continued to Thur. 31.
make daily visits to the ships, driving down on sledges with their wives and
children, and thronging on board in great numbers, as well to gratify their
curiosity, of which they do not in general possess much, as to pick up what-
ever trifles we could afford to bestow^ upon them. These people were at all
times ready to assist in any work that was going on, pulling on the ropes,
heaving at the windlass, and sawing the ice, sometimes for an hour together.
They always accompanied their exertions by imitating the sailors in their
peculiar manner of " singing out" when hauling, thus at least affording the
latter constant amusement, if not any very material assistance, during their
labour. Among the numerous young people at Igloolik, there were some
whose activity, on this and other occasions, particularly struck us. Of these
I shall at present only mention two ; — Noogloo, an adopted son of Toolemak,
and Kongolek, a brother of " John Bull." These two young men, who were
from eighteen to twenty years of age, and stood five feet seven inches in
height, displayed peculiar tact in acquiring our method of heaving at the
windlass, an exercise at which Kotigolek became expert after an hour or two's
practice. The countenances of both Avere handsome and prepossessing,
and their limbs well-formed and muscular ; qualities which, combined
with their activity and manliness, rendered them, (to speak like a naturalist,)
perhaps as fine specimens of the human race as almost any country can
produce.

Some of our Winter Island friends had now arrived also, being the party
who left us there towards the end of the preceding May, and whom we liad
afterwards overtaken on their journey to the northward. They were cer-
tainly all very glad to see us again and, throwing off the Esquimaux for a
time, shook us heartily by the hand with every demonstration of sincere
delight. Ewerat in his quiet sensible way, which was always respectable,
gave us a circumstantial account of every event of his journey. On his

3 B 2

372 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. arrival at Owlitleeweek, near which island we overtook him, he had buried
^^,-^' the greater part of his baggage under heaps of stones, the ice no longer
being fit for dragging the sledge upon. Here also he was happily eased of
a still greater burthen by the death of his idiot boy, who thus escaped the
miseries to which a longer life must, among these people, have inevitably
exposed him. As for that noisy little fellow " John Bull," (Kooillitiuk,) he
employed almost the whole of his first visit in asking every one, by name,
" How d'ye do, Mr. so and so?" a question which had obtained him great
credit among our people at Winter Island. Being a very important little per-
sonage, he also took great pride in pointing out various contrivances on
board the ships, and explaining to the other Esquimaux their different uses^
to which the latter did not fail to listen with all the attention due to so
knowing an oracle.

We had for several days past seen no birds near the ships except one or
two ravens ; but those who had visited the huts had met with a covey or two
of grouse in that neighbourhood, of which a few were killed by the Esqui-
maux with arrows. Mr. Edwards found, on examination, that these birds,
and also one or two obtained in the summer on the south shore of the Strait,
were not of the same species as those we had procured farther to the south-
ward, the latter being the tetrao rupestris, and these the tetrao albus, (Pen-
nant's Arct. Zool.) or the willow-partridge of Hearne. Two wolves had
lately paid us some nocturnal visits, and the Esquimaux had killed several
bears in the neighbourhood of the open water.

Having now brought up the account of our proceedings to the time of the
ships being once more established in their winter-quarters, it may not be im-
proper to take a brief review of the result of our late eflTorts, and then to
close this part of the narrative by stating the determination which I now
formed with respect to the future movements of the Expedition.

Flattering as our prospects appeared at the commencement of the past
summer, our efforts had certainly not been attended with a proportionate de-
gree of success ; and little satisfaction remained to us at the close of the sea-
son, but the consciousness of having left no means within our reach untried,
that could in any way promote our object. It required indeed but a single
glance at the chart to perceive, that whatever the last summer's navigation
had added to our geographical knowledge of the eastern coast of America,
and its adjacent lands, very little had in reality been effected in furtherance
of the North-West Passage. Even the actual discovery of the desired outlet

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 373

into the Polar Sea, had been of no practical benefit in the prosecution of our^^^'-j'^-
enterprise ; for we had only discovered this channel to find it impassable, and ^^.-^
to see the barriers of nature impenetrably closed against us, to the utmost
limit of the navigable season.

Without reverting, however, to the past, or being at the pains to re-con-
sider what we had or had not been able to effect, it was sufficient only to
know our present geographical position to be aware, that the remaining re-
sources of the Expedition were no longer adequate to the accomplishment
of our principal object. Not to know this would have implied ignorance of
the real nature of the attempt, and therefore not to admit it would have been
little better than absurdity. Instead of disguising the difficulties where
any existed, it seemed more prudent to search out and endeavour to obviate
them ; and after fairly considering every circumstance of our situation, to de-
cide on the adoption of such measures as, with our present resources, appeared
still to hold out some reasonable hope of ultimate and complete success.

Viewing the matter in this light, it appeared to resolve itself into the
single question, by what means the resources of the Expedition could pos-
sibly be extended beyond the period to which they were at present calculated
to last, namely, the close of the year 1824. Only one expedient suggested
itself by which that object could be attained ; and this I determined to adopt
should no unforeseen occurrence arise to prevent it. — It was to send the
Hecla to England in the following season, taking from her a twelvemonths'
provisions and fuel to complete the Fury's resources to the end of the year
1825, and then continuing our efforts in that ship singly as long as a reason-
able hope remained of our ultimate success. One or two collateral advan-
tages occurred to me as likely to be derived from this plan ; the first of
which was the opportunity thus aftbrded of transmitting to the Lords Com-
missioners of the Admiralty a full account of our past proceedings and pre-
sent situation and intentions, whereby perhaps much needless anxiety on our
account might be prevented. It would also, as I hoped, allow their Lordships
the option of making any alteration which they might now deem requisite in
the arrangements })ointed out in my Instructions, respecting the ship to be
sent to meet us near Behring's Strait, for which the orders might not perhaps
leave England before the arrival of the Hecla there, in the autumn of 1823.
These were, however, minor and less important considerations ; my principal
object and determination being to persevere, to the utmost extent of our re-
sources, in the prosecution of the enterprise with which 1 had the honour to

374 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

1822. lyQ charged. Having suggested this expedient to Captain Lyon, I had much
satisfaction in finding his opinion entirely coincide with my own ; and with-
out at present mentioning it to the other individuals belonging to the Expe-
dition, we continued to consult together from time to time during the winter,
concerning the arrangements it would be requisite to make for commencing
the execution of our plan in the course of the following spring.

/

VBSTRACT

of die METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept

on board His Majesty's

Ship

F

URY, at Igloolik, during the Month of October, 18'22.

Day

Fahrenheit's
mometer

Ther-

c o S

= H ^

« C8 fe

s 1^

Barometer.

Prevailing
Winds.

Prevailing Weather.

Maxl.

niiiin.

Miin-
mum.

Me-dii.

Mali-

mtim.

Mini-
mum.

Mean.

Direction.

Vtlocily

1

O

+19

o

+10

+17.58

o

indict

29.57

inclKS inches

29.52 29.543

NW

fresh

cloudy

2

IG

10

13.83

29.70

29.5029.615

N\V

fresh

fine

3

18

10

14.67

29.70

29.60 29.666

NE

light

cloudy— snow at times

4

15

10

12.42

29..59

29.5229.545

N Westerly

light

cloudy

5

13

10

10.92

29.80

29.05 29.732

XW

fresli

cloudy

C

12

0

7 67

29.93

29.80 29. 8S8

NW

fresli

clear

7

10

- 2

7.42

30. M

29.9830.012

NNW S)W to /

li-ht

clear

8

25

+18

22.12

53.0

29.96

29.80 29.8^7

modt.

cloudy and snow

9

21

17

19.83

65.0

29.73

29.39 29.577

East

fresh

cloudy

10

28

21

24.17

67.0

29.26

29.1929.225

ESE

(,a,.f,.
(pn..l..

snow
cloudy

11

25

21

23.33

61.7

29.25

29.20 29.222

NE

modt.

hazy and snow

12

23

19

21.08

62.2

29 26

29.10

29.212

NE

modt.

hazy and snow

13

29

17 §

23.61

64.0

29 07

28.68

28.855

NEbyN

light

cloudy and snow

14

19i

11

16.70

62.2

29.76

29.18

29.418

SSE

modt.

hazy

15

22

"i

17.33

62.2

29.84

29.67

29.777

ESE

modt.

cloudy

16

25

10|

17.38

62.7

29.63

23.51

29.553

AM. NW)
I'M. SE ;

modt.

cloudy, snow at times

17

17

4

I2.2J

02. 2

30.00

29.66

29.915

SE

modt.

cloudy

18

13

3

8.33

01.7

30.22

30.13

30.170

NE

light

fine and clear

19

21

4

14.25

62.2

30.15

30.07

30.115

ENE

modt.

cloudy, snow at limes

20

20

4

8.83

62.0

30.28

30.16

30.207

North ^

lieht
and V..-
riatilc

fine and clear

21

10

0

4.07

60.2

30.30

30.28

30.290

NNW

light

fine

22

2

- 5

-1.71

01.0

30.20

30.06

30.172

NW

modt.

fine and clear

23

- 1

9

5.. 54

58.0

30.02

29.98

30.002

NNW

modt.

fine and clear

24

+13

+ 2

+8.33

S5.0

.30.11

30.00 30.047

ENE

light

hazy and snow

25

11

4

7.25

59.7

30.31

30.11 30.223

North

light

cloudy

20

8

5

5.8k

61.2

30.49

30.33 :«) 402

E.i^t round tiy /

light

hazy, snow at times

27

11

5

9.07

61.0

30.40

30.26 30.310

South

mudt.

hazy, snow at times

28

15

10

12.37

61.0

30.20

.30.10 30.157

South

raodt.

cloudy, snow at times

29

15

11

13.6-

01.7

30.10

30.00 30.082

East

light

cloudy

30

16

10

13.50

01.0

30.10

29.95 3tf.030

EbN

light

hazy

31

20

10

14.62

61.7

29.90

29.6129.753

N Easterly

light

hazy, snow at times

+29

- 9

+12.79

61.5

30.49

28.6k 29.827

376 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

CHAPTER XIII.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE WINTER VARIOUS METEOROLOGICAL PHENOMENA TO THE

CLOSE OF THE YEAR 1822 — SICKNESS AMONG THE ESQUIMAUX A HOSPITAL BUILT

NEAR THE SHIPS FOR THEIR ACCOMMODATION METEOROLOGICAL PHENOMENA TO

THE END OF MARCH ABSTRACT OF THE COMPARATIVE MEAN WINTER TEMPERATURE

AT MELVILLE ISLAND, WINTER ISLAND, AND IGLOOLIK.

1822. The measures now adopted for the security of the ships and their stores, for
Novemb. ^j^p maintenance of economy, cleanliness, and health, and for the prosecu-
tion of the various observations and experiments, being principally the same
as those already detailed in the preceding winter's narrative, it will only be
necessary to mention those particulars in which, either from some slight
difference of situation, or from our additional experience, any deviation from
the former plans was now considered necessary.

It is worthy of notice that each succeeding winter passed in these regions
had suggested to us the expediency of leaving our masts, yards, sails, and
rigging more and more in their proper places than before : and all that we
now did was to strike the top-gallant yards and masts, unreeve the running-
rigging to prevent chafing by the wind, lay the small sails across the tops,
and hang the spare spars over the side. It may, indeed, be safely affirmed
that, in a high latitude, the less the masts and yards are dismantled the better,
for the frost does no injury to the geer while it remains unmoved ; and none
can possibly occur from thawing till the proper season for refitting arrives.
The boats were placed on the ice, about fifty yards from the ships, and with
their geer stowed in them closely covered with snow.

In banking the snow against the ships' sides, pains were taken to make
this a more effectual protection than before. For this purpose a wall of suf-
ficient height, composed of cut slabs of snow, was first constructed at the dis-
tance of four or five feet from the bends, and loose snow afterwards thrown

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 377

in between, till it reached considerably above the chains, so as to cover ^^^2.
nearly the whole of the upper-works. We also laid over the upper-deck fore v^-,-v^
and aft, as well as upon the hatchways and companions, about eight inches
depth of snow, and above that a coating of sand cemented by water, so as to
form a firm and level covering of these materials. Though there can be
little doubt of the efficacy of this plan in preventing the escape of a portion of
the warmth from below, it is also to be recommended as of essential service
in preventing the planks from rending, and the pitch in the seams from being
cracked, effects which the frost is otherwise sure to produce.

The facility which our people had acquired by our intercourse with the
Esquimaux in the application of snow to the use of building, induced me
also to surround the Fury with a wall of that plentiful material ; it was twelve
feet high, and placed at the distance of twenty or twenty-five yards from the
ship, forming a large square like that of a farm-yard. It is probable that
such a wall may be favourable, during high winds, for preventing in some
degree the rapid abstraction of heat from a ship, while it also serves the
purpose of keeping out snow drift, and of affording a comfortable shelter
for walking with almost every wind that can blow.

In housing-in the ships, the " pitch " of the roof was made somewhat less
than before, the height of the centre spar being now thirteen feet above the
deck; and as the day-light began to return, two or three of the glazed
garden frames were fitted into the cloth as skylights, which proved a great
convenience. I may here mention that scarcely any snow rested on the
housing during the winter, a fresh breeze invariably carrying away that
which any preceding light weather had allowed to lodge there. The same
remark applies to our tops, masts, yards, and rigging, which were perhaps
more clear of snow in April than in October.

The observatory house on shore was now built rather smaller than before,
being thirteen feet by eight, of which the observatory part occupied five
feet of one end, leaving a room eight feet square for the instruments and
other apparatus. It was also built with a flat instead of a " pitched" roof;
and this, as well as the sides, were of single planks, lined on the inside
with canvass, and closely covered without, first by turf and then by slabs
of snow. It is only necessary to add that, in all these alterations, the ad-
vantage was no less felt in the additional warmth, than in the reduction of
labour and materials requisite in the construction.

The distance between the two ships, though not such as to prevent con-

3 c

378 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. gtant intercourse, was nevertheless too great to allow of our continuing the
theatrical entertainments, by which our former winters had been consider-

ably enlivened. This was however the less requisite, and indeed entirely
unnecessary, on account of our neighbourhood to the Esquimaux, whose
daily visits to the ships throughout the winter afforded, both to officers and
men, a fund of constant variety and never-failing amusement, which no re-
sources of our own could possibly have furnished. Our people were, how-
ever, too well aware of the advantage they derived from the schools, not to
be desirous of their re-establishment, which accordingly took place soon
after our arrival at Igloolik ; and they were glad to continue this as their
evening occupation during the six succeeding months.

The ordinary occupations and occurrences of the winter having now lost
the novelty which could alone have imparted to them at first any interest
or amusement in the relation, I shall perhaps be readily excused for passing
them over in silence ; and for confining myself principally to an account of
the natural phenomena observed during the winter, and to a few occasional
remarks on the means of preserving health in these regions.
Frid. I. During the first week in the month of November, the weather for this
climate continued tolerably mild, and the temperature then fell to 30° below
ztro, which change we felt very sensibly. Open water was still observed
at the distance of two or three miles in the offing, with columns of frost-
smoke over it and a bluish " water-sky " about that part of the horizon.
A grouse (tetrao albusj was killed at the huts on the 16th, having, besides
the black near the tip of the tail-feathers, two speckled feathers not far from
the end of the tail.

About this time, a number of the Esquimaux sent sledges and dogs for
several of their relatives coming from Amitioke, among whom were many of
our old acquaintance and some also who were strangers to us. Among
others was our young friend Toolooak, who arrived in company with another
remarkably fine young man named Oo-too-gu-ak. The former, as we now
found, had come for the very important purpose of entering on the cares of
the marriage-state, though his own age was only from seventeen to eighteen,
and that of his wife, a very pretty girl named Ecr/dM, not more than sixteen.
These youthful marriages are quite common among the Esquimaux of Igloo-
lik, and in some instances take place even at a still earlier age than that just
mentioned ; for a girl named Ang-oof, who had been the wife of Kongolek
for several months, could not possibly have passed the age of thirteen at this

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 379

time. The marriage ceremony appears to be very simple, consisting only in '^22.
the husband coming, when desired, to the hut or tent of the bride's father, ^%s^'
and taking her to his own by force. As the time of the marriage seems to
depend wholly on the caprice or interest of the parents, the reluctance ex-
pressed by the female, and which the women humourously enough described
to us as forming an indispensable part of their conduct on this occasion, is
probably not always a matter of mere form or pretended coyness. This
event constitutes a most important era in the life of the young couple, who
immediately set up a separate establishment, similar to that of the oldest
married people, and the husband is thenceforth bound to labour for the support
of his wife. There can be no doubt of the advantage of these early mar-
riages to both parties ; nor is there any time of life at which an Esquimaux
of either sex may be considered as better furnished both with food and
clothing, than during the first five or six years after this event has taken
place.

Toolooak had scarcely arrived a couple of hours, when some of our gen-
tlemen going out to the village found him seated beside his wife with all the
gravity and sedateness of an old married man ; and on the following day they
both came to the ships. Toolooak having grown considerably, had a much
more manly appearance than before ; but neither he nor his wife had much
to say for themselves at this their first visit. " The bride" was dressed out,
while she remained on board, in all the finery we could muster, and both
received numerous useful presents to assist in setting them up in the world.
Toolooak's travelling companion Ootooguak particularly attracted our notice
on account of his height, which was five feet nine inches and three quarters,
or within a quarter of an inch of the tallest we had yet seen in the tribe. It
is no less remarkable also that his fkther Nannow, and his brother Ooyuna-
seoo, who arrived shortly after, were both uncommonly fine and tall men for
Esquimaux, the first, notwithstanding a slight degree of decrepitude, standing
five feet eight and a half and the latter five feet nine inches in height.

1 must here notice an occurrence which had lately taken place, and which

created no inconsiderable sensation among the Esquimaux. Though the

authority of the husbands is in most respects strictly maintained among these

people, yet their conduct towards their wives is far from being unkind, and

they seldom if ever proceed to the extremities too common with some savages.

A few days ago, however, an elderly man named Sherddeoo, in consequence

3 c 2

380 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. yf gojne altercation between his two wives, undertook to settle their dispute

Novemb. „,.,.„ .,,.,.• ,i- ■ ^ i

^*-N-»^ by means of his knife, with which he inHicted some very severe cuts on the
forehead of one, and on the hand of the other. Some of our gentlemen
found them sittint? very contentedly in their hut, with one of the wounds
sewn up, and both covered over with the hair of deer adhering by the coagu-
lated blood. They were evidently very shy of shewing them, and Sheradeoo
exhibited a good deal of uneasiness at having his domestic aftairs thus
inquired into ; so that, upon the whole, our gentlemen on their return con-
fessed that here, as elsewhere, it seemed most prudent not to interfere in the
quarrels betwixt man and wife. The Esquimaux uniformly spoke of this
occurrence as a matter of real reproach ; which circumstance, together with
the fact of its being the only instance that has come to our knowledge
during a long intercourse with these people, is a sufficient proof that it forms
an exception to their ordinary conduct, and cannot therefore fairly be con-
sidered an impeachment of their general character.

The Esquimaux having occasionally at this season a quantity of venison at
their huts which, as well as large loads of walrus-flesh, they continued for
some time after the setting-in of the winter to bring from various distant
stores, a general permission was given to purchase meat, to be paid for out
of the presents. The article most in request, however, was wood, and for a
piece of rough spar al)out seven feet long and from two to three inches
thick, I purchased for the use of the ship laorc than seventy pounds of the
finest venison we had ever seen, while smaller portions were occasionally
obtained for less valuable articles. Captain Lyon and myself also bought
some dogs and set up our own sledges, which proved of infinite convenience
in various ways during the winter, there being an excellent hard and beaten
road constantly kept between the ships and the huts, by the frequent walk-
ing and driving of ourselves and the natives. These people parted with
their dogs without much reluctance, and at first at a moderate price ; and the
dogs in a short time became so domesticated among us, that they would never
leave the ships. It seems a curious piece of inconsistency in the disposition
of these people that, Imrshly as in many respects they certainly treat their
dogs, they were not satisfied to sell them to us till assured we did not mean
to kill them ; and they thanked us more heartily, I believe, when they saw us
building a house for their reception, than they would have done for a similar
attention paid to themselves. The dogs on their part shewed that this

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE, 381

regard was reciprocal, for even after they became perfectly familiarized to^^"^^-
the ships, they always fawned upon their old masters, and expressed great --^^-w-
delight at seeing them.

Some wolves continued still to prowl about us, and three of these hungry
animals were nearly on the point of attacking a Newfoundland dog of Mr.
Richards's, which went playing about them, when he was called off in time
to save him. On the 23d, the thermometer, for the first time, got down to ^at. -23.
— 38°, when our mercury in the artificial horizons, being probably adulte-
rated by lead from the troughs, froze into the form of branches of trees,
extremely beautiful, and retaining all its brilliancy of surface. For several
days about this period the cold continued uniformly intense, but with every
westerly wind there was open water at no great distance to the south-east-
ward of the island, where the Esquimaux almost daily resorted for the pur-
pose of killing walruses. On the 30th in the morning we remarked a simul- Sat. 3o
taneous increase of wind and in the temperature of the atmosphere, the
thermometer rising from — 26g°to —20° as the breeze freshened, without
any other apparent cause affecting it. The mean temperature of the mondi
of November, which was — 19° 37' we considered a low one, being only
1|° above that of Melville Island in 1819.

The appearances of the Aurora Borealis were neither frequent nor brilliant
during this month. On the 7th near midnight this phenomenon appeared
from E.S.E. to S.W., forming an irregular arch of white light, not continuous
in every part, and about eight degrees high in the centre. From the upper
margin of this arch, coruscations nowand then shotupwards towards the zenith.
On the morning of the 21 st, Mr. Ross remarked a bright arch of the Aurora
passing through the zenith from east to west, and meeting the horizon at
each end : besides this, two smaller and apparently concentric arches were
visible to the southward, the higher arch being in the centre about twenty
degrees above the horizon and the other about ten degrees. An arch of the
same kind ap])eared at night in the south-west quarter of the heavens. On the
3d a column of light tinged with jjrismatic colours appeared on each side of
the sun, at the angular distance of 22° 05', and a parhelion at the same dis-
tance above it. The columns indeed were, properly speaking, parts of an
imperfect circle or halo ; beyond these, however, at the same height above
the horizon, and distant from the sun forty-six degrees, was a second par-
helion on each side, slighdy coloured like the others ; so that five of these
were visible at the same time, though none but the two first mentioned were

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's Ship

Fury, at

gloolik, during the Month of November,

1822.

Day

Fahrenheit's
Thermometer.

Mean
Temp,
of lower

deck.

Barometer.

Prevailing
Winds.

I'revailing
Weather.

Maxi-
mum.

Mini-
mum.

Mean.

Mavi.
mum.

Miui-
mum.

Mean.

Direction.

Vclocilf.

1

-^

o
-6

+0.08 '

o
61.7

inche*.

29.66

(ncht's.

29.57

inches.
29.022

WNW

light

cloudy -snow at times

2

-6

24

-14.50

61.0

29.82

29.67

29.725

West

light

fine

3

8

24

17.67

58.7

29.92

29.78

29.855

NW

light

fine and clear

4

10

2G

1G.79

59.2

29.94

29.83

29.902

West

light

hazy

6

+1

20

9.92

56.7

29.82

29.72

29.772

Round the )
Compass )

lights
varia.

cloudy

6

-7

25

12.08

SCO

29.75

29.72

29.732

South

light

hazy

7

15

291

21.75

56.0

30.10

29.83

29.980

NW

light

fine and clear

8

3

30

18.50

51.0

30.17

29.02

30.007

SE

light

hazy

9

+8

4

+1.46

56.0

29.00

29.20

29.378

ESE

fresh

hazy, snow at times

10

-2

19

-8.17

55.7

29.74

29.61

29.707

NNW

fresh

cloudy

11

20

31

20.04

54.2

29.70

29.53

29.008

NW

fresh

clear

12

25

28i

27.25

52.7

29.48

29.39

29.432

West

modt.

clear

13

26

31

28.37

52.0

30.10

29.59

29.867

Northerly

light

fine and clear

14

21

29

24.00

51.2

30.13

30.00

30.004

NNW

modt.

line and clear

15

181

21

20.21

50.2

29.99

29.08

29.818

NW

fresh

fine and clear

16

15

20

18.08

52.0

29.60

29.50

29.522

NW

light

fine

17

11

18

15.25

53.7

29.80

29.50

29.633

WNW

fresh

clear

18

8

19

14.17

53.0

29.91

29.89

29.900

SW

light

fine and clear

19

+1

8

3.50

57.0

29.88

29.83

29.852

SW

light

hazy

20

-10

20

10.88

57.0

29.90

29.80

29.S72

NW

modt.

fine

21

19

25

21.67

57.7

29.77

29.60

29.672

NW

modt.

fine

22

26

30

27.67

57.7

29.70

29.57

29.623

WNW

light

clear

23

30

32

30.83

54.7

29.81

29.78

29.810

NW

light

fine and clear

24

30

32

31.25

55.7

29.81

29.80

29.820

West

light

fine and clear

25

30

32

31.58

53.7

29.76

29.44

29.595

West

light

fine and clear

26

24

30

25.33

54.0

29.36

29.28

29.313

NNAV

light

cloudy

27

23

26

24.71

52.0

29.40

29.36

29.378

NW

light

fine

28

25

30

26.96

53.0

29.63

29.42

29.537

NNW

modt.

fine

29

24

31

28.67

55.2

29.73

29.66

29.708

NNW

light

fine

30

17

261

20.83

56.7

29.76

29.74

29.743

West

fresh

cloudy

+8

-32

-19.37

55.2

30.17

29.20

29.715

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 383

very distinct. On the 16th Mk. Ross and myself observed near the northern ,^^'^^\

... Novemb.

horizon, and exactly opposite to the sun, a circular patch of faint white light ; ^^-r^

its size was many times larger than that of the sun, though it was not at all
defined about the edges, being indeed rather softened off into the purple
sky on which it rested. On the 22d the sun rose with a briglit spot of white
light at the distance of twenty to thirty degrees on each side of it, and a ver-
tical column of a red colour extended from the sun to about two degrees above
it. This last phenomenon is very common in cold weather and when the
sun's altitude is very small. A cross was observed about the moon on the
27th, consisting of vertical and horizontal rays of whitish light appearing to
pass through that object.

At apparent noon, on the 2d of December, six days after the sun had in- Decemb.
dependently of the effects of refraction set to us for a period of more than '
seven weeks, we caught a glimpse of its upper limb from the deck of
the Fury, about one-sixteenth of its whole disk being visible above the low
land to the southward. It is impossible not to acknowledge the benevolence
as well as to admire the wisdom of the law which, among all its varied and
wonderful effects displayed throughout the works of nature, contrives to
shorten, by nearly a whole fortnight, the annual absence of this cheering
luminary from the frozen regions of the earth, and thus contributes so essen-
tially to the welfare and enjoyment of their numerous inhabitants.

On the 4th I drove out to the huts, accompanied by Mr. Hooper, princi- Wed. 4.
pally with the intention of bringing back one of my dogs that had strayed to
the village, and which Toolemak, his fonner master, had been employing in
his fishery for several days past, instead of bringing him honestly back ; a trick
which evidently shewed a disposition to try how far they could safely go in
this way, and of which therefore it was as well to take some notice in good time.
Including the late addition of our Winter Island acquaintance, the number of
separate huts now amounted to fifteen or sixteen, which, together with the
usual appurtenances, such as canoes, sledges, and several smaller store-
houses, occupying perhaps a quarter of an acre of ground, constituted a vil-
lage of no mean nor uninteresting appearance. We found very few men at
the huts, the greater part being absent in quest of walruses ; and after passing
an hour or two in several of the apartments, and making a number of presents
to the women, we were under the necessity of coming away without perform-
ing our principal errand, as neither Toolemak nor my dog made their ap-
pearance. I took care, however, publicly to proclaim Toolemak as atigliktoke

384 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

n'^^^^h (^^'^'^f') which declaration, as I expected, produced the i^reater effect from the
-*^->- notice Ave had hitherto taken of him, and the respect in which he was held
by the Esquimaux in his capacity of Angetkook. As a more effectual pre-
ventive, however, as^ainst a repetition of this kind of roguery in future, 1
took away from his hut a lars^o piece of wood that I had given him for two
dogs, till he should return the one in question, explaining to his wife my rea-
son for doing so ; and then returned to the ships. A day or two afterwards
the dog was returned in due form, and with every expression of sorrow and
contrition that Toolemak could muster on such an occasion. It deserves to
be noticed as a fact extremely creditable to these people, that though for above
two hours we had left our sledge unguarded, and with numerous valuable
presents upon it, we did not find a single article missing when we came away,
and this was by no means the only instance of the same thing occurring.

I found on my return to the ships that two of our English dogs, having in-
cautiously set off in chase of a wolf near the Hecla, one of them, a Scotch
terrier belonging to Lieutenant Reid and a great favourite with us, had been
caught and devoured by the hungry and ferocious animal. The other
had escaped by being a quicker runner ; though the resemblance of the wolf
to the Esquimaux dogs was such as to have probably deceived them till they
approached him very close.

Sun. 8 On the 8th, for several hours before and after noon, a vertical column of
pale red light appeared immediately over the sun's place, extending a degree
or two above the horizon, and shifting its position only as the sun swept
round to the westward. From the 9th to the 12th the thermometer frequently
fell to — 43°, being a greater degree of cold than had at all been experienced
during the preceding winter ; and the temperature now kept down with a
degree of constancy that had not been experienced even at Melville Island
at this sesison.

Sun. 15. On the 14th and 15th the wind blew hard from the west and N.W. for seve-
ral hours, with considerable snow-drift, notwithstanding which the mercury
in the barometer kept up as high as 29.80 inches for more than four and
twenty hours successively, and clear and moderate weather succeeded for

Tues. 17. two or three days. On the 17th Mr. Ross killed another grouse of the. same
species as before, and weighing one pound fourteen ounces ; it had in its
maw the buds of the ground willow, some seed vessels of the saxifraga op-
posilifolia, and a small quantity of moss. The smoke issuing from the stove-

Thur. 19. pipes kept remarkably low during the whole of the 19th, the thermometer

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 385

being from - 30° to 33°, and the mercury in the barometer at 30.07 inches. As 1^22.

DGc^mb

the reverse of this was frequently the case when these instruments afforded ^^-nJ
an indication nearly similar, it appeared to us to depend on some other con-
dition, perhaps the moisture, of the atmosphere. On the 21st there being a Sat. 21.
fresh wind, with the sky clear overhead, Arcturus was discernible to the naked
eye till forty-seven minutes after eleven, A.M., apparent time ; at half an
hour past noon it was again visible, and stars of the second magnitude could
be distinguished at three-quarters past one o'clock.

On Christmas-day I directed a small addition to be made to the allowance Wed. 25.
of provisions, including a dinner of fresh beef that had been killed on board
the Nautilus in the month of June, 1821, and preserved with a very small
quantity of salt rubbed over it, on deck, since that period. Though I never
saw a Christmas spent in so orderly a manner at sea, it did not pass without
producing some injurious effects upon the health of the men, several serious
cases of disordered bowels occurring immediately afterwards, in spite of
every precaution. As more than usual care had been taken to avoid excess
or exposure among them, Mr. Edwards considered this circumstance as
tending to evince a greater susceptibility in this way than had been exhibited
during our first winter. On the 26th Mr. Ross shot another grouse (/e/raoThur.26.
albua,) weighing one pound eight ounces, and having in its maw the same '* *

vegetable substances as the last. On the 28th the smoke from the funnels Sat. 28.
was again observed to keep unusually low, skimming along the top of the
housing as it escaped, and then descending to the ice. The thermometer
was at thivs time at — 35°, and the mercury in the barometer at 29.65 inches, the
wind being light at N.N.W.

The year closed with the temperature of — 42°, the mean of the month ofTues. 31.
December having been 27° 8, which, taken in connexion with that of Novem-
ber, led us to expect a severe winter. Observing a considerable difference
in the indication of some of our spirit-thermometers, ten of these instru-
ments were exposed to the atmosphere under exacdy similar circumstances*:
when they were found to range from —35° to —48°, the two hitherto registered
on board and on the ice, indicating from 2° to 3° higher than the mean of the
whole number. The latter of these two was in future used for registering

* Of this number five were of uncoloured ppirits, wth the scales graduated as low as - 200° ;
the res-t mi re oi alcohol coloured in the usual manner. By subsiqucnt comparisons it appeared
that at higher temperatures, especially above zero, the difagretment was mucli less between the
same instruments.

8 I>

386 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1822. tj^g temperature, and that on board altogether dispensed with ; so that the
Decemb. ...

degree of cold found in the Meteorological Abstracts during this winter, will

be from 2° to 3° less than the mean above alluded to. In estimating the mean

temperature of the year, the same deduction may fairly be made during the

other months, as a correction for the difference between the thermometer on

board, and that freely exposed at a distance from the ship.

In the meteorological phenomena observed during the month of Decem-
ber, there was little that deserves particular notice. On the morning of the
1st of December a luminous spot of white light or paraselena was seen on
each side of the moon, at the angular distance of 23°. Between one and two
A.M. on the 13th, while Messrs. Ross and Bushnan were employed in taking
some observations alongside the Fury, they saw a vivid flash of light, which
it afterwards occurred to them must have come down the electric chain at-
tached to the masthead, directly under which they happened to be standing at
the time. As soon as Mr. Fisher was acquainted with this circumstance he
applied the electrometer to the chain, but as usual without any perceptible
efitct on the gold-leaf. The Aurora Borealis had been visible to the south-
ward for some hours during the night, but had disappeared for half an hour
before the flash was seen. About nine A.M. on the 19th, Mr. Hooper ob
served a meteor in the W.b.S., about 50° above the horizon, whence it de-
scended in a curved line, having its convex side towards the horizon, and
disappeared in the W.b.N. In size and brilliancy it resembled the planet
Jupiter, and the time of its continuance was about three or four seconds.

About the middle of the month of December several of the Esquimaux
had moved from the huts at Igloolik, some taking up their quarters on the ice
at a considerable distance to the north-west, and the rest about a mile outside
the summer-station of the tents. At the close of the year from fifty to sixty
individuals had thus decamped, their object being, like that of other savages
on terra firma, to increase their means of subsistence by covering more
ground ; their movements were arranged so quietly that we seldom heard of
their intentions till they were gone. At the new stations they lived entirely
in huts of snow ; and the northerly and easterly winds were considered by
them as most favourable for their fishing, as these served to bring in the loose
ice on which they principally kill the walruses. At the distant station, how-
ever, which was farther removed from clear water, their principal dependence
was on the ndtkk, which is taken by watching at the holes made by that ani-
mal in the ice. Abreast of Igloolik the clear water Avas not, with a westerly

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 387

4

wind, more than three miles distant from the land, and a dark water-sky con- ^'^'^^:

. . Decemb.

tinned accurately to define its position and extent. v-^rv/

From the time of our first arrival here in the autumn, the Esquimaux had
been in the habit of catching foxes upon the west point of the bay, called by
them Arngnct-ko-ek-seat. The traps used for this purpose were extremely
simple and ingenious, and to us quite new. They consisted of a small cir-
cular arched hut of stones, having a square aperture at the top, but quite
close and secure in every other part. This aperture is closed by some blades
of whalebone which, though in reality only fixed to the stones at one end,
appear to form a secure footing, especially when the deception is assisted by
a little snow laid on them. The bait is so placed that the animal must come
upon this platform to get at it, when the latter (unable to bear the weight)
bends downwards, and after precipitating the fox into the trap, which is made
too deep to allow of his escape, returns by its elasticity to the former posi-
tion, so that several may thus be caught successively. The Hecla being near
the point, Mr. ^logg was much in the habit of accompanying the Esquimaux
to their traps, and remarked that the foxes were very numerous till about
the end of November, when they began to fall off in number, and the traps
were less regularly visited than before. A few were however taken in the
month of December, towards the end of which many of the traps were neg-
lected, and allowed to fill up with drift. In the early part of January the rest
were dismantled, but Mr. Mogg caught two after this ; one on the 2.3d of
January, being a male of a bluish cast, with the tips of its ears and tail
black ; the other a female larger than the former and beautifully white, taken
on the 13th of February. Their weight was eight and eight and a half
pounds, and the temperatures of their bodies when just killed 100g° and
100°. The foregoing account of the time when these animals were most
abundant, agrees with what we had before observed at Winter-Island, and
Mr. Mogg considered their number to have been here fully as great. Some
of the Esquimaux were thus furnished with outer jackets of fox-skins with
the fur outside, forming a remarkably clean, comfortable, and handsome-look-
, ing costume, though the material is by no means a durable one.

The first week of the new year brought a continuance of cold weather; i82;j.
after which, for the succeeding fortnight, the temperature was remarkably ■'*""*'■>■
high, the thermometer frequently rising above zero, and once to + 22°, which
occurred with a fresh easterly breeze and some snow falling. An inspection
of our Meteorological Abstracts will shew that in this as in every other part

3 D 2

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's Ship

FvRY, at Igloolik, durin

g the Month of December, 1822.

Fahrenheit's Ther-
mometer.

4

Barometer.

Prevailing
Winds.

Day

Prevailing Weather.

M«i-

Mini-
niuiii'

Mt.n.

Max,-

Mhii-

Mr.n.

Direction.

Velucit)'.

1

-1°5

-2°0

-1°6.42'

o
53.0

IMChct

29. »3

29.79

iocbct

29.813

ssw

light

hazy

2

23

31

27.92

55.2

29.78

29.48

■29.637

West

light

fine

3

12

29

19.17

57.0

29.13

29.19

29.277

West

light

cloudy

4

11

20

16.33

55.2

29.30

29.20

29.247

NXW

light

hazy, snow at times

5

14

23

19.17

57.2

29.32

29.30

29. 30 J

NbW

mudt.

hazy

6

16

23

18.50

56.0

29.57

29.32

•29.447

ENE

light

fine

7

20

29

23.92

61.7

29.67

29.58

29.615

ENE

light

fine

8

26

35

30.62

59.0

29.05

29.57

29.598

North

light

fine

9

36

40

38.35

56.0

29.65

29.60

29.625

NW

light

fine

10

39

42

40. 42

56.0

29.63

29.02

29.624

NW

light

fine and clear

11

39

42

40.42

57.2

29.72

29.03

29.687

West

light

fine and clear

12

37

41

39.29

57.7

29.82

29.70

29.737

Mest

light

clear

13

35

38

36.58

57.7

29.90

29.85

29.876

NW

light

fine

14

24

33

28.42

54.0

29.90

29.80

29.852

West

fresh

fine

15

24

30

26.67

52.0

29.80

29.80

29.800

NW

modt.

hazy

16

29

35

32.50

53.7

29.83

29.05

29.737

West

light

fine

17

30

30

32 83

50.7

29.70

29.60

29.030

NNW

light

fine

18

30

37

33.33

49.2

30.02

29.72

29.900

N. Easterly

light

fine

19

29

33

31.00

53.0

30.07

30 02

30.057

NNE

modt.

fine

20

17

27

21.42

54.0

30.00

29.96

29.978

North

fresh

clear, with drift

21

14

19

17.04

54.0

29.89

29.58

29.742

NW

fresh

clear

22

13

16

14.17

51.0

29.50

29.18

29.318

NW

fresh

clear

23

11

22

14.29

56.0

29.18

29.07

29.140

NW

light

fine and clear

21

10

19

13.25

.58.2

29.24

29.18

29.212

MSW

light

hazy, and snow

25

11

29

21.00

63.0

29.18

29.1029.118

M'esterly

light

clear

26

251

32

28.96

61.0

29.22

29.09j29.148

NW

light

hazy

27

27

37

32.90

61.7

29.55

29.24 29.403

West

light

tine and clear

28

31

35

33.25

00.2

29.70

29.5929.653

NNW

light

fine

29

32

40

36.50

60.0

29.75

29.70 29.717

1

Westerly

light

fine and clear

30

36

40

38.83

58.0

29.72

29.5829.642

1

West

Ugbt

fine

31

33

43

38.37

61.0

29.83

29.6229.712

1

West

light

fine

1
—10

1

h

-27.80

1

56.5

30.07

1
29 07 29.580

SECOxXD VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 389

of the polar reffions we have vet visited, a southerly or easterly wind occa- i^'-^^-

J • • , 1 , .. , . , . January.

sioned a rise in the thermometer, while the greatest cold was always expe- v^-r>L'
ricnccd with the wind in the opposite quarters.

On the 1st of January the star Capella could be kept sight of with the Wed. i.
naked eye tiU half an hour before noon, the weather being remarkably clear and
fine. On the 5th, the sky looked so red towards noon that we were induced Sun. r,.
to look out for the sun from the masthead, but without success, though we
could not help fancying every moment that it was about to burst above the
horizon. After this the sky was so constantly overcast for a fortnight, that
we did not obtain a sight of it. In the first week of January, the proportion
of coals for the main-hatchway stoves was increased to five pecks per day, or
the quantity for which they were expressly constructed. This proportion of
fuel, which was now expended for the first time since leaving England,
was continued for eleven weeks, or till tnwards the end of March ; after which
the expenditure of coals for this apparatus was gradually diminished, and it
was permanently discontinued for the season on the 10th of June. About Mon. a.
this time some more of the Esquimaux shifted their quarters from Igloolik to
the ice, leaving the permanent huts upon the island now deserted by about
one-half their inhabitants.

On the 19th, the weather having at length cleared up, we were once more Sun. 19.
gratified with a sight of the sun, and numerous parties of walkers were seen
in various parts of the bay, enjoying the novelty and splendour of this cheer-
ing and glorious sight. A parhelion also appeared on each side of the sun ;
and exactly opposite to it near the northern horizon was a large circular
patch of white light, precisely similar to that described on the 16th of No-
vember. The Esquimaux who were at the ships to-day before the sun rose,
particularly said that we should see it, and apparently with great confi-
dence. It is certain however that on this occasion no sun-dance took place,
nor any other festivity of the kind described by Crantz * ; their only expres-
sion of satisfaction at this event being of the same general nature as our own.

About this time the accounts from the huts, as well from the Esquimaux as Tues. -il.
from our own people, concurred in stating that the number of the sick, as
well as the seriousness of their complaints, was rapidly increasing there. ^V e
had indeed scarcely heard of the illness of a woman named Kei-moo-seuk,
who it seemed had lately miscarried, when an account arrived of her death.

* Crantz, I. 76

390 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. She was one of the two wives of Ooyarra, one of Captain Lyon's fellow-
lanuary. n • i i i • i . • i i i i

v-*-y-^ travellers in the summer, who buried her in the snow about two hundrea

yards from the huts, placing slabs of the same perishable substance over the
body, and cementing them by pouring a little water in the interstices. Such
an interment was not likely to be a very secure one, and accordingly a few
days after, the hungry dogs removed the snow, and devoured the body.
Wed. 22. We had also heard of the indisposition of a woman named Pootoo-d-louk,
the wife of Taliliet-liltkec-tu, and the accounts of her being now more un-
favourable than before. Captain Lyon drove out to the huts on the 22d, ac-
companied by Mr. Mac Laren, to sec and endeavour to relieve her. They
found her in an extremely debilitated state, and her child, which was about
three years of age, lying under ihe same skin, apparendy almost starved in
consequence of its mother's inability to suckle it. After feeding them both
with a little arrow-root. Captain Lyon desired the man to come to the ships
the next day for some medicines, as well as for some blankets to add to
their warmth and dryness. On entering one of the bone huts. Captain
Lyon discovered a log of wood forming a transverse beam above the
entrance : on examination it proved to be of fir, without bark, from four
to five feet in length, about eight inches in diameter, and having no ap[)ear-
ance of being eaten by worms. The Esquimaux informed him that it had
been picked up on the island of Neerlo-nakto, but did not trouble them-
selves to form any conjecture from whence it came. This circumstance is
principally worth mentioning for the sake of introducing a much more sin-
gular one, that, during five summers' navigation on or about the north-
eastern coast of the American continent, we have never met with one piece
of drift-wood floating in the sea.

While speaking on this subject, I may not improperly add what has been
the result of numerous inquiries respecting the wood which, as we under-
stood the Esquimaux, was said to grow at or nQdCi Akkoolee. It appeared from
some conversations with these people after our arrival at Igloolik, that,
upon the north-west point of an island on that coast, called Sedt-toke, a
considerable quantity of wood of large dimensions is found ; but so dif-
ficult is this place of access that, of all the Esquimaux of whom we have a
personal knowledge, it is extremely doubtful whether a single individual
has ever been there, and the information is, therefore, entirely from hear-
say. Ewerat, who was the clearest in his account of it, and who derived
all his information on this subject from a very old man now living, but not

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 391

personally known to us, assured me, as many others- had done, that wood 1823.
was abundant at the place above alluded to. He explained, however, pretty

intelligibly, that it did not grow there, as we had at first been given to
understand ; and upon the whole it seems most probable that the wood of
which the Esquimaux speak is drift-wood. That Avood should occur in one spot
only out of a large extent of coast, suggested to us at the time the idea that
it might have been brought there by the current of some river setting it
down from the interior of the continent, as on the northern shores of Asia
and Europe. The researches of Captain Franklin, however, with Avhich we
were then unacquainted, have furnished a more satisfactory mode of account-
ing for this fact ; the wood being probably deposited at Seat-tokc by the
current observed to set from the westward along the northern coast of
America, and bringing with it quantities of drift-wood seen by Captain
Franklin on those shores along which his late extraordinary canoe-navigation
was performed.

On the 23d Takkee-likkee-ta came to the Hecla according to his promise, Thur. -2.3.
and was supplied with various comforts for his wife and child. As how-
ever their principal want of comfort arose from the coldness and moisture of
their present quarters. Captain Lyon proposed to him to bring them to the
Hecla. To this the man joyfully assented and, being furnished with
a sledge and dogs, soon brought the invalids on board, where they were
comfortably lodged in Captain Lyon's cabin, and attended with all the
care that their situation required, and that humanity could suggest. Besides
the child that was ill, another also accompanied them named Shega, a
l)leasing and uncommonly intelligent girl about eleven years of age, whom
we now found to have been one of the individuals I saw in Lyon Inlet
during the summer of 1821. In the evening I sent my servant to the vil-
lage, for the purpose of going into all the huts (which from the lowness and
indescribable filth of the passages was no easy or pleasant task) to see what
other sick there might be. He reported, on his return, that a young man
named Piccodi/ak, a great favourite with our officers and ship's company, was
in a very weak condition, and that his wife and another female were lying
beside him to keep him warm, at the same time crying most piteously.
Early on the following morning, therefore, I despatched I\Ir. Crawford on Prid. 'U.
the sledge to bring Piccooyak to the ship ; but alas ! his miseries here were
at an end, for he had breathed his last on the preceding evening within an
hour after we had fii-st been informed of his illness ! His wife Kagci, a

392 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. youn^ woman lately brought to bed, was lying about in the snow beside the

'-*-v-0 road, and making lamentations that bespoke much more sincere grief than

the cutting off of hair, which the widows here did not always practise*.

We did not, however, at this time know what bitter cause of lamentation

this event was to prove to poor Kaga.

Mr. Crawford thought he could not now better execute his instructions
than in bringing to the ship a young man of tlie name of Kooeetseek, who
was very much debilitated by the long continuance of a rheumatic com-
plaint; he was accordingly lodged in our sick bay together Avith his sister,
an intelligent child about nine years of age, named Kirko-warioo, who accom-
panied him as his nurse. The latter soon became domesticated among us
and, being well cleaned and dressed in European clothes, amused us greatly
by her vivacity and intelligence. Indeed it required no long acquaintance
with this poor child, to convince us that art and education might easily have
made her equal or superior to om'selves, or, as some of our gentlemen at
the time remarked, that there were in reality more shades of dirt than of any
other difference subsisting between us.

Scarcely had these arrangements been made on board the Fury, when we
heard of the death of Captain Lyon's patient, her extremely 'debilitated
state rendering it impossible to rally her by any means that could be devised.
The circumstances attending the death and burial of this poor woman and
her child, affording an insight into some of the customs of the Esquimaux
on these occasions, are thus related by Captain Lyon, to whom I am in-
debted for the account.

2?. " The mother Poo-too-alook was about thirty-five years of age, the child

about three year; — yet not weaned, and a female ; there was also another
daughter Shega, about twelve or thirteen years of age, who as well as
her father was a most attentive nurse. My hopes were but small as far as
concerned the mother, but the child was so patient that I hoped from its
docility soon to accustom it to soups and nourishing food, as its only com-
plaint was actual starvation. I screened off a portion of my cabin, and
arranged some bedding for them, in the same manner as the Esquimaux
do their own. Warm broth, dry bedding, and a comfortable cabin did

* Crantz, I. 138.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 393

wonders before evening, and our medical men gave me great hopes. As an '^^a.
introduction to a system of cleanliness, and preparatory to washing the sick ^^^^^'
who were in a most filthy state, I scrubbed Shega and her father from head
to foot and dressed them in new clothes. During the night I persuaded
both mother and child, wiio were very restless and constantly moaning, to
take a few spoonfuls of soup. On the morning of the 24th tlie woman ap- 24.
peared considerably improved, and she both spoke and ate a little. As she
was covered with so thick a coating of dirt that it could be taken off in
scales, I obtained her assent to wash her face and hands a little before noon.
The man and his daughter now came to my table to look at some thino-s 1
had laid out to amuse them ; and after a few minutes Shega lifted the curtain
to look at her mother, when she again let it fall and tremblingly told us she
was dead.

" The husband sighed heavily, the daughter burst into tears, and the poor
little infant made the moment more distressing by calling in a plaintive tone
on its mother, by whose side it was lying. I determined on burying the
woman on shore, and the husband was much pleased at my promising that
the body should be drawn on a sledge by men instead of dogs ; for to our
horror Takkelikkeeta had told me that dogs had eaten part of Keimooseuk,
and that when he left the huts with his wife one was devouring the body as
he passed it.

" Takkeelikkeeta now prepared to dress the dead body, and in the first
place stopped his nose with deer's hair and put on his gloves, seeming
unwilling that his naked hand should come in contact with the corpse. I
observed in this occupation his care that every article of dress should be
as carefully placed as when his wife was living, and having drawn the boots
on the wrong legs, he pulled them off again and put them properly ; this cere-
mony finished, the deceased was sewed up in a hammock, and at the hus-
band's urgent request her face was left uncovered. An officer who was
present at the time agreed with me in fancying that the man, from his words
and actions, intimated a wish that the living child might be enclosed with
its mother. We may have been mistaken, but there is an equal probability
that we were right in our conjecture ; for according to Crantz and Egede
the Greenlanders were in the habit of burying their motherless infants from
a persuasion that they must otherwise starve to death, and also from being
unable to bear the cries of the little ones while lingering for several days
without sustenance ; for no woman will give them any share of their milk

3 E

394 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. which they consider as the exclusive property of their own offsprino-

January. . . i i j is

^■'-v-v.' My dogs being carefully tied up at the man's request, a party of our
people accompanied by me drew the body to the shore, where we made a
grave about a foot deep, being unable to get lower on account of the frozen
earth. The body was placed on its back at the husband's request, and he
then stepped into the grave and cut all the stitches of the hammock, although
without throwing it open, seeming to imply that the dead should be left
unconfined. I laid a woman's knife by the side of the body and we filled up
the grave, over which we also piled a quantity of heavy stones which no animal
could remove. When all was done and we returned to the ship, the man
lingered a few minutes behind us and repeated two or three sentences, as it'
addressing himself to his departed wife ; he then silently followed. We
found Shega quite composed and attending her little sister, between whose
eye-brows she had made a spot with soot, which I learned was because
being unweaned it must certainly die. During the night my little charge
called on its mother without intermission, yet the father slept as soundly
until morning as if nothing had happened.
'■^- " All who saw my patient on the morning of the Soth gave me great

hopes ; she could swallow easily and was even strong enough to turn or sit
upright without assistance, and in the forenoon .slept very soundly. At
noon the sister of the deceased, Ootooguak, with her husband and son,
came to visit me. She had first gone to the Fury and was laughing on
deck and at her own request was taken below, not caring to hurry herself
to come to the house of mourning. Even when she came to the Hecla, she
was in high spirits, laughing and capering on deck as if nothing had hap-
pened, but on being she\vn to my cabin, where Shega having heard of her
arrival w^as sitting crying in readiness, she began with her niece to howl
most wofully. I however put a stop to this ceremony, for such it certainly
was, under the plea of its disturbing the child. The arrival of a pot of
smoking walrus-flesh soon brought smiles on all faces but that of Takkeelik-
keeta, who refused food and sat sighing deeply ; the others ate, chatted, and
laughed, as if nothing but eating was worth thinking of. Dinner being
over, I received thanks for burying the woman in such a way that " neither
wolves, dogs, nor foxes could dig her up and eat her," for all were full of
the story of Keimooseuk, and even begged some of our officers to go to
Igloolik and shoot the offending dogs. A young woman named Ablik,
sister to Ooyarra, was induced after much entreaty and a very large present

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 395

of beads, to offer her breast to the sick child, but the poor little creature , i^'^^.

January.

pushed it angrily away. Another woman was asked to do the same, but v.*v>i^
although her child was half weaned she flatly refused.

" The aunt of my little one seeming anxious to remain, and Shega being
now alone, I invited her to stop the night. In the evening the child took meat
and jelly and sat up to help itself, but it soon after resumed its melancholy
cry for its mother. At night ray party had retired to sleep, yet I heard
loud sighing occasionally, and on lifting the curtain I saw Takkeelikkeeta
standing and looking mournfully at his child. I endeavoured to compose
him and he promised to go to bed, but hearing him again sighing in a few
minutes, I went and found the poor infant was dead, and that its father had
been some time aware of it. He now told me it had seen its mother the last
time it called on her, and that she had beckoned it to Khil-la, (Heaven) on
which it instantly died. He said it was " good " that the child was gone,
that no children out-lived their mothers, and that the black spot which
Shega had frequently renewed was quite sufficient to ensure the death of
the infant.

" My party made a hearty breakfast on the 26th, and I observed they did 26.
not scruple to lay the vessel containing the meat on the dead child, which I
had wrapped in a blanket ; and this unnatural table excited neither disgust
nor any other feeling amongst them more than a block of wood could have
done. We now tied up all the dogs as Takkeelikkeeta desired, and took the
child about a quarter of a mile astern of the ships to bury it in the snow ;
for the father assured me that her mother would cry in her grave if any
weight of stones or earth pressed on her infant. She herself, he feared,
had already felt pain from the monument of stones which we had laid upon
her. The snow in which we dug the child's grave was not above a foot
deep, yet we were not allowed to cut into the ice or even use any slabs of it
in constructing the little tomb. The body wrapped in a blanket, and having
the face uncovered, being placed, the father put the slings by which its de-
ceased mother had carried it, on the right side, and in compliance with the
Esquimaux custom of burying toys and presents with their dead, I threw in
some beads. A few loose slabs of snow were now placed so as to cover
without touching the body, and with this very slight sepulchre the father
was contented, although a fox could have dug through it in half a minute.
We however added more snow, and cemented all by pouring about twenty
buckets of water, which were brought from the ship, on every part of the

3 E 2

396 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. mound. I remarked that before our task was completed the man turned

January. ,,,,.,,,.

and walked quietly to the ships.

During the two last days, I obtained some information with respect
to mourning ceremonies, or at all events such as related to the loss of a
mother of a family ; three days were to be passed by the survivors with-
out their walking out on the ice, performing any kind of work, or even
having any thing made for them. Washing is out of the question with
Esquimaux at most times, but now I was not allowed to perform the
necessary ablutions of their hands and faces, however greasy or dirty they
might be made by their food ; the girl's hair was not to be put in pig-tails,
and every thing was neglected ; Takkeelikkecta was not to go sealing
until the summer. With the exception of an occasional sigh from the
man, there were no more signs of grief; our mourners ate, drank, and
were merry, and no one would have supposed they ever had wife, mother,
or sister. When the three days, and it is singular that such should be the
time, were expired, the man was to visit the grave ; and having talked
with his wife, all duties were to be considered as over. The 28th was our
third day, but a heavy northerly gale and thick drift prevented our visiting
29. the grave. The 29th, although not fine, was more moderate and I accom-
panied him at an early hour. Arriving at the grave, he anxiously walked up
to it and carefully 'sought for foot-tracks on the snow, but finding none
repeated to himself, " No wolves, no dogs, no foxes, thank ye, thank ye."
He now began a conversation which he directed entirely to the grave, as if
addressing his wife. He called her twice by name, and twice told her how
the wind was blowing, looking at the same time in the direction from
whence the drift was coming. He next broke forth into a low monotonous
chaunt and, keeping his eyes fixed on the grave, walked slowly round it in
the direction of the sun four or five times, and at each circuit he stopped
a few moments at the head. His song was, however, uninterrupted. At the
expiration of about eight minutes, he stopped, and turning suddenly round
to me, exclaimed " Tiigwa," (that's enough) and began walking back to the
ship. In the song he chaunted I could frequently distinguish the word Koi/-
enna, (thank you) and it was occasionally coupled with the Kabloonas. Two
other expressions, both the names of the spirits or familiars of the Annatko,
Toolemak, were used a few times ; but the whole of the other words were
perfectly unintelligible to me.

" I now sent Shega and her father home, well clothed and in good case.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 397

The week they had passed on board was sufficient time to have gained them ^8-2:3.
the esteem of every one, for they were the most quiet inoffensive beings I ever Jlli^'
met with, and to their great credit they never once begged. The man was
remarkable for his extraordinary fondness for treacle, sugar, salt, acids, and
spruce-beer, which the others of the tribe could not even smell without
disgust ; and he walked about to the different messes in hopes of being
treated with these delicacies. Shega was a timid well-behaved girl, and
generally remained eating in my cabin, for I am confident of speaking far
within bounds when I say she got through eight pounds of solids per diem.
As far as gratitude could be shewn by Esquimaux, which is saying ' koyenna'
on receiving a present, my friends were sensible of the attentions I had
shewn them."

We were to-day informed that the corpse of Pkooyak had fared even
worse than that of Keimooseuk. The same snow-covering being put over the
body, a second disinterment was as easily efferfed a day or two afterwards,
and another meal made by the hungry dogs. In relating this story, at
which every feeling of common humanity revolts, the Esquimaux pretended
to be very much enraged at the dogs, and to let some of our gentlemen
know that they wished the Kabloonas would shoot them. As however it
was not the owners of the dogs who expressed this wish, and as we con-
sidered a knife quite as effectual in killing a dog as a gun would be, if
applied with equal good will, we did not think proper to inflict such a
punishment, which, if due at all, would more properly have fallen on tho!«e
who made the complaint. It is most certain indeed, that none but the
immediate relatives of the deceased cared a jot about the matter ; nor
did the other individuals among them hesitate to laugh as they heard or
told the story. On some of our people going out to the village they found
that Piccoyak's child had died, owing probably to the misery and consequent
inattention of its mother Kaga, who now lived as before with the infirm and
aged parents of her late husband.

From the morning of the 24th till midnight on the 2Gth, the mercury in
the barometer was never below 30.32 inches, and at noon on the latter day
had reached 30.52 inches, which was the highest we had yet observed it
in the course of this voyage. This unusual indication of the barometer was
followed by hard gales on the 27th and 23th, first from the S.W. and after- 27 & 28.

398 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

, ^^^^' wards from the N.W., the mercury fallincr from 30.51 inches at eight P.M.

.January. ' j o c

-"^"^^ on the 26th, to 30.25 about five A.M. on the 27th, or about 0.26 of an inch
in nine hours, before the breeze came on. At midnight on the 27th it had
reached 29.30, and on the following night 29.05, which was its mininntm
indication during the gale. These high winds were accompanied by a rise
in the thermometer very unusual at this season of the year, the temperature
continuing above zero for several hours, and very near this point of the scale
for the Avhole two days.

The mean temperature of January proved indeed as remarkable for being
a high one, as that of the preceding month liad been in a contrary way,
being only — 17°. 07, or more than ten degrees warmer than December. The
first fortnight in February bid fair to present a similar anomaly ; the mild
weather we now experienced giving us hopes of a winter rather favourable
than otherwise, notwithstanding the severity with which it had set in.

We were about this time much shocked to hear, by an arrival from the
distant huts, of the death of Noogloo, the young man whom I before men-
tioned as the flower of the whole tribe. His complaint, as far we could
learn, had been of an inflammatory nature, and was also of some con-
tinuance ; as Toolemak, who considered him as his adopted son, had been
out to visit him two or three times, and was much afflicted by his loss.
There was something peculiarly shocking in the havoc which death appeared
now to be making among the younger and more vigorous individuals of
this tribe ; and never does he seem to inflict a more severe blow than when
he selects such as Noogloo for his victim.

February Having heard also that Innooksioo was iU at the distant huts, I requested

Sun. 2. jyjj. Crozier to call at the village, to endeavour to hire a sledge and a
conductor to go out to that station to see him, and, if he wished it, to bring
him on board. In this however he did not succeed, the sledges being prin-
cipally engaged in the fishing, and their owners absent from the huts.
Mr. Crozier reporting however that there were stiU some sick at Igloolik,

Mon. a. ^ went there on the following day, and arrived at the huts in time to
prevent a fine little boy, named Attangut, who Avas apparently in a dying
state, from being packerl up with the rest of his father's goods and chattels,
previous to his departure for the next station. Having suggested to his
parents that it would be better to place the boy on my sledge, and to send
him to the ship, than to take him in his present debilitated state still farther
from our assistance, they joyfully accepted the proposal : and I accompanied

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL

JOURNAL kept on

board His Majesty's

Ship

Fury, at Igloolik, during

the Month of January, 1823.

Fahrenheit's
Thermometer.

Barometer.

Prevailing
Winds.

PrevaiUog

Day

Maxi-
mum.

Mim-
miim.

Me^n.

») 1- o

g J

1

Maici-
mum.

Mini-
mum.

Mean.

Direction.

Velocity.

Weather.

1

-h

O

-45

-43.75

0

65

iochei

29.93

in hes

29.88

iiich«

29.917

North

light and
variable

fine

2

40

45

42.50

61

29.94

29,86

29.907

North

light

clear

3

43

45

44.17

56

29.86

29.83

29.847

NW

light

clear

4

38

45

41.92

54

29.82

29.74

29.792

WNW

light

clear

5

34

42

38.21

58

29.94

29.74

29.847

WNAV

light

clear

6

29

31

31.21

57

29.91

29.78

29.835

NAV

modt.

clear

7

22

30

26.42

59

29.74

29.56

29.633

NW

fresh

cloudy

8

19

27

22.00

60

29.78

29.57

•29.685

NW

light

hazy

9

9

22

15. UU

56

29.78

ay.37

29.562

NNW

strong

clear and drift

10

-M

7

2.17

59.5

29.50

29.22

•29.322

NbW

modt.

cloudy

11

2

23

11.71

60.5

30 05

29.60

•29.878'

South

modt.

cloudy

12

-8

23i

13.92

62

30.09

30.08

30.082

North

light

hazy

13

+11

14

3.25

65.5

30.00

29.53

29.765

North

modt.

cloudy and drift

14

20

+13

+17.50

66

29.45

29.18

■29.335

ENE

fresh

hazy and snow

15

22

4

16.42

61.5

29.19

29.06

29.132

ENE

fresh

hazy and snow

16

6

-3

1.83

70

29.51

29.28

29.425

SE

modt.

hazy

17

0

4

-2.25

61

29.74

29.59

29.682

SE

light

hazy and snow

18

1

2

-0.29

62.5

29.80

29.75

29.792

SSE

modt.

liazy and snow

19

-3

20

13.08

63.5

29.75

29.63

29.682

NNW

light

fine

20

18

21

19.83

65.5

29.83

29.63

29.748

NW

light

fine

'2\

18

22

20.17

67

29.86

29.78

29.820

NNW

modt.

clear

22

18

26

21.42

62

30.00

29.78

29.853

NW

modt.

fine

23

27

33

30.42

64

30.27

30.05

30.102

West

light

fine

21

24

34

29. S7

62

30.37

30.32

30.343

NW

light

fine

25

20

26

22.83

63

30.47

30.37

30 403

North

light

fine

20

10

29

21.08

61.5

30.52

30.15

30.500

North

light

fine

27

+7

11

+0.67

64

30.30

29.30

29.770

SW

fresh

cloudy and drift

OS

2

G

-3.37

64.5

29.25

29.05

29.117

NW

strong

drift

•29

-1

20

7.92

65

29.36

29.09

29.203

North

fresh

cloudy and drift

30

8

21

16.75

69

29.61

29.32

29.447

NE

light

hazy

31

17

^\

20.04

61

29.93

29.65

•29.762

ENE

modt.

clear

f.

+22

-45

-17.07

62.3

30.52

29.05

29.750

400 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1S23. ^]^Q travcllinc: party to the ice. The road to this new viUai'c, to which be-
■.^'sJ fore tlie middle ot" February all the people from the bone huts had removed,
was now worn as smooth as that between Igloolik and the ships, except
where it passed over the heavy hummocks and large cracks in the ice near
the shore. The habitations here were exact counterparts of those at Winter
Island ; and it was quite a relief to enter them, new and clean as they
were, after the filth of the more durable ones at Igloolik. The ice on
which the huts stood was near the edge of the squeezed-up or hummocky
kind, and, from the cracks close to them, was in all probability touching the
ground in most parts ; while outside of the village there was a smooth level
floe of considerable extent, over which they travelled to their fishery at its
margin, where open water still remained at the distance of three miles
from the shore. It seemed that they would for the sake of convenience
have carried their abodes further out to sea, ]>nf, that it was not. considered safe
to venture their whole establishment where the ice was liable to be broken off,
and drifted away by the tide. There are few people however who care less
for a walk of considerable length, if they have any object in view in ac-
com{)lishing it, than the Esquimaux ; in proof of which, in addition to the
instances already adduced at Winter Island, it may be stated that, on some
of the most inclement days in this winter, many of the women, and several
of the children from eight to eleven years of age were in the habit of
walking to the ships and back again, a distance not less than fourteen miles,
and sometimes when the road was so covered by snow-drift that it required
constant attention to keep in the right track.

On repassing the huts at Igloolik I went to see the parents and widow of
Piccooyak, who lived together in a hut of snow in a state of very great
wretchedness. The parents, both of them old and infirm, were sitting in
one corner with scarcely any clothes upon them, while Kaga lay in another,
moaning most lamentably, and almost entirely covered with some skins, of
which neither the kind nor original colour could be distinguished for the dirt
and grease with which they were besmeared. On my questioning her, she
after some time looked up and gave me to understand what indeed appeared
to be the case, that she was not ill but simply wretched ; and I could
plainly perceive that her misery in great part proceeded from the robbery of
most of her property, as described by Crantz to be the usual fate of widows
in Greenland *. Indeed of numerous presents which she and her husband

* Crantz, I. 192.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 401

had received on board the ships, not one now remained; and a lamp and l8-2.j.
cooking pot seemed all that her inhuman countrymen had left her, at least '■^'^^'^>
of those things which could have been of any service to themselves. There
was at this time no food in the hut ; and the mild weather produced so con-
stant a dropping from the roof, that had I stayed much longer my own thick
clothing must have been wet through. I therefore requested the old man
to accompany me to his son's grave ; and when there proposed to him to put
the body out of the reach of dogs for the future, by burying it in the ground,
to which with many tears and thanks he willingly consented ; and I promised
to send out on the following day to make preparations for that purpose.
When the old man lifted up his son's spear at the head of the grave, or
rather of the mound of snow containing his mangled remains, he burst into
a fresh flood of tears ; and frequently complaining of what the dogs had
done, repeated quite in an agony of grief the name of Piccooyak. A day
or two afterwards I went out according to my promise, and was accompanied
to the burial-place by the old man, who though he scrupulously avoided
touching the body, which was in a more mutilated state than ever, directed
that it should be laid on the back and with the head to the northward. Close
to the grave lay his spear, some buttons, a string or two of beads, and a small
drinking-cup, all Avhich the old man begged us to deposit in the same manner
as before, but would Ijy no means handle himself. He made no objection to
the body being covered with the soil, which was light ; but a day or two after-
wards, Avhen I sent one of our gentlemen out to perform a similar office for the
remains of Keimooseuk, her relations objected to our doing so ; explaining that
when a body was thus buried, the stones ought to be arched over, so as not
to rest upon it, a method they intended, as they said, to adopt in the spring.
W^e had reason to believe, however, from the numerous human skulls found
near the huts in the summer, that at least in many instances no such trouble
is taken with the dead; so that by a combination of superstition, indolence,
and indifference, there can be no doubt that other animals besides dogs are
permitted not unfrequently to feast upon them. This old man however ex-
pressed no scruples of any kind; was thankful and composed when the inter-
ment was completed ; and being afterwards supplied by us with some clothes
for himself and wife, removed to the ice with the rest and, as we afterwards
found, existed on the charity of some of the other Esquimaux.

The account I gave of poor Kaga on my return to the ships, induced Captain ru<..<. i
Lyon to send out for her, with the hope of at least preserving her health, and

3 V

402 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. administering to her comfort until she should shew some svmi)toms of return-
February . r /. 1 •
^-^-.'^ mg energy, the want of which seemed at present to be her principal complaint.

She was accordingly lodged in Captain Lyon's cabin, and together with a con-
sumptive looking boy named Allo\vseuIc, who also stood much in need of a warm
and dry lodging, received every possible kindness and attention. The idea
which suggested itself respecting Kaga was that if, as we began to fear, the
condition of widows was as destitute here as in Greenland, it would be a
charity to endeavour to bring about a nmtch between this her Takkee-
likkee-ta ; the iirst step towards which was to rouse her from her present
apathy, and then to give her such a portion as might add to her value and
respectability as a wife. The grief however which Takkee-likkee-ta continued
for some time to express for his late loss, prevented our hinting this scheme to
him for the present, and in the meantime the other unfeeling Esquimaux
were permitted to entertain any notion they pleased respecting our inten-
tions in bringing Kaga to the ships ; for a mere act of charity they either
did not or would not understand it to be.

The Esquimaux who had occasional communication with the distant village,
having given us reason to suppose that they meant to bring Innooksioo in to
the ships, it became evident that some more systematic as Avell as extensive
means must be resorted to for the relief of their sick, than we had hitherto
thought of adopting. Captain Lyon's charity being already very highly taxed
with a most perverse and thankless patient, as Kaga soon turned out to be,
while the Fury's sick-bay began to swarm with lice to such a degree as to render
it necessary to turn our own men almost entirely out of it, I determined on
building a hospital within the walls of our square expressly for the reception
of the natives ; and having proposed it to the officers on whom all the
trouble would necessarily devolve, a plan for the building, medical attend-
ance, and victualling was immediately settled, with a degree of cordiality
and zeal which 1 can never forget. A house was accordingly constructed
with spars, turf, snow, and canvass, twelve feet square, having a passage with
two doors, and containing five convenient bed-places for the sick, and a small
warming-stove in the centre. All our people being employed about it, Lieu-
tenant Nias completed the building in a couple of days, at no expense but
that of labour which could in no way be so well employed. The medical
and other attendance was arranged by Messrs. Edwards and Skeoch, and a
stock of sea-horse meat laid in by Mr. Hooper, to furnish any patients that
might be brought down to the ships.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 403

We to-day placed a Six's self-registering thermometer in the ground near '^^3.
the observatory, four feet beneath the surface, the indices being set at + 8°. v,*-,-^'
It would undoubtedly have been interesting to have ascertained the tempera-
ture of the earth during the winter, at a much greater depth than this ; but
to giA'e an idea of the difficulty of doing this, it will only be necessary to state
that it occupied twenty-seven days to effect what we did, and that at the
expense of ten pick-axes broken by digging. After the first twenty inches,
where the soil was quite loose, the ground was literally frozen as hard as a
rock, so that each blow of the pick-axe brought off only a few splinters ac-
companied by some white dust. As only one man could have room to work
at a time, another foot in depth avouM probably have occupied two or three
weeks more in completing, and it was therefore considered advisable to take
advantage of the present high temperature of the atmosphere to deposit the
thermometer and close up the hole. The mercury in the barometer once
more stood as high as 30.52 inches to-day, a light wind blowing from the
N.N.E., and we had fine weather for two or three succeeding days.

To give some idea of the number of deer killed by the Esquimaux at the
proper season, I may here state that 1 to-day counted on a girdle worn round
the waist by Toolooak's mother, twenty-nine ears of that animal, which had
all been procured by this young man's own exertions in the course of the last
summer. His own game of this kind must therefore have amounted to at
least fifteen deer, and his mother almost constantly wore the girdle as a proud
trophy of her son's exploits. There are few mothers indeed who might not
be proud of such a son as Toolooak, who on longer acquaintance quite
maintained his former character, of possessing many excellent qualities both
of head and heart.

On the 6th Kooeetseek being convalescent was discharged from our sick- Thur. 6.
bay, and sent on a sledge to the huts, where he soon after regained the
flesh he had lost, and was as well as ever. He had scarcely left us when
our expected patient, Innooksioo, arrived with his wife, two young children,
and all the worldly property they possessed, and was comfortably established
in the hospital. This man who, when in health, was one of the most lusty
and vigorous in the tribe, was now so much reduced by illness that his face
could scarcely be recognised. He was brought to the ship on the sledge of
old Nannow, who also accompanied him, and continued throughout his
illness to visit him occasionally.

On the 8th a trifling circumstance occurred which, however, as it exhibits Sat. 8.

3 F 2

404 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1S23. jj^ ^j.jjij (jf Esquimaux character, I may perhaps be excused for rcUitiiig. A
-^/■^^ queer okl woman, one oC our Winter Island acquaintance, brought back
unasked a silver thimble which Mr. Skeoch suspected her having stolen out
ofhiscabina day or two before. She now without reserve confessed that
she had taken it, but laughingly told him that, finding it much too small for
her linger, she had lioncsllj/ returned it, and concluded with an earnest re-
quest to be allowed some beads in exchange for it. Their pilferings had
hitherto been so rare and so trifling, that we could easily wink at this piece
of petty larceny, which seemed to carry with it its own compensation, by the
humours of the old lady's conceit in confessing it.

Among the traits in these people's disposition, and the peculiarities in the
history of their social dealings with one another, which our present inter-
course served to discover to us, was the circumstance of their being divided
into two or three parties, which, thoiigh never absolutely quarrelling, were
still on no very cordial terms of intimacy. This party-feeling, and the jea-
lousies excited by it, were conspicuous on various occasions, and once dis-
played themselves on a subject the least likely of any to have given uneasi-
ness to an Esquimaux. One day when Mr. Hooper had been at the trouble
of going to the huts to cater for our Esquimaux patients, and had purchased
a considerable quantity of meat, he hapi)ened in the evening to tell Innook-
sioo, who was just then regaining an enormous appetite, of his good success
in this way ; the hitter anxiously asked of whom the meat had been pro-
cured, and being told that it was Pootooalook, declared that he would never
eat a bit of it. Vexatious as this sort of prejudice was likely to prove to us,
Mr. Hooper fortunately pretended to assent to it ; and Innooksioo having thus
satisfied his party-feeling, wisely permitted it to have no farther influence,
and avoiding all further questions on the subject, had in a few days demo-
lished his full share of Pootooalook's meat.

Thus, conscience freed from every clog,
Mahometans eat up tlie hog

Some other prejudices exhibited by these people were not to be so easily
compromised, and therefore occasioned greater trouble. The sick must on
no account see each other, nor, except in particular cases as before men-
tioned at Winter Island, be seen by any other person, always, however,
excepting Kubloonas, to whom the prohibition did not seem to extend. The
using of a sick person's drinkingcup, knife, or other utensil by a second
individual was sure to be vehemently exclaimed against, the invalid being

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 405

always the first to make the objection. We had therefore to furnish a ^^'-^-
separate set of things for each person, and Innooksioo was so unhappy

while the boiler of the stove, which held several gallons, was used for
thawing snow for another person's consumption as well as his own, that
we were under the necessity of allowing his wife to burn her own lamp,
and thus provide him with water at the expense of nearly a gallon of our oil
per day. One day, however, this prejudice received a very necessary and
serviceable check. Mr. Skeoch while pouring out some medicine into a
little glass measure used exclusively for that purpose, and which could not
be changed for any other, observed Innooksioo beginning to acquaint the
other patient, for whom the draught was intended, that he had been drinking
out of the same vessel. Mr. Skeoch perceiving the absolute necessity of
opposing him in this instance, immediately, and with great seriousness,
threatened to beat him if he dared to say another word. The other man
having in part overheard from behind his screen what had been going on,
asked Innooksioo some question before he would put the vessel to his lips,
but Mr. Skeoch's threat having entirely closed those of Innooksioo, no answer
was returned, the medicine was drank without further hesitation, and this
point once for all effectually gained.

These and several other fancies of the Esquimaux combined, as may be
supposed, to render the hospital duties no sinecure to those engaged in per-
forming them ; and in thus noticing occurrences in themselves perhaps so
trivial and unimportant, I have had in view the double object of illustrating
the character and disposition of these people, and of doing all the justice in
my power to those gentlemen who, with unabated patience and assiduity,
continued to combat every difficulty, resolved if possible to cure the Esqui-
maux even in spite of themselves.

While such were the difficulties attending the management of our public Mon. lo.
infirmary. Captain Lyon had suiFered his full share of annoyance from the
frowardness of Kaga, who, to the usual unthankfulness of the Esquimaux
disposition, unfortunately added a degree of self-willed perverseness that
rendered her wholly intractable, and wore out the patience of all that were
concerned in attending upon her. Her strength and spirits were now so much
restored that she could sing when not too sulky, and had made for herself
a fear-nought jacket, of which she stood much in need, so that it was de-
termined to send her back to the village; Nui/dk/ia, a man noted for his
respectability, and who said that his wife was Kaga's sister, having pro-

406 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. mised to lodo^c and feed the widow in his own hut. She was therefore sent

rebrunrv

v-^-v'^ back on tlie 10th upon Captain Lyon's sledge, having first expressed her
gratitude by stealing a knife, which was found concealed under her jacket
at the moment of her departure.

Toolemak, who came to the ships to-day, was extremely low and dejected
on account of Noogloo's death, and it was often remarked afterwards that the
tears stood in his eyes whenever he spoke of that young man. lie went
several times into the hospital, asked Innooksioo a number of questions re-
specting his lodging and other accommodations, of which he had good sense
enough to see the full value, and sufficient candour to thank us very heartily
for our attentions. This man furnished the only instance that came under
our notice, of any thing approaching to superiority acknowledged by the Es-
quimaux. To Toolemak's opinion and wishes many of the others unques-
tionably paid considerable deference, and he appeared in many instances to
be so much better furnished with food than the rest, that he undoubtedly
drew occasional supplies from several of the tribe. This distinction, which
went no farther than I have related, and for which he was of course indebted
to his professional merits, was after all confined to a certain party; the rest
of the Esquimaux always listening with extreme satisfaction to any thing
that might be said to Toolemak's disadvantage, and evidently triumi)hing
in his disgrace.

The Esquimaux had about this time killed several sea-horses and meat
was abundant at the village. They also killed several bears in the course
of the winter, amounting in all to eight or ten, in the space of six or
seven months ; but none of those animals had been seen near the ships on
account of our distance from the open water.
Tues. 11, A brother of Innooksioo's called Toolooak, a lad about the same age as our
young friend of that name, came to the ships to-day with a severe gash in
his leg, accidentally inflicted by his own knife; and the wound proving a
deep one and much inflamed, Mr. Edwards recommended his being received
into the hospital. Here, however, we had to encounter a fresh series of
perverseness ; for even his own brother objected to his coming into the same
apartment, and it was not without some difficulty that we contrived to get
him established there. Innooksioo, upon the whole, however, j)roved a
good and tractable patient enough. Some of his tricks were laughable
because quite inoffensive ; among which was a habit of endeavouring to ex-
cite the compassion of every body that went into the hospital, by complain-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 407

ing of his stomach being empty, his cheeks fallen in, and in short, if his story p^^^^'
could be told in plain English, that he was in a fair way to be stai-ved. His ^^^r*^'
daily established allowance of solid meat was at this time from four to five
pounds, to which was generally added from one to two or three pounds more
as presents from his friends ; but even this was not enough to satisfy the
cravings of his appetite. Finding, however, that no plea of his could induce
Mr. Hooper to depart from the regular system, and that the rest of the Ka-
bloonas received his piteous tale with a laugh, in which by-the-by his wife
invariably joined, he at length ceased his unjust and needless solicitations.

Some of our people going out to the huts on the 12th, found that Nuyakka Wed. 1-2.
had so ill performed his promise respecting Kaga, that he had already dis-
missed her from his own apartment and, either from decency's or conscience
sake, had built her a small one communicating with the passage of his own.
Wliether the pei^verse humours of Kaga, or the caprice or inhumanity of
Nuyakka had been the occasion of this change, we could not discover ; but
perhaps each of these had some share in her removal. As, however, she
was well clothed with the things she had received from the Hecla, and
Nuyakka, as it appeared, still continued to feed her, we could only look on
and see how she was to be disposed of.

On the loth, some remarkable clouds were hanging over the open water Sat. 15.
to the eastward, appearing like vast volumes of smoke, curling into rounded
and almost circular forms. This peculiarity we never observed at any other
time, though there was constantly a " water-sky" in that direction, consist-
ing of a general and diffused darkness, varied occasionally by numerous
vertical columns of "frost-smoke."

On the 19th, Mr. Edwards, on paying a visit to the huts, found a young Wed. 19.
man named Kooeetseearioo so ill, that he thought it better to risk bringing
him in, than to incur, what now appeared almost certain, his dying if he
remained at the village. Mr. Edwards afterwards inquired for Kaga, and
was shewn into her hut, in which however there was so little light and so
contaminated an atmosphere, that he could neither see any person nor
breathe the air of the apartment. Having at length succeeded in getting
the wretched inmate to look up, though without being able to draw from her
any answer to his questions, he found it impossible to continue longer in the
hut, and could not therefore ascertain whether she laboured under any
specific complaint, though her appearance seemed to indicate that she was
now ill, if not utterly abandoned. On the following day, therefore, when I Thur. -20.

408 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. ^vcnt out to briiiiif Koocctsccaiioo on board, 1 made another cifort to ascer-

1 eliruarv . . , .

^-'-N-^ tain this unfortunate creature's real situation; and as soon as I had arranged
about the young man's removal, went into Nuyakka's hut, to make inquiries
respecting her. On asking his wife to shew me Kaga's apartment, she
laughed rather sneeringly, but did not comply with my request ; and had it
not been for little Shega, who was by at the time and immediately offered
herself as my guide, I should not easily have accomplished my object.
Being preceded, however, by this good-natured child, I crept on hands and
knees through a narrow low passage about ten feet long, at the end of which
she pointed still onwards, and producing a knife, brought expressly for the
purpose, fell to work in removing a large slab of snow that covered the door-
way. Shega then retired, and I with much difficulty pushed myself forward
through the low and narrow entrance. The misery which now presented
itself to my view was such that, though it will not easily be effaced from
my memory, I am at a loss to convey by description any adequate idea of it.
The hut was constructed of snow, in the usual form, but without a window ;
and the light of a miserable single-wicked lamp was just sufficient to inter-
cept the daylight by blackening the roof, to fill the apartment with smoke,
and to render the wretchedness as well as "the darkness visible." The
diameter of this habitation was about six feet, and its height from four
to five. At one end of the bed-place lay the wretched Kaga, with a
stream of blood that seemed to have come from her mouth, frozen,
together with part of her hair, along the front of the bank of snow
that formed the bed-place. After several ineffectual attempts to gain her
attention, in the course of which I began to doubt whether she still lived,
she at length, with much apparent difficulty, turned her head and exhibited
a face which it was scarcely possible to recognise. Her eyes were now
much closed, and even the half-smothered flame of a single wick in the
lamp near her head seemed oppressive to her sight. In hopes of obtaining
some information respecting her bodily complaints, I asked her several ques-
tions ; but her answers, when she made any, were uttered in so slow and
indistinct a tone of voice, that I could not understand a syllable of them.
Beginning now seriously to feel the effects of the offensive atmosphere of
the hut, which, if the nature of it could be described, would be little less
disgusting in the description than in the reality, I was under the necessity
of quitting this scene of human wretchedness, which exceeded any thing my
imagination could possibly have pictured. On my returning to Niisea/c, the

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 409

wife of Nuyakka, and reproaching her with the diabolical inhumanity of pebfuary
thus leaving her sister to perish, she made some excuse which I did not ^— v'*'
understand, but treated the whole matter with a degree of levity and indif-
ference, of which it is painful to think any human creature capable on such
an occasion. Placing Kooeetseearioo on my sledge, I now set off for the
ships, in no very good humour with the humane qualities of the Esquimaux.

On my return on board, strongly impressed with the misery I had just
witnessed, 1 naturally began to consider what could be done to relieve it,
and I well knew that I should not want assistance in executing- any plan
that might with this view be adopted. The difficulties, however, were not a
few ; for besides the indelicacy of a sick, helpless, and perverse woman
being attended solely by men, it would be absolutely necessary to build a
separate apartment for her reception, as Innooksioo, we were Avell aware,
would not have remained in the hospital an hour after her admission there.
Indeed, it was not without some coaxing, and more threatening, that he
would allow Kooeetseearioo to be lodged under the same roof with him.
Determined, however, to make an effort to save this unfortunate wretch, who
was evidently doomed by her own country-people to a lingering but certain
death, a separate hut was erected, communicating with the passage of the
hospital, and a volunteer found among the ship's company to attend exclu-
sively to her ; while every other necessary arrangement was made for her
reception by the officers I have before mentioned as so humanely taking
upon themselves this trouble.

On the following day Mr. Crozicr went out to bring her on board, and on Frid. 21.
unroofing the hut to remove her to the sledge found, as we suspected, that
she had been robbed of almost every thing. When lodged in her new
apartment, where there was light and room to examine her condition, little
hope appeared of poor Kaga's recovery ; her debilitated state being such as
to imply the almost total exhaustion of the vital powers, and her body
reduced in the short space of a few days to a mere skeleton. To shorten a
story which there is little inducement to prolong, Kaga breathed her last
on the following day, which event there would have been no charity in Sat. 22.
lamenting, determined as her country people were to let her ultimately
perish. Nor was her removal to the ships at all to be regretted ; for if it
were only to give the body a decent and secure burial, sometliing might be
considered as thus gained. On examination after death, she was found to
have lost every tooth in her upper jaw, and her gums and the roof of her

3 G

410 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

1823. mouth were quite black with disease, so that whatever supplies mierht latterly
February «. , , , , , , , , i , • •

have been anorded her she could not eat, and her stomach being quite

empty, starvation was probably the occasion of her death. Having publicly
made known her death to the Esquimaux, and allowed the body to remain
unburied the whole of the following day, to give them an opportunity of
doing something towards her biirial, wc placed her remains in a grave near
the observatory, together with her lamp, the only residue of her original
property. Not an inquiry was afterwards made about her ; and Nuyakka
now disclaimed any relationship to her, though he had before asserted that
she was his wife's sister, and had at least tacitly admitted her claim upon
them, by offering to take her into his hut. Thus perished a young woman
not more than threc-and-twenty years of age, the victim of the barbarous
policy or savage inhumanity of her own countrymen ! There is something
peculiarly unpleasant in relating facts which degrade and discredit human
nature ; but he who professes faithfully to delineate the character and dis-
position of a people, must be careful not to mutilate facts, or to palliate errors,
merely for the sake of making a pleasing picture.

Nothing worthy of notice occurred during the rest of February, which
month it was gratifying to find presented, as to temperature, a similar ano-
maly with January, the mean being only — 20°. 41, which is probably a high
one for this latitude.
March. On the 3d of March, the Esquimaux were excluded from the Fury for
some hours, on account of a shovel having been stolen from alongside the
preceding day. Soon after this, Oo-ob-took, a middle-aged man, who had
seldom visited the ships, was in Mr. Skeoch's cabin when that gentleman
explained to him the reason of his countrymen being refused admittance ;
upon this he became much agitated, trembled exceedingly, and comjjlaiued
of being cold. There could be no doubt that he thought Mr. Skeoch had
dived into his thoughts ; for hastening upon deck, he was a minute or two
afterwards detected in bringing back the lost shovel from the place where
he had buried it behind our wall. A day or two before this occurrence,
Captain Lyon had in a manner somewhat similar recovered a knife that
had been stolen from him, for which, by way of punishment, the offender
was consigned to solitary confinement for some hours in the Hecla's coal-
hole. As, however, the Esquimaux only laughed at this as a very good
joke, and as, the time was shortly coming when numerous loose stores must
be exposed upon the ice near the ships, I determined to make use of the

Mon. 3.

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's Ship
Fury, at Igloolik, during the Month oi February, 1823.

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

II

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

Fahrenheit's
1'hermometer.

.MaXH Mioi-
mum. mum*

-12
+20

21
3
0

-5

16

13
5

13
7
9

13

16

22

35

30

25

31

18

17

18

24

24

27

19

27

34

+2?

-24

10

1

0

13J

15

24

23

16

30

28

21

2t

28

32

43

42

40

40

36

23

24

32

38

39

26

42

43

-43

-17.25

+ 8.92

13.58

1.62

- 5.29

10.00

19.71

18.17

9.42

24.87

13.25

11.79

18.42

20.54

27.08

40.54

35.67

31.00

37.00

29.00

20.58

20.46

26.75

30.83

33.67

21.62

34.33

38.33

-20.41

Mean

Temp.

oflower

deck.

64.5

63.5

60.5

65

63.5

62.5

63.5

66

66

68
61
61.S

64.5

63.5

62.5

62.5

60

58

57.5

57

58

55.5

56.5

57.5

58.5

55.5

61 6

Barometer,

Mali,
mam.

inches.

30.2)

30. ai

30.48

30.52

30.50

30.18

29. &1

29.78

29.95

30.17

30.16

29.88

29.93

29.70

29.58

29.30

29.59

29.76

29.79

29.74

29.51

29.60

29.74

20.83

29.83

29.63

30.02

30.01

30.62

MioU

mum.

inches.

30.02

30.15

30.27

30.49

30.22

29.90

29.75

29.75

29.79

30.01

29.94

29.73

29.72

29.62

29.32

29.32

29.37

29.61

29.78

29.53

29.60

29.45

29.62

29.75

29.71

29.46

29.72

29.81

29.32

inches.
30.153

30.178

30.380

30.502

30.347

30.050

29.802

29.760

29.850

30.115

30.065

29.788

29.875

29.651

29.395

29.332

29.470

29.692

29.787

29.612

29.502

29.515 !

29.692

29.790

29.782

29.528

29.015

29.950

Preyailing
Winds.

29.810

N

DirectJoD. Velocity

North

NNE
ENE

NNE

WNW
NW

North

North

NW
Westerly

WbN

NW
NNW

NW

West

NW

NW

NNW

NbE

NW

NW

NW
NNW

NW

NW
North
Westerly
NW

mudt
strong
modt.
light
light
modt
light
light
light
light
modt.
modt,
light
modt,
Cresh
modt.
tresh
light
Ught
light
modt,
modt
light
light
Ught

modt

II. TbI.
&caliiu

light

Prevailing
Weather.

fine and clear
drift
cload;
cloady
clear
clear
fine
clondy
cloudy
fine and clear
hazy
hazy
fine
clear and drift
cloudy
fine
clear and drift
clear
clear
fine
clear
clear
clear
clear
fine and clear
hazy and drift
clear
fine

3 G 8

412 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. present well-authenticated instance of theft, in trvins: the effect of some
"arch. ' . 1

•^^-Y"^ more serious penalty. The delinquent was therefore put down into the

Fury's store-room passage, and closely confined there for several hours ;
when having collected several of the natives on board the Fury, I ordered
him to be stripped and seized up in their presence, and to receive a dozen
lashes on the back with a cat-o'-nine-tails. The instant this was over, his
countrymen called out very earnestly, " Timun, timunna," (That's right,
that's right,) and seemed much relieved from the fright they had before
been in while the fate of the thief seemed doubtful ; but in three minutes
after not one of them was to be found near the ships, for they hur-
ried oft" to the huts as fast as their legs and sledges could carry them.
This example proved just what we desired ; in less than eight-and-forty
hours, men, women, and children came to the ships with the same confidence
as before, always abusing Oo-oo-took, pronouncing themselves and us
uncommonly good people, but evidently more cautious than before of really
incurring our displeasure. The occurrence just related, instead of being
placed to the account of these people's bad propensities, rather served to
remind us of the rareness of such occurrences, and therefore to furnish fresh
proof of their general honesty. It can, indeed, be scarcely doubted, that
few if any savages would have withstood so many temptations to dishonesty
as these Esquimaux had for months together been exposed to, without a
single instance of theft occurring.

This incident explained in some degree the meaning of the custom before
mentioned, of stroking down the front of their jackets with the palm of the
hand, which we observed them practise here on our first acquaintance.
Oo-oo-took did this so frequently at the times when he was most frightened,
and also the other Esquimaux during his punishment, that little doubt re-
mained of its being in part meant to imply submission.
Wed. 5. The Esquimaux were about this time rather badly off for food, in conse-
quence of the winds having of late been unfavourable for their fishery ; but
this had only occurred two or three times in the course of the winter, and
never so much as to occasion any great distress. It is certain indeed, that the
quantity of meat which they procured between the 1st of October and the
1st of April, was sufficient to have furnished about double the population of
working people, who were moderate eaters, and had any idea of providing
for a future day ; but to individuals who can demolish four or five pounds at

OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 413

a sitting, and at least ten in the course of a day*, and who never bestow a '^■-■'■
thought on to-morrow, at least with the view to provide for it by economy, ^^

there is scarcely any supply which could secure them from occasional
scarcity. It is highly probable that the alternate feasting and fasting to
which the gluttony and improvidence of these people so constantly sul)-
ject them, may have occasioned many of the complaints that proved fatal
during the winter; and ont his account we hardly knew whether to rejoice
or not at the general success of their fishery. Certain it is, that on a
I)articular occasion of great plenty, one or two individuals were seen
lying in the huts so distended by the quantity of meat they had eaten, that
they were unable to move, and were suffering considerable pain arising
solely from this cause. Indeed it is difficult to assign any other probable
reason for the lamentable proportion of deaths that took place during our
stay at Igloolik, while, during a season of nearly equal severity, and of
much greater privation as to food, at Winter Island, not a single death
occurred. Notwithstanding their general plenty, there were times in
the course of this winter, as well as the last, when our bread dust was
of real service to them, and they were always particularly desirous of
obtaining it for their younger children. They distinguished this kind of
food by the name of kdmbrobt, and biscuit or soft bread by that of shtgcilnk,
tlie literal meaning of which terms we never could discover, but supposed
diem to have some reference to -their respective qualities.

Our lengthened acquaintance with the Esquimaux and their language, Fnd. 7.
which a second winter passed among them afforded, gave us an opportunity

* Lest it should be thought that this account is exaggerated, I may here state tliat, as a
matter of curiosity, we one day tried how much a lad scarcely full grown, would, if freely
supplied, consume in this way. The under-mentioned articles were weighed before bcinff
given to him ; he was twenty hours in getting through them, and certainly did not con-
sider the quantity extraordinary.

lbs. ot.

Sea-horse flesh, hard frozen 4 4-

Ditto, boiled 4 4

Bread and bread-dust 1 12

Total of solids .... 10 4
The fluids were in fair proportion, viz.,

Rich gravy-soup I4 pint.

Raw spirits 3 wine-glasse.':.

Strong grog 1 tumbler.

Water 1 gallon 1 pint.

414 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

\i2'^. of occasionally explaining to them in some measure in what direction our
•-*->^w country lay, and ot giving them some idea of its distance, climate, popula-
tion, and productions. It Avas with extreme difficulty that these people had
imbibed any correct idea of the superiority of rank possessed by some indi-
viduals among us ; and when at length they came into this idea they naturally
measured our respective importance by the riches they supposed each to
possess. The ships they considered as a matter of course to belong to Cap-
tain Lyon and myself, and on this account distinguished them by the names
of Li/on-oomiak and Paree-oomiak ; but they believed that the boats and other
parts of the furniture were the property of various other individuals among us ;
they were therefore not a little surprised to be seriously assured that neither
the one nor the other belonged to any of us, but to a much richer and more
powerful person, to whom we all paid respect and obedience, and at whose
command we had come to visit and enrich the hmuees. Ewerat, on account
of his steadiness and intelligence, as well as the interest with which he lis-
tened to any thing relating to Kabloonas, was particularly fit to receive infor-
mation of this nature ; and a general chart of the Atlantic Ocean, and of the
lands on each side, immediately conveyed to his mind an idea of the distance
we had come, and the direction in which our home lay. This and similar
information was received by Ewerat and his wife with the most eager
astonishment and interest, not merely displayed in the " hei-ya ! " which
constitutes the usual extent of Esquimaux admiration, but evidently enlarg-
ing their notions respecting the other parts of the world, and creating in
them ideas which could never before have entered their minds. By way
of trying their inclinations, I asked them if they would consent to leave their
own country and, taking with them their children, go to live in ours, where
they would see no more Innuees, and never eat any more seal or walrus. To
all this they willingly agreed, and with an earnestness that left no doubt of
their sincerity ; Togolat adding in an emphatic manner, " Shagloo ooagoot nao"
(we do not tell a falsehood,) an expression of peculiar force among them.
The eagerness with which they assented to this proposal made me almost
repent my curiosity, and I was glad to get out of the scrape by saying, that
the great personage of whom I had spoken, would not be pleased at my taking
them home, without having first obtained his permission. Information of
the kind alluded to was subsequently given to many of the other Esquimaux,
some of whom could at length pronounce the name of " King George," so
as to be tolerably intelligible.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 415

On the 8th Innooksio, who had quite recovered from his complaint, and had 18-23.
almost regained his former strength and looks, left us for the huts on Nan- C^.-^'
now's sledge. The impatience of these people to be out in the open air the '^'' '
moment they are free from pain, is always extreme, and constitutes one of
the many difficulties of completing their cure. Kooeetseearioo was just at
this time suffering from a relapse occasioned by this impatience, to which
was now added anew cause of disquietude, produced by the anticipation of
Innooksioo's departure, and the fear of sleeping keseemee (alone) in the hos-
pital. The apprehensions which he expressed on this subject were so great,
that we determined to remove him into our sick-bay, as he was now our only
patient; but this was done on condition of his drinking as much lemon-juice
as he was desired, some pretty unequivocal symptoms of scurvy having now
appeared in him. Innooksioo behaved very well at his departure, thanked
some of our gentlemen for their kindness to him with great appearance of
cordiality, and in short left us exactly as we could have wished.

A number of walruses and of the seals of both kinds caught by theTues. 11.
Esquimaux about this time, were observed to be with young, which circum-
stance we had also noticed at the same season the preceding year. Captain
Lyon procured the head of a small walrus, remarkable on account of its hav-
ing three tusks, all very short, but two of them close togetlier on the right
side of the jaw, and placed one behind the other. On the 12th two families Wed. 1-2.
(»f Esquimaux left Igloolik for Arldgmik, a part of the land to the southward,
and near Ping-it-kalik, where the walruses were said to be abundant. Other
families soon after removed to this station, towards which the tide of emi-
gration seemed now to be turned, and before the close of March about
lifty individuals had fixed their abode there. In these movements necessity
may during the winter have considerable share; but in the summer it is per-
haps only the love of change, for which most savages are distinguished, that
can induce them to leave Igloolik, the shores of which there need be no
hesitation in asserting would easily supply a population, even of Esquimaux,
ten times greater than theirs with food in profuse abundance.

The weather was now so pleasant, and the temperature in the sun so com- Thur. i?.
Portable to the feelings when a shelter could be found from the wind, that
we set up various games for the people, such as cricket, foot-ball, and quoits,
which some of them played for many hours during the day. There is a
certain sallowness in the looks of people living much by candle-light, which
was always very perceptible in our officers and men during the winter, but

4'lf) SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

!t<23. vhich wore off gencraUy with the returning spring. The sun now indeefl

March. , , 1 ' , • 1 ■ , o

^■-s. began to be somewhat glaring and oppressive to the eyes on first coming
into daylight ; and before the end of March some crape was issued to be worn
as veils, a protection of which most persons were already glad to avail them-
selves. A thermometer exposed to the sun on the south side of the observa-

Frid. 14. tory on the 14th, indicated +18°, while another suspended freely without
any shelter' from the wind, stood at zero, that in the shade being at — 9" at
the time,

Mon. 17. The mercury in the barometer rose to 30.84 inches at ten P.M. this day,
being nearly the highest indication of this instrument we had ever registered
in the polar regions *. This occurred with light winds betw-een the north
and east and a clear sky, except about the western horizon, over which a
dense darkish cloud hung during the whole day. At night indeed, when
the mercury stood the highest, we experienced for the first time this season
a dense fog, which for several hours obscured objects at the distance of two
or three hundred yards. The mercury fell very gradually from this time,
but so sloM'ly that it had not reached thirty inches till noon on the 2-2d,
during the whole of which time we enjoyed delightful weather.

Wed. 19 Mr. Mogg having accompanied some of the Esquimaux on their fishing
excursion to the margin of the land-ice, in hopes of shooting some dovekies
which they reported to be numerous there, found that a floe of young ice
too weak to bear their weight, had lately formed so as to prevent their
getting to the water. A number of sea-horses being seen on the sea-ice
beyond this, the Esquimaux in their anxiety to approach them, as a last re-
source, tried the strength of the ice by putting a young dog upon it, by which
they nearly drowned the litde animal, without at length succeeding in their
endeavours.

On the 21st a woman named Ootooguak, avIio had been brought to the hos-
pital in a very weak state, and had been gradually sinking for some days
past, died, without struggle or apparent pain of any kind. A short time he-
fore her death, of the approach of which both she and her husband were
well aware, she took Mr. Skeoch's hand, and grasping it between hers with
all the strength she then possessed, pressed it to her lips as an evident ac-
knowledgment of his attention to her. There is something peculiarly affect-
ing in such an acknowledgment at a moment like this. Ootooguak had she

, * The mercury stood at 30,86 inches at Melville Island, on the 27th of April, 1820.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 417

recovered would, it is to be feared, never have evinced her gratitude in so '823.
feeling and unequivocal a manner ; but when death drew near, and the v-^-v-*i^
things of the world began to lose their value, the better feelings of our com- '^' • - •
mon nature at once gained the ascendancy, and the selfishness of the savage
character was lost in the awfulness of the approaching crisis. Her husband
who observed her take Mr. Skeoch's hand, and had throughout her illness
watched her with unremitting attention, was much affected by this last act
of his wife, and with many tears earnestly repeated his own thanks. An
hour or two before her death, he came over to the ships for his two boys, one
of whom was their real, and the other their adopted, son, and taking them
into the hospital told them that their mother was dying. The boys then
joined their father in crying for a few minutes, after which they went out to
play with their usual cheerfulness, and with equal indifference. As soon as
she was dead her husband put all her clothes on her, and then agreed to our
proposal of sewing the body up in a hammock, the face only being left un-
covered by his desire. He also consented to her being buried on shore, for
which purpose his two brothers came at an early hour on the following day, sat. 22.
and with many exj::essions of acknowledgment, attended to the arrange-
ments for the burial. These consisted only in the body being placed on a
sledge, and drawn to the grave by men ; though no request was made for the
dogs to be tied up or put out of the way, as had been the case in a former
instance. The husband alone accompanied us to the grave over whicli, as
soon as the body was deposited, he was thankful to have some staves placed,
to prevent any weight resting immediately upon it. He next laid on large
slabs of snow, after which he had no objection to our people throwing on
stones and earth ; which shews that their principal care is to avoid loading the
body with any weight. Nothing was deposited in or near the grave but a pair
of her spare boots, which were laid upon the body near the head. He came fre-
quently afterwards to visit the grave, at an interval of several days each time,
and generally walked round it once, sometimes muttering a few words and at
others in silence, but never appearing to be much affected : this custom is at-
tended to with scruimlous care, and is evidently connected with some super-
stitious notion that renders it indispensable in their eyes. This man also
expressed great anxiety about his living three days at the ship after his wife's
death and, within an hour after that time was accomplished, went away
satisfied and in good spirits. The custom of not using sledges and dogs
for five days after such an event, which is certainly considered decent

S H

418 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

}^'\ and proper, is not always strictly attended to ; for several went out to the
v^-Y-^ fishery the day following Ootooguak's death, and one or two came to the
ships within three days. Some individual-!, notwithstanding the serious
inconvenience of this practice, adhered to it more scrupulously, and Toole-
mak could by no means be prevailed on to part with a dog for which I had
bargained, till the five days were completed. When however there are no
relatives at hand to observe the practice, as in the case of the unfortunate
Kaga, it is altogether neglected ; so that its non-observance is only perhaps
considered to affect the dead, without having any influence over the living.

Messrs. Crozier and Ross, having spent one or two days in accompanying
some of the Esquimaux on their fishing excursions, found that the same floe of
" young" and weak ice as before still opposed an insuperable obstacle to the
catching of walruses. Mr. Ross succeeded in killing a single dovekey,
which proved extremely curious from the whiteness of its plumage. It
was probably on account of the present unfavourable state of the ice for
the walrus-fishery, that several other families removed, before the end of
March, to FingitkalUc, where these animals were equally abundant, and more
easily procured ; for the Esquimaux do not acknowledge the truth of our
English proverb, that " enough is as good as a feast." Previously to their
Wed. 26. departure, several of them, with their usual cunning, paid two or three " last
visits" to the ships on as many successive days, having found by experience
that some extra presents were made them on such occasions. We heard
about this time of a child six or seven years of age having recently been
drowned, by accidentally falling into a hole in the ice made for soaking their
seal-skins.

At the close of the month of March we were glad to find that its mean tem-
perature, being — 19°. 75, when taken in conjunction with those of January
and February, appeared to constitute a mild winter for this latitude. There
were besides, some other circumstances which served to distinguish this
Avinter from any preceding one Ave had passed in the ice. One of the
most remarkable of these Avas the frequent occurrence of hard well-de-
Frid. 28. fined clouds, a feature Ave had hitherto considered as almost unknown in
the Avinter-sky of the polar regions. It is not improbable, that these may
have in part oAved their origin to a large extent of sea keeping open to the
south-eastAvard throughout the Avinter, though they not only occurred Avith
Mon. 31. the Avind from that quarter, but also Avith the colder weather usually accom-
panying north-Avesterly breezes. About the time of the sun's re-appearance.

•i^t-j3% 9 '•

V^ • -

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 419

and for a week or two after it, these clouds were not more a subject of
admiration to us on account of their novelty, than from the glowing richness
of the tints with which they were adorned. It is indeed scarcely possible
for nature, in any climate, to produce a sky exhibiting greater splendour
and richness of colouring than we at times experienced in the course of
this spring. The edges of the clouds near the sun often presented a iiery
or burnished appearance, while the opposite side of the heavens was distin-
guished by a deep purple about the horizon, gradually softening upwards
into a warm yet delicate rose-colour of inconceivable beauty. These phe-
nomena have always impressed us the most forcibly about the time of the
sun's permanent setting, and that of his re-appearance, especially the
latter, and have invariably furnished a particular subject of conversation
to us at those periods ; but I do not know whether this is to be attributed
so much to the colouring of the sky exactly at the times alluded to, as to
our habit of setting on every enjoyment a value proportioned to its scarce-
ness and novelty. Besides the colouring of the clouds just mentioned, I
also observed live or six times, in the course of the spring, those more rare
and delicate tints to which allusion has already been made in this Narrative,
and twice in that of the preceding voyage. This peculiarity, in which 1
now observed no difference from those of the same kind before described,
would probably have been oftener seen but for the glare of the sun upon
the eyes in viewing an object so near it. Perhaps it has also been seen in
other climates ; here it is, I believe, most frequent in the spring, and I have
never noticed it after the summer temperature has commenced.

Shortly after the sun's re-appearance, it not unfrequently happened about
noon that a part of the low shore to the southward of the ships appeared,
by the effect of refraction, to be raised and separated, forming a long nar-
row streak of a dark colour, like a cloud, suspended a few minutes above
the land, in a position nearly horizontal.

Parhelia and imperfect lialos very often occurred in the spring, their
angular distance from the sun being from 22° to 23°, but having nothing
remarkable either in form, situation or colours, to need a separate descrip-
tiuu on eacli occasion. It was sometimes observable however, that though
parhelia appear to an observer placed nearly on a level with the sea, to be
at a considerable distance from the eye, they are found, on ascending a
little eminence, to be produced on some medium comparatively close, per-
haps only from one to two miles distant. In this case the land or other

3 11 2

1823.
March.

420 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. distant objects may be seen over them, though there is near them always

Marcli. . . •" , . , , , ,, . ^ . . . , , , , ^

w^-^^ a mistiness to which they perhaps owe their origin. Although however
the winter atmosphere of these regions is seldom free from numberless mi-
nute particles of snow, which are abundantly deposited upon any thing
left in the open air, yet it was not observable, except in some cases
of snow-drift, that parhelia were more frequent or distinct when this
de])Osit was the greatest, than when the atmosphere was comparatively
clear, though in the latter case they are always to appearance most
distant. Parhelia occur most frequently, and exhibit the greatest inten-
sity of light, at low altitudes of the sun. This is often particularly ob-
servable in the short days, when these phenomena assume a very brilliant
appearance soon after sunrise, decrease in splendour towards noon, and
resume their brightness as the sun descends towards the horizon ; con-
tinuing however distinctly visible the whole time, and being sometimes
accompanied by a more or less perfect halo undergoing corresponding
variations.

Another peculiarity observed in this winter was the rare occurrence of
the Aurora Borealis, and the extraordinary poorness of its display when-
ever it did make its appearance. It was almost invariably seen to the
southward, between an E.S.E. and a W.S.W. bearing, generally low, the
stationary patches of it having a tendency to form an irregular arch, and
not unfrequcntly with coruscations shooting towards the zenith. When
more diffused it still kept, in general, on the southern side of the zenith ;
but never exhibited any of those rapid and complicated movements observed
in the course of the preceding winter, nor indeed any feature that renders
it necessary to attempt a particular description. The electrometer was fre-
quently tried by Mr. Fisher, at times M'hen the state of the atmosphere
appeared the most favourable, but always without any sensible effect being
j)roduced on the gold leaf.

The difference in the temperature of the day and night began to be
sensible as early as the first week in March, and the daily range of the ther-
mometer increased considerably from that time. The increase in the average
temperature of the atmosphere, however, is extremely slow in these regions,
long after the sun has attained a considerable meridian altitude ; but this is in
some degree compensated by the inconceivable rapidity with which the days
seem to lengthen when once the sun has re-appeared. There is indeed no
change which continues to excite so much surprise as that from almost con-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.

421

stant darkness to constant day ; and this is of course the more sudden and ^]^^^-

•> . . March;

striking in proportion to the height of the latitude. Even in this compara- ^-^-^
tively low parallel the change seemed sufficiently remarkable ; for soon after
the middle of March, only ten weeks after the sun's rc-appearancc above
the horizon, a bright twilight appeared at midnight in the northern heavens.
The annexed abstract contains a comparative view of the mean tempera-
ture of the atmosphere during six months of each of the three winters passed
in the polar regions, by this and the preceding Expedition.

Months.

Mean temperature of the Atmosphere at

REMARKS.

Melville IMand,
lal. ;4i^,
1819-'.l0.

Igloolik,
lat. 0»f ,
1322.23-

Winter hbnd, '
lai. I>tij°,
1S21-22.

October

November

December

January

February

March

o

— 3.46

-20.60
-21.79

- 30.09
-S2.19
-18.10

O

■i 12.79

- 19.37
-27.8-3

- 17.07
-20.41

- 19.75

+ 12.51
+ 7.75
-1291
— 22.96
-24.97
-11.64

The " corrected temperature" in the
lower line cf each column of this
Table is the " registered temperature"
Tfith a deduction of 3° for the warm
atmosphere of the ship.

Mean registered temperature

-21.04

- 15.27

- 8.71

Mean corrected temperature

-21

— 1 S.S

- 11.7

ABSTRACT of ih

e METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept

on board His Majesty's Ship

F

URT, at Igloolik, during

the Month of March, 1823.

Day

1

Fahrenheit's
niuiueter

rher-

i 5^ ST"

m

! !^ -J

i

Barometer.

Prevailing
M iiids.

Prevailing Weather.

M<\l- MiLii.

Litllli. UlUlll.

Jkun.

I M,,\i. Miui-

' mum. Diuni. M«.lti.

i

Direction. Velocity

-3^'

o

-3t>.5S

o
53.5

(

29.80

j

incheu

29.70

tichea

29.73:

SW

modt

fine

2

31

41

35.79

52.5

29.73

1

29.70

29.72.

West

light

fine

3

30
32
20

40
40
30

3r..51

51

1
30.07

29.81

29.93(.

West

lijjht

fine and clear

4

5

30.75

32.0S

49.5
51

30.10
it). 97

30.02
20. G4

30.08.1
29.747

NW
NW

modt.
fresh

one

cloudy

C

18

30

23.07

49.5

29.81

29.03

29.723

West

strong

hazy, drift

7
8

20
IG

30
30

25. :m

22.17

SO
52.5

30.13
30.13

29.85

30.003

NW
SW

lleht

squalls
lyhl

fiae
fine

30.00

30 100

9

0

25

19.42

53

29.04

29.80

29.80.3

Nortli

light

cloudy

10

15

23

23.42

54.5

■-'9.97

29.81

29.87f

North

light

cloudy

"

22

34

28.33

54

30.01

29.99

29.997

NW

m..dt
nn.t

clear

1-|

17

33

•2li.0i

53.5

30.00

29.90

29.975

NW

light

fine

1
13

9i

28

14.71

54.5

29. G3

29.85

29.890

SW

light

hazy

"

C

22

13. 2y

50

20.91

29.82

29.858

West

light

fine

15

13

20

19.2'j

58

30.21

29.89

30.027

NWbN

light

hazy and small snow

"*

IS

29

21.07

59

30.03

30.30

30.503

North

light

fine

-

14

20

18.58

59.5

30.84

30.07

30.702

North

light

<A..M. fine
I I'.M. f.)ggy

'^

14

29

21. .OO

59.5

30.79

30.58

30 700

North

light

fine

10

5

25

15.17

00.5

30.58

30.20

30.377

Northerly

light

fine

20

3

21

11.42

01

30.15

30.00

30.107

NNW

light

fine

21

3

13

9.08

59.5

30.10

30.05

30.075

NW

light

fine

22

+ 1

15

8.71

00.5

30.00

29.90

29.9E0

NNW

ino^t.

clear

23

- 7

IG

10.54

03

29.88

29.78

29.812

«XW

frt,h
«iuil1,

<lrifl

21

+ 2

13

s.o;

5S.5

30.02

29.80 29. E32

WNW

light

clear

25

4

15

3.8S

00.5

29.95

29.69 29.913

West

light

cloudy

2V

- 1

22

12.21

01

■29.92

29.89 29,902

•West

light

hazy, snow at times

27

1

I'J

10.0!-

C2.5

.;o.03

i9. 07 30.00:;

NE

modt.

hazy and suow

2S

11

28

18.4(3

58

30.03

29.94:29.900

NW

light

fine

29

12

27

18.71

58.5

29.97

29.9429.955

NW

light

fine

30

C 23

13.92

00.5

30.12

30.05 30.082

NW

light

fine

31

2 23

14.0s

01

30.29

iO. 1530.230

NNW

light

fine

+ 4 -41

-19.75

50 0

3.3.81

29.03 30.02-

1

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 423

CHAPTER XIV.

VARIOUS JOURNEYS TO THE ESQUIMAUX STATIONS ILLNESS AND DECEASE OF MR.

ALEXANDER ELDER PREPARATIONS FOR THE HECLA'S RETLTIN TO ENGLAND

REMARKABLE HALOS, ^"C. SHOOTING PARTIES STATIONED AT ARLAGNUK JOUR-
NEYS TO QUILLIAM CREEK ARRIVAL OF ESQUIMAUX FROM THE NORTHWARD

ACCOUNT OF A JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD FOR THE PLTIPOSE OF REACHING

THE POLAR SEA THE ESQUIMAUX REPORT TWO FISHING-SHIPS HAVING BEEN

WRECKED — A JOURNEY PERFORMED TO COCKBURN ISLAND DISCOVERY OF

MURRAY MAXWELL ISLET.

Whatever hopes of an unusually mild winter misrht have been excited bv ^^^^•
the mean temperature of some oi the preceding months, the comparative v^-v-v./
view exhibited in the foregoing table, for a longer period of each winter that
we had passed in these regions, did not seem to hold out at present a pro-
spect of any thing extraordinary. It could indeed have been scarcely anti-
cipated that our journals would have registered so progressive a decrease of
mean temperature, in proportion to the height of our latitude as that here
given ; and this circumstance may perhaps be considered as intimating that
though in small intervals of time, such as particular and corresponding
months, considerable differences may occur in this respect, yet that in longer
periods the averages will be found to coincide more nearly : — that nature, in
short, though ever varying in detail, still preserves her general uniformity ;
and that when any considerable deviation from her usual course has taken
place on one side, she struggles to maintain the balance by some extraordi-
nary compensation on the other.

On the 1st of April Captain Lyon went out on his sledge to the distant
station of the Esquimaux, which he found to be situated eight or nine miles
to the westward of Tern Island, and consisting of five snow-huts built upon
the ice ; the people, who were twenty-eight in number, living almost indepen
dently of the open water, by catching the neilit/r in its hole in the manner
already described. Tliey were at this time abundantly furnished with food.

424 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

18-23. ajjj were chiefly clad in seal-skin dresses. Among them were two young
v-'-.'-w men who were invalids, one of whom was slowly recovering from an illness
occasioned by excessive eating, and the other had just fallen sick from the
same cause, but was relieved by bleeding.
Wed. 2. Captain Lyon returning to the ships on the 2d, and old Nannow with a
party of other Esquimaux arriving from Pingitkalik at the same time, I
lodged the latter in my cabin, and on the following day accompanied them
on their return home ; one or two other families also setting off from Igloolik
to join their companions to the southward. I found the Esquimaux situated
about twenty-three miles to the southward and eastward of the ships ; the
huts being built upon the ice in immediate contact with the beach, and the
open water, in which they killed walruses for their subsistence, being distant
from them about three miles. The quantity of meat in the huts at this time
was so great, that 1 never remember to have seen it more abundant, even
in the summer ; and two more walruses were killed during my stay there.
Nannow and all his household behaved to us with a degree of kindness and
genuine hospitality which nothing could surpass. Indeed the old man
seemed to be only apprehensive that he could not do enough for me, and
lidgetted about the whole evening in preparing my bed and repairing my dogs*
harness, while his wife was mending my boots. Every now and then this
worthy creature kept calling his own " igloo" bad, and mine good ; and
in the morning he oft'ered me, I believe, in turn, every article belonging to
him in return for the presents which I had made him.
Fnd.4. In returning on board on the 4th we got out of the road, which was nearly
covered with a heavy snow drift that was flying at the time. We were
therefore obliged to trust entirely to the instinct of the dogs ; and these
sagacious creatures landed us close to the bone-huts at Igloolik, after tra-
velling for more than three hours without seeing a single object at a greater
distance than two or three hundred yards around us.

About the first and second weeks in April, the Esquimaux were in the habit
of coming up the inlet, to the southward of the ships, to kill the neitiek or
small seal which brings forth its young at this season, and probably retires
into sheltered places for that purpose *. Besides the old seals which were

* " The netsek is the only species of seal which remains in the winter under the ice. They
form in it large caverns, in which they bring forth their young, two at a time, in March.
More than one cavern belongs to one seal, that he may if disturbed in the first, take shelter in
the second. No other seal is caught in winter by the Esquimaux" (in Labrador.) — Journal
of a Voyage to Ungava Bay by the Missionaries of the Unitas Fratrum, p. 36.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 423

taken in the manner before explained, the Esquimaux also caught a great ^^?^.
number of young ones by fastening a hook to the end of a staff, and hook-

ing them up from the seal-hole after the mother had been killed. Our large
fish-hooks were useful to them for this purpose, and the beautiful silvery skins
of these young animals Avcre occasionally brought to the ships as articles of
barter: those of the foetus of the neitie/c are more yellow than the others,
and indeed both in colour and texture very much resemble raw silk.

We could at this season just make out that a stone was here and there Tues. 8.
more perceptible on shore than during the winter, owing to the tops of them
being uncovered by the sun's rays ; but this was the only change that could
be observed. We had frequent occasion to notice about this time that a
copious deposit of snow-crystals, of a large size, and of a beautiful arbo-
rescent form, took place every night, as soon as the temperature of the atmo-
sphere fell some degrees below that of the day, just as the dew falls in tem-
perate climates. On the ISth a grouse was observed upon the rubbish-heap Sun. 13.
alongside the Hecla.

It is now once more my painful duty to record an afflicting visitation of Pro- Tues. IJ.
vidence which took place among us on the morning of the 1.5th, in the death
of Mr. Alexander Elder, Greenland mate of the Hecla. He had complained,
on several different occasions in the course of this and the preceding winter,
of pulmonary affections, to which perhaps a full habit of body may in some
degree have contributed. His disease was now, however, a confirmed dropsy,
which having attacked the region of the heart, rapidly terminated his exist-
ence. Mr. Elder had served in the three successive Expeditions employed
for the discovery of a North-West Passage, and as a reward for his good
conduct, had been raised from the situation of leading-man to that of mate,
in which last capacity he sened both in the Griper and the Hecla. He died
much regretted by many of the officers and men, who had known him
several years, and by none more deeply than by myself. Most sincerely
indeed do I lament the occasion which demands from mc this tribute, due
to the memory of an active and valuable seaman, as well as an honest and
upright man. His remains were committed to the ground near the Observa-
tory, with all the solemnity that the occasion demanded, and a tomb of Tliur. 17.
stones, w ith a handsome tomb-stone, raised over the grave.

The first ducks noticed by the Esquimaux were mentioned to us on the
IGth, and a few days afterwards immense flocks appeared, all of the king-

3 I

426 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

duck species, about the open Mater near the margin of the ice ; but our dis-
tance from this was so great that we never saw any of them, and the weather
was yet too cold to station a shooting party in that neighbourhood. Dovc-
kies were now also numerous, and a gull or two of the silvery species had
been seen.

Sun. 20. On the 20th after divine service, I took the opportunity of Captain Lyon
and his people being on board the Fury, to communicate to the assembled
officers and ship's companies my intentions respecting the future movements
of the Expedition ; at the same time requesting Captain Lyon to furnish me
with a list of any of the Ilecla's men that might volunteer to remain out, as
it would be necessary lo fill up, or perhaps even to increase the complement
of the Fury.

Our preparations were therefore immediately commenced, a twelve months'
provision and other stores being received by the Fury, and various necessary
exchanges made in anchors, cables, and boats ; and in the course of a single
fortnight the whole of these were transported from ship to ship without any
exposure or labour to the men outside their respective ships, our invaluable
dogs having performed it for us with astonishing ease and expedition. It
was a curious sight to watch these useful animals walking off with a bower-
anchor, a boat, or a topmast without any difficulty; and it may give some
idea of what they are able to perform to state, that nine dogs of Captain
Lyon's dragged sixteen hundred and eleven pounds a distance of seventeen
hundred and fifty yards in nine minutes, and that they worked in a similar
way between the ships for seven or eight hours a day. The road was,
however, very good at this time, and the dogs the best that could be pro-
cured.

Mon. 21. On the 21st Koo-eet-see-arioo, who had for a fortnight past been in a sad
fidget about going away, and who had now no complaint but debility, at
length took his departure. He was fortunate in leaving us at a time of the
year when exposure to the air was of comparatively little importance, and he
subsequently recovered his health sufficiently to resume all his occupations.
1 regret to add that the case was different with our late patient Innooksioo,
who, having suffered a relapse when at a distance from us, died about this
time, as we were afterwards informed by the other Esquimaux. His widow,
Amlo-tooinyak, was well taken care of, living in old Nannow's hut for some
time, and shortly after becoming the second wife of Ootooguak.onc of his sons.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.

427

It is certain, however, that for some time she was nearly common to every 1323.
body, and it was said to be in consequence of a suggestion made on board vl_^^lj
the ships, that she became the acknowledged wife of Ootooguak.

On the evening of the 24th, the thermometer being at +6°, some halos Thur. 24.
and parhelia appeared about the sun, which the annexed figure will best
describe. This was the only phenomenon of the kind particularly worthy of
notice that occurred during the spring.

S, the sun, eight to ten degrees above the horizon.

a, e, A horizontal circle of white light, passing through the sun and parhelia ; upon this appeared
at times a large white spot, exactly opposite to the sun in the heavens.

/, ^, Parhelia situated upon the inner halo/, i, g, of which the radius was 22° 20'.
h, i, I, Part of an inverted circle, touching the upper part of the halo/, i, g, and sometimes assuming
the form of a bow.

b, c, d, An outer halo, much more brightly tinged with the prismatic colours than the inner one ;
its radius 4S°.

The wind settling to the southward for a few days near the end of April,
brought an increased and, to us, a comfortable degree of warmth ; and it was "" " *
considered an event of some interest, that the snow which fell on the 29th
dissolved as it lay on our decks, being the first time that it had done so this
season. Wc now also ventured to take off some of the hatches for an hour or
two in the day, and to admit some fresh air, a luxury which wc had not known
for six months. The Esquimaux about this time began to separate more than
before, according to their usual custom in the spring ; some of tliem, and

3 I 2

428 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

'^^.?' especiallv our Winter Island acquaintance, setting off to the little islands

April. I J 1 • 1 1

\-^,'>^ called Ooglit and those in our neighbourhood removing to the north-east
end of Igloolik, to a j)eninsula called Kcu/ulc-larruokc, to which the open
water was somewhat nearer. These people now became so much incom-
moded by the melting of their snow huts, that they were obliged to substitute
skins as the roofs, retaining however the sides and part of the passages of
the original habitations. These demi-tents were miserable enough while
in this state, some of the snow continually falling in, and the floor being
constantly wet by its thawing.
^1^^^ On the 2d of May several of our gentlemen accompanied the Esquimaux to
the open water, to endeavour to procure some ducks, large flocks of which
were flying about there ; but a quantity of " young" ice prevented their
approaching them. In walking out with the wind blowing against them from
the sea to the eastward, they found their faces covered with salt, the ther-
mometer being from +11° to +17° during the day.

Thur. 8. Accustomed as we had been to the rapidity of the changes produced by
warmth when it does begin to operate in these climates, we still could not
help being surprised at the alteration which a few days of temperate weather
in the beginning of May eftocted in the appearance of the land, many of the
ridges being almost entirely clear of snow, and every hour discovering some
fresh spots of dark ground. The deception occasioned by one unvaried and
extensive surface of white was now also once more perceptible, principally
in making the neighbouring lands appear much nearer than before, and
discovering the hills and valleys ; whereas in the winter all was blended to-
gether, so as to give no idea of the true distance of the land or of its various
undulations. Another change which Ave have invariably remarked to take
place in the spring, was now daily more and more observable ; this consisted
ii\ the distinctness Avith Avhich distant lands might be seen, or rather in
those parts of the coast coming in sight which we had necer seen during the
winter. It is most certain indeed that, notwithstanding all that has been
said of the superior transparency of the winter atmosphere in these regions,
there is none less clear for viewing either celestial or terrestrial objects,
which fact will I believe become apparent to any person putting it fairly

Sat. 10. to the test. At eleven P.M. we had a thick fog, which lasted for a
couple of hours, and another for a short time on the 10th. Upon the spots
that were bare of snow on shore avc now observed numerous caterpillars, of
the same kind as those found in equal abundance, and at the same time of the

ABSTRACT

of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's Sh

P

Fury, at Igloolik, during the Month of April, 1823.

Fahrenheit's Ther-
momeler.

^1

Baromeier.

Prevailing
Winds.

Day

1

Prevailing Weather.

M;iii-

Mini-
mum.

Mean.

mtim.

Mini-

Mean.

Direction.

VelocUy.

O

— 0

O

—20

0 1

-11.42

o
+01.5

inches

30.29

inches

30.18

irihes

30.257

NNW

light

fine

2

+ 5

15

0.04

01.0

30. IC

29.94

30.05:1

A.M.N
P.M.NNW

light

fine

3

2

10

6.17

00.5

29.97

29.70

29.832

NNW

fresh

fine

4

0

9

3.92

01.5

29.00

29.54

29.593

mv

fresh

cloudy and drift

6

- 2

13

8.33

01.0

29.0!)

29.50

29.582

WNW

fresh

hazy and drift

G

8

21

13.92

62.0

29.80

29.70

29.750

NW

modt.

fine

7

0

25

15.38

01.5

29.98

29.85

29.!'27

NAV

light

fine

S

+ 4

21

8.42

01.0

30.24

29.97

30.112

NW

light

fine

9

11

13

+0.90

61.5

30.28

30.12

30.223

wsw

light

cloudy

10

12

15

3.00

03.5

30.10

30.05

30.107

West

fresh

clondy and drift

11

12

20

-3.92

02.0

30.16

30.12

;!0.148

WSW

light

fine

12

9

16

0.07

00.5

30.39

30.02

30.225

NNW

light

cloudy

13

17

22

8.12

04.0

30.40

30.37

30.390

West

light

fine

14

2

23

13.33

03.0

30.37

30.05

30.210

North

light

fine

15

- 0

25

15 .01

50.5

29.94

29.70

29.808

NNW

fresh

fine

10

+ 5

17

7.12

56.5

29.70

29.08

29.095

NW

fresh

clear and drift

17

11

14

0.8:!

54.0

29.70

29.58

29.042

NW

strong

drift

18

15

2

+7.58

00.0

29. SO

29.52

29.047

NW

strong

cloudy and drin

19

2

15

-5.42

58.5

30.03

29. S»

29.902

North

light

fine

20

15

14

Zero.

58.0

29.95

29.74

:!9, 830

WSW

light

cloudy

21

8

14

-3.50

59.0

30.10

29. ai

29.9C0

North

light

fine

22

13

9

+3.17

57.5

30.20

30.15

30.188

West

light

fine

23

15

4

4.42

07.5

30.17

30.05 30.104

North

light

cloudy and small snow

24

9

0

2.3H

00.5

29.98

29.88 29.913

NNW

modt.

clear

25

13

2

O.OII

00.0

29.98

29.90 29.938

1

NNW

modt.

hazy and snow

20

14

8

3.50

00.0

30.08

30.00 30.057

1

NW

fresh, sqls.

clear

27

20

3

9.75

67.5

30.12

30.10 30.103

SE

light andj
Viiriable ^

hazy and snow

28

20

+ 8

17.42

08.5

30.13

29.83 29.957

1

South

n.m.light(
p.in.freshj

clear

29

32

3

18.92

70.0

29.88

29.78 29. 817i

1

NNW

light

hazy and snow

30

11

— C

4.17

65.0

30.10

29.95

30.042

NW

fresh

clear

1
+32

-25

-1.08

02.2

30.40

1
29 50 29.909

[

4.30 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

VS23. yg^j. ^^ ■\yinter Island. The late mild weather having become an inconvc-
«-»-Y-w nience to Mr. Fisher at the Observatory, owing to the thaw that was going
on around it, we now pitched a tent for the reception of the instruments,
and Mr. Fisher's clock was soon after set up in it.

Mod. 12. Among other useful purposes to which our dogs were put, they afforded an
opportunity of trying, on a more extensive scale than had before been done
at Winter Island, the experiment of laying sand upon the ice in order to assist
its dissolution. The sledge was therefore employed daily for a fortnight ia
bringing sand from the shore, and lightly covering the ice with it in the di-
rection of the oj)cn sea. The space thus covered was twenty-four feet in
width, a narrow line having been before found to cover itself very frequently
with drift, and the extent accomplished was about two-thirds of a mile. The
efiect produced by this will be mentioned hereafter.

Wed. 14. Towards the middle of May, ten individuals of the Esquimaux who were
strangers to us, consisting of three men, four women, and three children,
arrived from Pcclig, a station represented by them to be from six to ten days'
journey from Igloolik, but of whose situation we could never obtain any
very satisfactory information. A man named Tooloouk, being the fourth in-
dividual of our acquaintance distinguished by that favourite appellation,
came to tlie ships on the 14th, accompanied as usual by some of the
others to introduce him. It appeared from what these people said, that the
Esquimaux at Peelig had received no intimation of our being here ; so that
none of the others had gone that way since our arrival : we gained no in-
formation of interest from the newly-arrived party. The parts of the land
which had been uncovered were now once more hidden from us by a fresh
coat of snow, and indeed the whole prospect had resumed, in every respect,
its winter aj)pearance.

Mon. 19. Some of our gentlemen, on going out on the 19th to Arlagnuk, where a
part of the Esquimaux still remained, found that that the open water had
now approached the shore there within three-quarters of a mile, and that
the ducks were more numerous than before. They succeeded in killing
some of these, and Ooi/nrrasco, who proved a most active, intelligent, and
obliging young man, immediately carried down his canoe to try to pick them
up, but without success, the swell being so considerable at the margin of the
ice that, though he managed to launch her, he could not steady her suffi-
ciently to get into the hole. He explained at the same time, that in such
cases, and when very desirous of getting out, they sometimes lash two

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 431

canoes together, to give the requisite stability. Some long-tailed ducks ^^^3.
Avere noticed by the Esquimaux on the 21st, at which time some silvery gulls \-*-y-0
were more frequently seen than before, but they were not numerous. On the ^ ' '
22d the Esquimaux observed, for the first time this season, the tracks of two 'niur.22.
deer ; and the snow-buntings, which are usually some of the earliest visitants
to these reigions in the spring, began now to appear in flocks ; but it was
seldom that a stray bird of any kind was to be seen in the neighbourhood of
the ships.

On the 26th, Captain Lyon went out on his sledge to Arlagnuk, and sue- Mon. 26.
cceded in killing fourteen pair of king-ducks, a part of which only the
Esquimaux, who picked them up in their canoes, thought proper to return,
secreting the rest for their own use. Finding that nothing but a boat was
wanting to ensure us a supply of ducks from time to time, we now sent a
party with an officer, and our small boats from each ship, these being carried
on sledges to Arlagnuk, Avhere our shooting-parties were established close to
the open water, which extended from thence to the south-eastward, as far as
the eye could reach.

Favourable as the first part of the month of May had appeared with June.
respect to temperature, its close was by no means equally promising, and on
the 1st of June, at two A.M., the thermometer stood at +8°. This unusually
low temperature, much exceeding in severity any thing we had experienced
at Melville Island at the same season, rendered it necessary to defer for a
time a journey which it was proposed that Captain Lyon should undertake,
across the land to the westward at the head of Quilliam Creek, and thence,
by means of the ice, along the shores of the Polar Sea, in the direction to-
wards Akkoolee. The object of this journey, like that of most of the others
which had been performed in various directions, was to acquire all the infor-
mation within our reach, of those parts of the continental coast to which the
ships were denied access ; and it was hoped that at the coming season some
judgment might be formed of the probable state of the ice along that shore
in the summer, by which the future movements of the Fury might be influ-
enced. Captain Lyon was to be accompanied by two men, and a complete
supply of every kind for a month's travelling was to be drawn on a sledge
by ten excellent dogs, which he had taken great pains to procure and
train for such occasions. As 1 was desirous of ascertaining beyond any
doubt the identity of the Khemig, to which I had sailed in the autumn, with
that seen by Captain Lyon on his journey with the Esquimaux, I determined

Sun. 1.

ABSTRACT

of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's

Ship

Fury, at Igloolik,

3uiing the Muiitli of Mai/, lS-23.

l"aiireii!ieit*3
Tfaermunieter,

Barometer.

Prevailing
Winds.

I'revailing

Day

M nxi-
mum.

Miiii-

Mein.

muui.

Mh.i-

Mean.

Direction.

\d,..i>,.

Weather.

1

+K

o

- 8

o
+ 5.33

inchc»

30.08

i,.clic.
29 99

inrhc*

3U.022

West

I'Kht

cloudy

2

17

+ 5

11.33

30.03

29.88

29.97.i

NE

modt.

cloudy

3

17

4

10.92

30.03

29.90

10.000

NNE

fresh

cloudy

4

34

12

25.42

29.80

29.52

29.647

NE

strong

constant snow

5

371

11

23.96

30.07

29.74

29.96.5

SoutU

modt.

cloudy

0

40

20

32.00

29.97

29.91

29.925

NE

light

snow

7

39

31

34.75

30.17

29.93

JO. 038

ESE

fresh

cloudy and snow

8

4G

31

36.C2

30.45

30.24

30.362

ESE

modt.

cloudy

9

45

30

38.12

30.47

30.43

30.148

SW

liglit

cloudy

10

32

26

30.00

30.43

30.40

30.412

SW by West
to NW

light

cloudy and snow

11

37

22

29.90

30 37

30.27

30.322

NWcstcrly

modt.

cloudy

12

2S

22

24.25

30.22

30.07

30.140

NW

fresh

cloudy

13

25i

11

20.00

30.10

30.01

30.012

NW

modt.

fine

14

36

9

23.46

.■iO.OO

29.80

i9.898

WSW

light

cloudy and snow

15

40

*>2

30.79

29.77

29.61

29.725

South

light

hazy and small snow

!6

2G

16i

21.29

29.55

29.38

29.488

North

strong

cloudy and snow

17

29!

17

23.12

29.79

29.54

29.087

Northerly

modt.

fine

18

25

11

20.25

29.80

29.79

29.792

NNW

fresh

£ne and drift

19

27

6

1-<.I2

29.77

29.72

29.735

NNW

fresh

clear

20

28

3

17.58

29.73

20.63

29.690

WbS

modt.

fine

21

21

14

18.00

29.61

29.58

29.593

NNW

strong

cloudy

22

32

14

22.12

29.57

29.54

29.550

SE

light

Jiazy and snow

23

32

20

26.17

29.69

29.52

29.613

SE

light

snow

24

34

23

28.83

29.82

29.62

29.095

SSE

modt.

hazy and snow

25

35

21

31.17

29.83

29.77

29.802

SE

strong

cloudy and snow

20

49X

24

38.21

29.89

29.80

29.837

SoutU

light

hazy

27

30

18

27.00

30.15

29.96

30. 0&)

M'esterly

light

clear

2S

48

14

32.45

30.10

29.87

29.980

Southerly

light

cloudy

29

43

17

31.25

29.89

29.81

29.813

SW

a.m.li[;lit
p.m.tresh

fine
cloudy

30

26

13

19.42

30.13

29.95

30.063

NbW

fresh

clear

31

27

11

18.25

30.08

29.9^

30.025

NM'

modt.

clear

+m

-8

+24.85

30.47

29.38

29.915

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 433

to accompany the travellers on my sledge as far as the head of Quilliam 1^23.
Creek, and by victualling them thus far on their journey, enable them to v_<rv.>^
gain a day or two's resources in advance. Another object which I had in
view was to endeavour to find a lake mentioned by Toolemak ; who assured
me that if I could dig holes in the ice, which was five feet thick, plenty of
large salmon might be caught with hooks, an experiment which seemed at
least well worth the trying.

Our first shooting-parties, being relieved on the 5th, brought with them aThur. 5.
hundred and twenty ducks which, as well as all other game that might
be j)rocured this season except venison, 1 directed to be served as an
extra allowance to the officers and men. These proved the more acceptable
ill consequence of our usual supply of the hearts, livers, and kidneys of the
walrus having lately failed us, the Esquimaux having little or none to spare.
So accustomed had we been, indeed, to this supply, that the sudden failure
of it was esteemed a greater loss than we could have supposed possible a
twelvemonth before. We were much shocked about this time to hear of the
death of poor Togulut, at a station somewhat to the southward of Ooglit.
About six weeks before this she had been unwell at Igloolik, when Mr. Ed-
Avards, having seen and prescribed for her, recommended that she should be
brought to the ship. I proposed this to Ewerat, and oft'ered to send my
sledge for her and to lodge them both in my cabin, to all which he seemed
to agree ; but with a degree of caprice almost unaccountable, even in a
savage, set off the very next morning to the southward. Here, as we heard
from time to time, she continued constantly ailing ; but Ewerat still moved
further and further out of our reach, and at length lost his wife to whom he
was certainly very much attached. We regretted the death of this ])oor
woman extremely, for she was one of our first and principal acquaintance,
and v/e knew that our friend Ewerat would sadly feel her loss.

On the 7th, the weather being more favourable than before. Captain Lyon Sat. 7.
and myself set out to the westward at half-past eleven A.M., and the ice
proving level, reached Khemig at half-past five ; when it was satisfactory to
find that the route followed by Captain Lyon on his journey with Toolemak
was precisely that which I had supposed, every feature of the land, of w liich
the fog had before scarcely allowed him a glimpse, being now easily recog-
nised and every difficulty cleared up. Continuing our journey among the
Coxe Islands till seven o'clock, we landed upon one of them, and were '
not sorry to find abundance of water on every rock, though on the loose

3 K

434 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

\^'^^- soil of the land about the ships, none had yet appeared. Proceeding at
'-<->^ eight A.M. on the 8th, we soon met witli numerous tracks of deer upon the
SuD, 8. ice, which, together with the seals that lay in great numbers near their
holes, expedited our journey very considerably, the dogs frequently sotting
off at full gallop on sniffing one of them. Landing at the head of Quilliam
Creek at half-past one, we took up an advantageous position for looking
about us, in order to determine on the direction of Captain Lyon's route
over land, which all the Esquimaux concurred in representing as a laborious
one. The land is here almost entirely high, a range of lofty hills stretch-
ing in a north-west and so\ith-easl direction at the back of the creek, and
intercepting the view to the westward. Much of this rugged land had now
lost its snow, and the only route that seemed practicable for a sledge was
in about a S.b.E. direction at the foot of the hills, which appeared after-
wards to take a more westerly turn. We met with several rein-deer imme-
diately on our landing; and while in pursuit of them Captain Lyon dis-
covered a lake two or three miles long and a quarter of a mile broad, a
short distance from the tents, which we concluded to be that of which I was
in search. As some of our party were suffering from snow-blindness and,
Avhat is scarcely less painful, severe inflammation of the whole face occa-
sioned by the heat of the sun, wc remained here for the rest of this day to
make our final arrangements.
Mon. 9. At nine A.M. on the 9th we struck the tents, and Captain Lyon set off
to the southward, while we drove over to the lake, which is one mile
N.N.Vv^ of the head of the creek, and after three or four hours' labour
completed a hole through the ice, which was very dark-coloured, brittle,
and transparent and, as Toolemak had said, about live feet thick. The
water which was eleven fathoms deep flowed up within a coui)lc of inches
of the surface, over which lay a covering of snow eighteen inches in depth.
In confident hope of now obtaining some fish, we proceeded exactly ac-
cording to Toolemak's instructions ; but, after four-and-twenty hours' trial
at all depths, not even a single nibble rewarded our labour ; so that after
obtaining observations, which gave the latitude of the head of the creek
69° 32' :20", and its longitude 1° 33' 14' W. of the Fury, we set off on our
return down the creek on the 10th.
Wed. U. Coasting the south shore, on which I wished to obtain observations and
angles for the survey, we the next day entered a small bay where we pitched
our tent ; our whole party being so snow-blind with endeavouring to distin-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 435

guish the land from the ice, (so entirely were both covered with snow,) that ^^2''-
we could literally no longer muster one eye among three of us to direct v-,»-v^
the sledge. I found a handkerchief tied close, but not too tightly, round
the eyes for a whole night, to be a more effectual remedy for this dis-
agreeable complaint than any application of eye-water ; and my companions,
being induced to try the same experiment, derived equal benefit from it.
The 12th proved so inclement a day, with hard gales from the N.W. and Thur. 12.
N.E., and continued snow and drift, that no obscnations -ould be obtained,
and we were glad to keep within the shelter of the tent. On the following
day, after waiting for observations, which gave the lat. 69° 18' 33", and the Frid. 13.
long. 31' 36" W. of the Fury, we set off for Arlagnuk, where I wished to
visit our shooting parties. A bay on the south shore, subsequently named
after Mr. Mogg, of the Hecla, was reserved for future examination, it beins
impossible to distinguish the coast line till the snow was more cleared from
the land ; this was in fact much less the case at this period than it had been
during the second week in INIay. Reaching Arlagnuk towards evening, we
found that our parties had each thirty or forty ducks ready for the ships ;
and that the Esquimaux had lately altogether deserted this station, owing to
the scarcity of walruses, and had removed to Ooglit, where these animals
were said to be abundant at this season. Leaving our people on the morning
of the 14th, I returned on board soon after noon, where I found that nothing Sat. 14.
worthy of particular notice had occurred during my absence. The latitude
of our tents at Arlagnuk, which was one mile to the southward of the point
more properly so called, was, by the mean of several observations by Mr.
Ross, 69° 11' 33", and I found it, by chronometer, 23' 09" East of the Fury's
winter station. This shore, the whole way along the south coast of Hooper
Inlet, from the head of Quilliam Creek, is composed nearly of the same loose
limestone formation as that of Igloolik.

The golden plovers and sand-pipers now appeared occasionally in flocks,
and a few were sometimes brought in by our sportsmen. Black and red-
throated divers had also made their aj>})earance about the small ponds and
lakes at Arlagnuk, as well as a few brent and bernaclc geese. The two
latter arc considered by the Esquimaux, though certainly erroneously, as the
same species, of which they take the bernacle to be the male bird. They of
course, therefore, call both by one name (neer-hik,) from which, as we after-
wards learned, the island of Nterlonakto, which abounds in these birds, has
received its appellation. Some silvery gulls and king-ducks began occasion-

3 K 2

436 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. oWy (y hover about the ships, being attracted by the pools of water near
v-^-yv.' them. These had now become considerable, in consequence of the sand and
other .substances Avith which, immediately in their nei<^libourhood, the ice
was li<rhtly covered in many places. The quickness and certainty with
wliich (his process goes on under these circumstances, induced me on this
occasion to try the experiment of dispensing with the usual wet and laborious
operation of sawing the ice round the Fury. The event was such as to answer
every expectation, not the smallest injurious strain having been suffered
by tlio ship's bend-;, notwithstanding the alteration of weight and stowage ;
an<l the sliip gradually liberated liersclf by the dissolution of the ice about
the beginning of July. The Hocla being surroiuided by the masses squeezed
up to a great thickness in the preceding autumn, was obliged to dig a trench
and, after sawing the rest, to pull out the blocks as usual; but with a single
winter's formation around a ship, strengthened as ours were, 1 believe she
may safely be left to liberate herself, and that she will usually be free in time
to take advantage of the other ice breaking up.
Frid. 20. On the ^Oth three or four other Esquimaux, strangers to us, arrived at
Igloolik from the northward, and we found from two young men who visited
Sat. 21. us on the following day that they came from Too-noo-nck, a place undoubtedly
situated somewhere on the western coast of Baffin's Bay, or about some of the
inlets communicating with it, as they had there seen several Kabbona ships
employed in killing whales. It is not improbable, from the various accounts of
the direction and distance of Toonoonek, communicated by the Esquimaux
through the usual medium of their charts, that the part of the sea-coast so
named lies at no great distance from Pond's Bay, in lat. 12\°, which has lately
become a common rendezvous of our Davis' Strait fishermen. Of this fact
we had, in the course of the winter, received intimation from these people
from time to time, and had even some reason to believe that our visit to the
Esquimaux of the River Clyde in 1820 was known to tlicm ; but what most
excited our interest at this time was the sledge brought by the new-comers,
the runners being composed of large single pieces of wood, one of them
painted black over a lead-coloured priming, and the cross-bars consist-
ing of heading-pieces of oak-butts, one flat board with a hinge-mark u])on it,
the upper end of a skid or small-boat's davit, and others that had evidenUy
and recently been procured from some ship. On one of the heading-pieces
we distinguished the letters Brm — , shewing that the cask had, according to
the custom of the whalers, contained bread on the outward passage. The

- - ,^'*. JVv J?i, '^" '■ I t '

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 437

nature of all these materials led us to suppose that it must have been pro- ^^23.
cured from some vessel wrecked or damaged on the coast ; and this suspicion v— ^y—J
was on the following day confirmed by our obtaining information that, at a
place called Alikoodneulc, a single day's journey beyond Toonoonck, two ships
like ours had been driven on shore by the ice, and that the people had
gone away in boats equipped for the purpose, leaving one ship on her beam
ends and the other upright, in which situation the vessels were supposed still
to remain *.

We observed on this occasion, as on our first arrival at Igloolik, that the
new Esquimaux were obliged to have recourse to the others to interpret to
them our meaning, which circumstance, as it still appeared to me, was to
be attributed as before to our speaking a kind of broken Esquimaux that
habit had rendered familiar to our old acquaintance, rather than to any
essential difference in the true languages of the two people.

Toolemak, having some time before promised to accompany me to the Mon. 23.
fishing-place, taking with him his wife, together with his sledge, dogs, and
tent, made his appearance from Ooglit on the 23d, bringing however only
the old lady and abundance of meat. Having lent him a tent and two
of our dogs, and hired others to complete his establishment, we set out
together at five A.M. on the 24th, my own party consisting of Mr. Crozier Xucs. 24.
and a seaman from each ship. Arriving at Khcmig towards noon, we found
among the islands that the ice was quite covered with water, owing probably
to the radiation of heat from the rocks. The weather indeed proved in-
tensely hot this day, the thermometer in the shade at the ships being as high as
51°, and the land in this neighbourhood preventing the access of wind from
any quarter. The travelling being good beyond this, we arrived within four
or five miles of the head of Quilliam Creek at ten P.M., where we pitched
the tents for thejiight. In this day's journey ten dogs had drawn my sledge
a distance of forty statute miles since the morning, the weight on the sledge
being about twelve hundred pounds and half of the road very indifferent.
It is the custom of the Esquimaux, even when meat is most abundant, to
feed these invaluable animals only once a day, and that in the evening,
which they consider to agree with them better than more frequent meals ;
we always observed the same practice with ours, and found that they per-
formed their journeys the better for it.

* We have since heard that tlicse ships were tlie Dexterity of Leith and die Aurora of
Hull, which were wTecked on the 28th of August 1821, about the latitude of 72°.

438 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. w^Q gg^yf jjj jjj(, course of the day a few deer, numerous kins: and lonsr-

June. . . •' o D

'.^-.^K./ failed ducks, and red-throated divers ; also some geese then new to us, and

whicli, on procuring a specimen a day or two after, proved to be the snow-
goose (a)ias lu/btrborea). These last are fond of feeding on the wet. grass
and moss on the banks of the numerous streams and lakes in this country.
Tiiey were seen at Arlagnuk, and by Captain Lyon on his journey, about the
same time, so that the period of their arrival in this latitude seems to have
been very well marked.
Wed. 25. On the morning of the 25th, wliile passing close to a point of land,
Toolemak sudtienly stopped his sledge, and he and his wife walked to the
shore, whither I immediately followed them. The old woman, preceding
her husband, went up to a circle of stones, of which there were two or three
on the spot, and kneeling down within it cried most loudly and bitterly for
the space of two or three minutes, while Toolemak also shed abundant tears,
but without any loud lamentation. On inquiring presently after, I found
that this was the spot on which their tent had been pitched in the summer,
and that the bed-place on which the old woman knelt had been that of their
adopted son Noogloo, whose premature death we had all so much regretted.
The grief displayed on this occasion seemed to have much sincerity in it,
and there was something extremely touching in this quiet but unaffected
tribute of sorrow on the spot, which so forcibly reminded them of the object
of their parental affection. 1 have much gratification in adding in this place
another circumstance which, though trifling in itself, deserves to be no-
ticed as doing honour to these people's hearts. They had always shewn par-
ticular attachment to a dog they had sold me, and which bore the same
name as a young man, a son of their own, whom they had formerly lost. In
the course of this journey, the old woman would constantly call the dog
" Eerninga " (son), which the affectionate animal never failed to repay by
jumping up and licking her face all over, whenever his trace would allow
him ; and at night, after Toolemak had fed his own dogs, he frequently
brought to our tent an extra piece of meat expressly for Aiinuivtalik, to whom
these poor people seemed to take a mournful pleasure in now transferring
their affection.

Landing close to the head of the inlet on the south shore, we proceeded
with difficulty a couple of miles over land till we came to a river, the limits
of which the warmth of the weather was just rendering discernible, and
which our guides informed us was to be our fishing-place. It was interest-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 439

ing to observe that, in every case of doubt as to the situation of a place, ^^■^^•
the best route, or the most advisable method of overcoming any difficulty, < — ^ — >
Toolemak invariably referred to his vi^ife ; and a consultation of some minutes
was held by these two before they would determine on what was to be done,
or even return an answer to our questions respecting it. Pitching our tents
upon the banks of tlic river, we went upon the ice, which was still quite
solid except close to the shores, and soon made two or three holes for a hook
and line, the thickness of the ice in the middle being from six to seven feet.
The Esquimaux fish-hook is generally composed of a piece of ivory, having a
hook of pointed iron, without a barb, let into it. The ivory they consider useful
in attracting tlie salmon, but they also bait the hook Avith a piece of blubber
well cleared of its oil by chewing, and securely tied on with a thread of sinew
so as to cover nearly the whole of the hook. A small piece of bone, rein-deer's
liorn, or wood, serves as a rod, and with this they keep the bait constantly
in motion up and down, the bait being from one to three feet below the
lower surface of the ice. Previously however to commencing the fishery,
the old lady, who took the principal part in this employment, muttered some
words, to me altogether incomprehensible, over the hole, to whicli Toolemak
in a formal manner, added something about fish and Kabloonas ; and the
whole of this preparatory ceremony seemed intended to propitiate the spirit,
to Avhose department the salmon particularly belonged. The lady (for it
seems she is a female) did not, however, appear to lend a very favourable ear
to our wants or Toolemak's rhetoric, for after many hours' patient trial oii this
and the following day, only two fish were seen and one caught to repay Thur. 26.
our labour.

On the 27th Toolemak and his wife went over to a small shallow lake Frid. 27.
on the opposite side of the river, where they caught three or four (ish of
the salmon kind, but none more than one pound in weight. He then
came back to the .tent, and made a small spear according to their own
fashion ; but with this, to his great disappointment, he could not strike a
single fish. A sort o? fish-gig, which we made out of four large hooks lashed
back to back at the end of a light staff, succeeded much better, the bait
being played in the usual manner to attract the fish, which were then hooked
up with great case and certainty by this instrument. In this manner we
soon caught a dozen of the same kind as before, and the rest of our party
had in the mean time killed a deer.

Toolemak began now to be extremely impatient to return home, his prin- Sat 2S.

182,3.
June.

440 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

cipal anxiety arising, I believe, from a childish desire to know what I
should give him for his trouble ; and when, in writing a note to Lieutenant
Nias, 1 enumerated the articles I intended to present to him, he expressed
more delight than I had ever before seen escape him. Among these
was one of the riHe-guns supplied as presents, together with a sufficient
quantity of ammunition to last him one summer, after which the gun would
probably become useless itself for want of cleaning. It was astonishing to
see the readiness with which these people learned to fire at a mark, and
the tact they displayed in every thing relating to this art. Boys from twelve
to sixteen years of age would fire a fowling-piece, for the first time, Avlth
perfect steadiness ; and the men, with very little practice, would verv soon
become superior marksmen*. As, however, the advantage they could derive
from the use of fire-arms must be of very short duration, and the danger
to any careless individuals very considerable, we did not on any other occa-
sion consider it prudent to furnish them in this manner.

On the morning of the 28th, Toolooak left us for the ships, carrying with
him our venison to be left there, and having first explained when and where
the Esquimaux catch the fish with which he had supplied us the preceding
summer ; for it now appeared that they were not found in great abundance,
or of that magnitude, in the river ; but at the mouth of a very small stream
about two miles lower down the creek on the same side. Their method is,
to place in the bed of the stream, which is quite narrow and seldom or
never so deep as a man's middle though running with great force, two or
three separate piles of stones, which serve the double purpose of keeping off
the force of the stream from themselves, and of narrowing the passage
through which the fish have to pass in coming up from the sea to feed ; thus
giving the people an opportunity of striking them with their spears, and
throwing them on shore without m\ich difficulty. We at first supposed that
the salmon ascended the stream into lakes above for the purpose of spawn-
ing; but this could not here be the case, as the water became much too
shallow for this at less than a hundred yards from the sea. Our fishermen

* A fine lad, of about sixteen, being one day out in a boat with one of our gentlemen at
ArJagnuk, reminded him, with a serious face, tliat he had laid a gun down fiill-cocked.
There happened to be no charge in the gun at the time ; but this was a proof of the attention
tlie boy had paid to the art of using fire-arms, as well as an instance of considerate and manly
caution, scarcely to have been expected in an individual of that age.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 441

afterwards found that they never went up a quarter of that distance, merely 132J.
playing about the entrance to pick up their food, which was found to v.*-rsj
consist of a very small fish abundant at the mouth of the stream. The
latter are probably therefore brought down by the streams at tliis season
from the lakes above, and occasion the salmon to resort to the spots in
which, it seems, they are annually found by the Esquimaux. With respect
to their spawning, it does not apj)ear necessary for them to ascend any
streams for that purpose, if abundance of fresh water be all that is requisite
for it ; as the water of the creek was not merely drinkable, but perfectly
fresh almost down to its entrance.

After Toolemak's departure we remained two or three days longer, but
only succeeded in killing one more deer and three or four dozen fish of the
same kind and size as before. The whole country had by this time become
almost deluged with water, innumerable ponds and streams appearing on
every side, as if all at once let loose by magic: so rapid had been the change
during a single week of fair and temperate weather ! The ice on the deep
lakes was from five to seven feet in thickness, and bade fair not to be entirely
dissolved during the summer ; that on the shallow ones was already very
thin and rapidly decaying.

The river we were now leaving, and which I named after my companion
Mr. Crozier, was about three hundred yards in breadth abreast of our
tents ; but this part afterwards proved only a small branch of it, the main
stream coming from the south-eastward along the foot of the hills which
Captain Lyon was endeavouring to pass ; and indeed, as we had every reason
subsequently to believe, being the very route he had pursued, though it was
then so completely covered with snow in most parts as to allow the ice to be
distinguished only in a few places. The rocks in this neighbourhood are
principally composed of a reddish granite, but gneiss also frequently aj)j)eai-.^
among them. The sides of many of these are quite precipitous, in which
case water, either in a stream or a lake, is generally found at their base.
There is, however, between the hills abundant vegetation, aflbrding excel-
lent feeding for the deer which were at this time very scarce here. The
lakes and ponds are the resort of numerous ducks of the king and long-
tailed species, and a few red-throated divers. We saw also some brent and
snow-geese^ and Mr. Crozier obtained a single specimen of the latter. A
bird like a crane, standing three or four feet high, and Avith very long legs,
fairly outran our party in a long chase, arid then with dilHculty rose on the

3 L

442 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

3823. wing. Wc supposed this to have been the ardea canadiensi^, one of which
C»-v~ species was killed by Captain Lyon on his journey back to the ships.
Julv. O" *''*^ afternoon of the 1st of July wc shifted our tents over land and
Tues. 1. down the creek as far as the salmon stream. In performing this short
journey over bare ground, I was enabled to form some conception of the
difficulties likely to be encountered by Captain Lyon and his companions;
for even with our light load the dogs could scarcely move at times. One of
the strongest of eleven fell down in a fit, occasioned by over-exertion ; the
poor animal lay on his side, foaming at the mouth for a minute or two, but
soon recovered sufficiently to be able to walk ; and being taken out of the
sledge was quite strong again the next day. We had scarcely arrived at
the stream, when Toolemak's account was very satisfactorily confirmed by
our finding on the ice near its moutli part of two fine salmon, above two
feet in length, that had been thrown up by the force of the torrent, and a
similar one was seen in the water. Our provisions being now out, we pre-
pared for returning to the ships the following day ; and I determined in a
short time to send out Mr. Crozier with a larger party, well equipped with
every thing necessary for procuring us both fisii and deer. Wc therefore
left our tent, spare ammunition, and various other articles that would be
required here, buried under a heap of stones near the stream, and on the
Wed. 2. morning of the 2d, set out for the ships. The change which one week had
made upon the ice it is quite impossible to conceive, the whole surface being
now chequered with large and deep pools of water, where not a symptom of
thawing had before appeared. This continued the whole way to the ships,
which we reached at eight P.M., finding Captain Lyon and his party returned,
after a laborious but unsuccessful endeavour to penetrate over land to the
westward. The following account of this excursion was accompanied by a
chart illustrating the position of the mountainous land and the daily route
of the party, which have been transferred to the general survey.

June 9. " On the 9th separating from Captain Parry, wc proceeded in a S.S.E.
direction over what ai)peared a level plain, while on the right our view was
bounded by rugged mountains of granite. As avc advanced the weather
gradually thickened, and a heavy 8.W. wind accompanied by small snow and
drift, hid the land from us, so that we could strike into no direct course for
the sledge. At noon therefore, having travelled three hours, we tented on

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's Ship
Fury, at Igloolilf, during the Month oi June, 1823.

Dav

Faluenlieit's

I'iiennoinetRr.

M.i\i- Mini-

njurn. Dium, Mean.

8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
10
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
21
2;5
20
27
28
29
30

+ai

30

31

11

3G

28

38

4.i

33

42

45

32

35

38

47

48

37

41

33

40

40

39

39

51

41

44

4C

44

48

52

+52

+3
12
12
14
IG
17
18
19
23
22
23
19
10
27
24
25
27
25
27
20
o 1 t

30
30
33
33
32
34
32
33
31

+ »

+21.17
19.25
22.29
20 .5.)
20.00
22.33
28.67
31.00
28.83
33.50
32.. -.0
23 .75
29.50
31.50
34.42
33.92
31.83
33.12
30.00
S3. 00
32.37
33.33
35.25
41.07
38.75
38.83
39.83
38.. 50
41 .07
42.33

+32.10

I'aronieter.

Ml si.
miiiu.

Mini.

tUUUI.

inches.

30.03

30.31

30.40

.30.28

3D. 05

29.90

29.98

29.93

29.04

29.45

29.3^

29.29

29.30

29.S0

29.99

30.07

30 02

30.04

30. 12

30.12

30.31

30.52

30.41

30.30

30.28

30.20

30.10

29.07

29.72

29.58

30.52

inclioi.

29.94
30.03
30.32
30.10
29.92

29. S4
29.83
29.70
29.44
29.40
29.35
28.00
29.17
29.37
29.80
30.00
29.82
29.84
30.05

30. IC
30.49
30.36
30.33
30.28
30.20
30.10
29.98
29.74
29.56

29.50

I

28.90

iiiclied.

29.957

30.175

30. 303

30.218

29.907

29.870

29.927

20.?57

29.512

29.420

29.308

29.102

29.252

29.597

29.937

30.035

29.915

29.933

30.098

30.285

30.504

30.409

30.302

30.285

30.270

30.IG3

SO. 013

29.333

29.648

29.5 10

29. S3 1

Prevniling
Winds.

North

NNW

aw

NbE

Norlli

NNW

South

South

SK

SW
NNW
North
NNW
WNW

SW
NNW

NE
North
North
North
NbW
North

East

NW

NW

Most

Westerly

Me.itt

NW

light
|slro:ig
light
light
light
frpsh
light
modt.
fresh
ligl't
light
fresh
fresh
modt.
light
light
light
modt.
modt.
mudt.
light
light
light
light
light
light
light
light
light
light

Prevailing
Weather.

cloudy
fine
clear
cloudy
haay r nd sniiill snow
cloudy
cloudy
cloudy
cloudy
li.izy and snow
hazy and snow
liazy .ind snow
cloudy
cloudy
cloudy and snow
fine
cloudy
cloud) — snow at times
cloudy
clear
cliiudy
fine
fiuc
fine
fine
fine
fioc
hazy
fine
iiazy

S L £

4^14 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. ^},(; snow to wait for better weather ; thermometer 40°. Towards evening

June. . . . "^

,-^.-v^ the snow ceased, and at six P.M. we again moved forward over a i)lain so
flat that I fancied it was a lake, until by accidentally breaking through the
deep crust of snow whicli covered it, wc saw moss and grass. At thirty
minutes after eight the weather again thickened, but before it did so we
were enabled to observe that the low land ran for several miles in a southerly
direction. The granite mountains at this part assumed a more rounded
form and were entirely covered with snow. Having travelled in the course
of this day above eight hours, S.S.E., we tented for the night on the snow.
A heavy g;tle witli thick snow and drift continued to render us very uncom-
fortable at a temperature of 25°.

10. " This severe weather continued until five P.M. on the 10th, when the
snow ceased, but the sky was so cloudy, and the view so limited that we
remained completely in the dark as to our road. Determining however to
attempt to make some westing, we ascended some high and rounded hills in
nearly a west direction. Tlie recently fallen snow was so deep that the dogs
were buried to their bellies, and even our snow-shoes were but of little assist-
ance to us. A flock of seven ducks passed us flying to the south-west. After
two hours' extreme exertion we reached the summit of the smooth hills, and
thence saw a chain of mountains lying immediately across our path at about
three miles' distance.

" Heavy snow and calm weather obliged us to tent on the hills, Avhich, on
clearing away the snow for a sleeping-place, we found to be covered Avith
shingle limestone on a bed of yellow marl. Thermometer, at ten P.M., 20°.

^1- Heavy snow all night ; and on the 11th it still continued to fall thickly until
thirty minutes after three P.M., when clearing a little, I determined on
attempting to pass through a small opening in the mountains about W.S.W.
of us. The snow which had now fallen with but little intermission for two
days and nights was so deep, that we proceeded very slowly and with great
labour, and the mountains were as completely covered as in the middle of
winter. After two hours' toil in ascending a steep hill we arrived on what
Ave conceived Avas good table land, Avhen avc suddenly found ourselves on the
brink of a precipice, and a chain of mountains extending from north to S.E.
On st()pi)ing the sledge it sank so deep in a Avreath of snow that all our
eftbrts to move it were in vain ; the dogs Avere quite overcome, and avc Avere
quite at a stand. We therefore unloaded it and thrcAV aAvay about one hun-
dred weight of such things as could be spared, after which about half an

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 445

hour's labour extricated it. When reloaded it overset and I was almost '^^■^•

. , . f June.

tempted to abandon it, for I saw how impossible it was for even an unloaded v,*-,-w
man to climb the snow-covered and steep mountains west of us. I however
resolved at last on returning to the low land, and by tracking along the foot
of the hills, look out for the first opening to the westward. Seven hours'
travelling over the plain brought us to the foot of a mountain which I had
observed to bear about S.E., and here we tented.

" A heavy snow-gale confined us to the tent during the 12th and 13th, and 12. & 13.
a part of the 14th, a few minutes' sun at noon on the 13th, (the first time we
had seen it since leaving Captain Parry,) gave me an opportunity of obtain-
ing the meridian altitude, and on the 14th by sights for the chronometer, I
obtained the longitude. Lat. G9° 15' 6" long., T 11' 30' W. of Ilecla.

" At five P.M. on the 14th, we proceeded in a south-easterly direction i4.
along the foot of the rocky hills. On the snow which was very soft Ave
saw a bear's track, and on a patch of shingle found several sea-shells.
Five hours' travelling brought us to the end of the chain of hills, and from
this point we saw the ship with a glass about N.E., twenty miles. I had
for some time suspected that we had taken the wrong route, as no Es-
quimaux could have passed with a sledge over the mountains at whose
feet we had been travelling ; I had however better hopes at this place by
seeing the hills become lower and trend to the south-westward, which an-
swered in a great measure with the Esquimaux description of the land they
passed over. At the foot of this point lay a narrow lake of about three
miles in length, and near it was a small but deep craggy ravine. On the
shingle ridges we saw several Esquimaux circles, and a golden plover passed
us on the wing. Travelling hence about three miles southerly we tented on
the snow, the wind being at N.W., and the night extremely cold.

" The morning of the loth was thick and cold and the N.W. wind was 15
unabated. Soon after noon we proceeded in a westerly direction but with-
lout having any fixed object to guide us. In this manner we travelled for two
hours, when the weather clearing we saw the hills turning to the southward,
to which direction we altered our course ; and having gone forward for two
hours more, tented on the snow for a short time as two of the dogs were so
fatigued as to be scarcely able to walk. In fact, the whole of them were much
distressed, for they were unaccustomed to land travelling, and the depth
of the snow always caused the sledge to hang as a dead weight. At nine
P.M., having rested, we proceeded and travelled until one A.M. on the

446 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

'^-^- 16th, when wc tented on some flat rocks on wliich we procured abundance

June. . . '

^-<i-yx^ of water, winch luxury we had hitherto enjoyed but sparhigly. Wc here
saw one small plant of saxifras^e in blossom.

16. " The morning of the 16th was mild and fine, ])ut towards noon wind
and sleet came strong from the westward : as our snow-shoes rcfiuired repair
and our feet were much blistered, I took advantage of our being on a
good dry rock to refresh ourselves and dogs. We saw a fox, two plovers,
and several buntings. Deer tracks were numerous and recent, but the howl-
ing and fighting of our wild and restless dogs quite drove the animals away
from us.

" In the evening we advanced and, following the direction of the moun-
tains on our right, made a south-easterly course over a large lake of about
ten miles in length by from one to four in breadth, on the shores of which
in some places the ice was pushed up in high transj)arent hummocks, we
saw some wolf tracks, and a few plovers, knots, and saudlings. One deer
passed at a distance. At this place there was not an eminence in any direc-
tion which was without some piles of stones placed by the Esquimaux
hunters. Turning the hills to the S.S.W. we passed over low but exceed-
ingly rocky ground, amongst which the snow was continually knee-deep,
and the poor dogs were so exhausted that we were obliged to stoj) on a
little rock in a lake at the foot of the mountains. The whole day had been
so cloudy and thick that we had no idea of what kind of country lay beyond
us. The snow was literally covered by deer-tracks, and we saw three of

17. these animals but the dogs frightened them from us.

" A fresh easterly wind was blowing on tlie 17th, which was very cold.
In order to obtain a view amongst the mountains, I walked out, accompanied
by one of the men, for nine hours, and we got about eight miles south of the
tent to the top of the highest place we could find. From hence wc saw-
about iifteen miles over other mountains extending from north to south-east,
while on the left the appearance of low land was unaltered. On our return,

18. we killed a doe, of which I gave the better half as a refreshment to the dogs.
At half-past two P.M. on the ISth we started south-east about eight miles over
a lake to a low point, at which we were obliged to tent for the night, in conse-
quence of a heavy snow-storm which prevented our seeing half a mile in any
direction. While tenting, a large buck walked slowly past us, and was
killed ; of this animal we gave two-thirds to the dogs.

" The night was bleak and tempestuous, and we found on the morning

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 447

of the 19th that the snow had fallen some inches in depth, and the whole '^-^•

. . June.

country round us was covered. Towards noon it ceased snowing, but the

19
piercing cold gale was unabated and drift flew in clouds. Soon after two

P..M. we quitted the point for another, which still bore about south-east, at

which we arrived, after passing over a very flat plain or lake for about seven

miles. The snow was here firmer than Ave had found it of late, and the

mountains formed a bight of about four miles in depth on our right. From

this point a distant part of the range bore south, and promised to turn to the

westward, as we could see nothing beyond it; we in consequence proceeded

briskly for it, and had travelled six miles or half-way, when we saw it take

a sweep to very distant hills, south-east. All my hopes of making westing

noAV ceased, and I was aware that nothing could be done in this direction,

which certainly was not the route crossed by the natives in their passage to

the Western Sea. I therefore struck from off the plain to the foot of the

high land about three miles on our right, where Ave tented, and I determined

on Avaiting till the gale should moderate, A\'hcn I could retrace my steps to

Quilliam Creek, and from thence proceed, if the season aa'ouIcI permit, in

some other direction.

" The north-east gale continued during the fore part of the day, yet I 20.
should have set out had it not been for the severe pain it caused our faces,
and its influence on our snoAA-shoes, Avhich it sometimes turned quite aside
and almost tripped us up. Four large white birds, Avith black-tipped Avings,
passed at some distance. In the afternoon we started, and travelling eight
hours over the snoAv, AA'hich was somewhat hardened by the gale, reached
the little rocky isle on Avhich we had passed the 17th.

" The Avind Avas unabated on the Slst, and at three P.M. avc started, but 21.
Avere soon detained by one of the dogs slipping his harness and giving chase
to a couple of deer, Avhich he pursued Avith great spirit to the hills, where he
soon disappeared, regardless of all our cries to stop him. At the expiration of
a couple of hours, and Avhen Ave had advanced tAvo or three miles, giving him
up for lost, Ave saw him tracking our footsteps, and he soon came up much
fatigued. We travelled nine hours on this day, yet very sloAvly, for I had
sprained my foot amongst the rocks some days before and it had now
become very troublesome. Soon after midnight avc arrived and tented at
the place Avhere we slept on the 16th ; deer Avere abundant, and a buck Avas
shot near the tent. We this day saw four brent-geese and several large
flocks of ducks.

448 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823
June,

22

" As my leg was swolii and painful, I detciniincd on resting for the day,
which was warm but gloomy, the thaw proceeding very rapidly. With tlie
exception of saxifrage, I observed no plant in bloom, but the grasses and
mosses were shooting luxuriantly, and promised abundant provision to the
vast quantities of deer which wc continually saw. In fact, such was their
number, that had we been employed as a shooting, instead of a travelling
party, \vc might have procured enough to supply both ships constantly, were
tliey not too distant for the conveyance of the venison.

23. " The "23d was fine and very warm, which softened the snow so much that

the snow-shoes sank several inches at every step. Starting at live P. INI., we
travelled for nine hours over the still deeply-covered plain, in order to reach
the point whence we had seen the ships ; we here found the valley quite
flooded, and the ravine beginning to run. "While we were tenting, we saw a
fox prowling on a hill-side, and heard him for some hours after, in diflerent
places, imitating the cry of the bront-goose. The night was cold, and we
felt it very sensibly after the most sultry day I ever remember to have seen
in this country ; our faces and hands smarted most severely and were much

^4. swollen by the scorching of the sun. The 24th was also a very hot day, and
I found the country so universally flooded that I gave up all idea of proceed-
ing for Quilliam Creek, and determined during the night to make for the
ships. When the evening cooled we proceeded over the plain, and wading,
rather than walking, through deep snow and water for eigiil hours, arrived

25. at four A.M. on the 2.jlh at the sea-side, about eight miles to the south-west
of the ships. Here we gladly tented and rested ; Dunn killed a brown and
ash-coloured crane tardea caiiadiensis, Linn.J which pitched near us.

og " Starting at four A.]\I. on the 26th, we waded for eight hours to the

ships, and when amongst the hummocks, about a mile from the Hecla, were
so completely buried in the wet snow, that we were obliged to make a signal
for assistance, as we were too much fatigued to clear the sledge. A party
was sent, and with their help wc arrived on board at noon.

" We had now obtained suflicient proof that no passage was practicable
in a southerly direction to the sea, and had also learned by experience the
extreme difliculty of carrying a sledge over land, even with so iine a team of
dogs as mine. That some other way might be found to obtain a view of the
Western Sea, I was yet in hopes ; but it was not possible to pass over land
at this time, from the state in which the thawing had left the snow. A more
advanced period of the season might perhaps be more favourable ; but even

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 4^^,

a walking party, laden Avith tent and provisions, would make but little pro- 1823
ffress over the mountains." u*".-sl

Had it not been for our preceding years experience in this neiglibourhood, juiy.
tlic present appearance of the ice, and the rapid progress which it seemed ^^'^^- ^•
to be daily making towards dissolution, Avould have flattered us with hopes of,,
an early release, which, as we now too well know, must have ended in dis-
aj)po!ntment. The space we had covered with sand, and which was now
called the canal, was from a foot to eighteen inches deep, with water
throughout its whole cxteiit ; and such was the benelit evidently to be de-
rived from it, that could the same thing have been carried the whole way
d()«n to the open water, the first south-easterly gale would probably have
caused a total disruption, and at once liberated the ships. As it was, there
.could be little doubt that it would still very considerably facilitate our escape,
which, with this assistance, it was reasonable to hope might yet be efiectcd
before the conclusion of the month, of July, though sve had still six miles of
ice interposed between us and the open water.

Our shooting j)arties to the soutliAvard had of late been tolerably suc-
cessful, not less than two hundred and thirty ducks having been sent in to
the ships in the course of tlie last week. j\Ir. Ross had procured a specimen
of a gull having a black ring round its neck, and vvhich, in its present plu-
mage, we could not find described. This bird was alone when it was killed,
but flying at no great distance from a flock of tern, which latter it somewhat
resembles in size as well as in its red legs ; but is on closer inspection easily
distinguished by its beak and tail, as well as by a beautiful tint of most
delicate rose-colour on its breast.

The first continued rain that wc had seen this season fell for several
hours on the morning of the ^d, though a few drops had before been
obsei-ved on the 15th and 29th of June. For the remainder of the month
of July we experienced a great deal of rain and fog, with long southerly and
easterly Avinds, and a high mean daily temperature.

On my arrival at the ships I found several new Esquimaux on board who,
to the number of twenty, had lately arrived from Toonuoncc-ruochiuk , a j)lace
situated to the westward and northward of Igloolik and somewhere upon
the opposite coast of Cockburn Island. The distance to this place was
stated by the Esquimaux to be from six to eight days' journey, of which one

3 JI

450 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

^^"^- only was occupied in crossing to the great northern inlet we had seen on
v^/-»^ this side of Cockburn Island, and the rest in travelling overland to a corre-
sponding inlet of the sea, on the other. This party confirmed the former
account respecting the two ships that had been forced on shftrc ; and indeed,
as an earnest of its truth, one man named Adloo, wlio was said to have actu-
ally seen them in this state, was a day or two afterwards met by our people
at Arlagnuk, while travelling to the southward, and having on his sledge a
great deal of wood of the same kind as that before described.

This information having excited considerable interest, Lieutenant Hopp-
ner, who had taken great pains to ascertain the facts correctly, volunteered
his services to accompany some of the Esquimaux, who were said to be going
northwards very shordy, and to obtain every information on this and other
subjects which might lie within the scope of such a journey. Although I
was not sanguine as to his principal object of reaching one or more of the
Esquimaux stations on the northern shores of Cockburn Island, with guides
so uncertain and capricious, yet I could not but consider the attempt as
likely to i)roducc something of interest; more especially as we had never been
able to aj)proach in the ships those parts of the coast which would constitute
their first or second day's journey. I therefore directed Lieutenant Hoppner
to proceed on this service, accompanied by three men, and four of the Ilecla's
Frid. 4. best dogs to assist in carrying their baggage. On the night of the 4th,
having heard that a party of the Esquimaux intended setting out the follow-
ing morning. Lieutenant Hoppner and his people went out to their tents to
be in readiness to accompany them. We were surprised to find, the next
day, that not only Lieutenant Hoppner's intended guide, but the whole of
the rest of these people, had altogether left the island and, as it afterwards
proved, pemnancnlly for the summer. We were now therefore, for the first
time since our arrival here, entirely deserted by die natives, only two or
three of whom again visited the ships during the remainder of our stay. It
appears probable, indeed, that these wandering people are in the habit of
residing at their various stations only at particular intervals of time, perhaps
with the intention of not scaring the walruses and seals too much by a very
long residence at one time upon the same spot. Wliat made this appear still
more likely was the present state of their winter habitations at Igloolik which,
though offensive enough at about the same time the preceding year, were then
wholesome and comfortable in comparison. Besides quantities of putrid
walrus flesh, blubber, and oil, carcasses of dogs and even of human beings

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 451

recently deceased were now to be seen exposed in their neighbourhood. ^^^3.

What remained of the corpse of Keimooseuk was of course wholly uncovered ;
a second of a child on which the wolves had feasted, was also lying about ;
and a third, of a newly-born infant, was discovered in the middle of a small
lake by Mr. Richards, who caused them all to be buried under ground. All
this seemed to indicate, that the Esquimaux had not occupied the bone
huts for at least one winter previous to our arrival, though Igloolik cer-
tainly appears to be one of their principal rendezvous, forming, as it were,
a sort of central link in the very extensive chain of these people's peregri-
nations.

On the 6th we despatched a party of four men, under Messrs. Crozier Sun. 6.
and Bird, to the fishing station at Quilliam Creek, equipping them with a
trawl-net and every other requisite for obtaining a supply of salmon for
the ships. Soon after Captain Lyon, who was desirous of occupying a few
days in shooting in that neighbourhood, also set off in the same direction,
taking with him a small skin-boat which he had constructed for the use of our
fishermen, and which proved of great service in shooting the net across
the mouth of the stream.

Our stock of meat for the dogs being nearly expended, and no sea-horses
having yet been seen near the shore, I sent Mr. Ross with a sledge to Tern
Island on the 13th, in expectation of being supplied by the Esquimaux. Sun. 13.
Mr. Ross returned on the 14th without success, the whole of the natives Mon. 14.
having left the island after plundering the birds' nests, as they had done the
preceding year. The open water was at this time about a mile and a half
short of the island, differing little, if any thing, from its position at the
same season of the last year. The birds now the most abundant here,
besides tern which were also n(unerous, were eider-ducks, of which im-
mense flocks were flying about ; and it is their eggs for which the Esqui-
maux principally visit the island.

Finding that our valuable dogs must be now wholly dependent on our Tues. 15.
own exertions in providing meat, a boat from each ship was carried do^\'n
to the neighbourhood of the open water, and shorriy aftci"w-ards two others,
to endeavour to kill walruses for them. This was the more desirable from
the probability of the Fury's passing her next winter where no natives
were resident, and the consequent necessity of laying in our stock for that
long and dreary season, during the present summer. Our people therefore
pitched their tents near the old Esquimaux habitations ; and thus were four

3 M 2

452 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. boats constantly employed whenever the weather would permit, for the three

July.

succeeding weeks.

Wed. IG. On the 16th Lieutenant Iloppncr and his party returned to the ships,
having only been enabled to travel to the south shore of Cockburn Island,
on account of their guides not yet proceeding any farther. Two of the
Esquimaux accompanied our travellers back to Igloolik and, being loaded
with various useful presents from the .ships, retiu-ned home the following
day. Lieutenant Hoppner's account of his journey, comprising several
anecdotes tending to shew the disposition and habits of these people, is
here given in his own words.

o'

5 " We left the ship at fifteen minutes past eleven P.M. on the 4th,

and arrived at the Esquimaux tents about five in the morning. The
Esquimaux were all asleep, but being disturbed by the noise of our arrival,
they flocked round us to know the cause of so early a visit. Our intention of
accompanying them seemed to afford great amusement, and many jokes were
passed apparently at our expense. Having rested about two hours, we were
disturbed by the whispers and stifled laugh of the women and children ; and
on going out found the tents all struck, the men already gone, and every
appearance of the party, with whom we intended to travel, having ftiirly given
us the slip. This unexpected departure somewhat embarrassed us; but we im-
mediately prepared to follow them, and were relieved from our anxiety by find-
ing that they were still at the edge of the ice. Perceiving we were really in
earnest, and that our dogs, of which they had only a few wretched animals, were
likely to be of use to them, Erichiuk suffered us to place the loads upon his
sledge. We left Keiyuk-tarruoke at thirty minutes past nine, in company with
four other sledges ; and after clearing the grounded hummocks, travelled at
a good pace in a north-easterly direction. When wc got about five miles from
Igloolik, the water became knee deep on the ice, which rendered walking
extremely fatiguing. The men and several of the women dispersed them-
selves in all directions in pursuit of seals ; whilst the sledges were left entirely
to the management of the females who remained by them. Our assistance
soon became necessary, and before the end of the day wc quite gained their
favour. It was at first the intention of the men to go to Tern Island to collect
eggs, but about seven P.]\I. the weather assuming a threatening appear-
ance, they determined to encamp on the ice. The number of stoppages, and

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. ' 453

the winding course which we made to pick up the seals left by the hunters,
rendered the day's journey extremely fatiguing and unpleasant, particularly
as we suffered a good deal from cold. After travelling about twenty miles,
we at length halted at thirty minutes past seven P.M. As we had nothing
but our blanket-bags to place between us and the ice, Erichiuk kindly fur-
nished us with staves jjrocured from the ships, with which we floored the tent,
and passed the night much more comfortably than we had anticipated. The
encampment was formed on a small dry ridge of ice, almost the only spot
free from water that we had seen during the afternoon. In consequence of
their success, the Esquimaux passed the evening feasting on raw flesh;
only one or two taking the trouble to light their lamps.

" The weather being fine on the Gth, we broke up the encampment at 6
thirty minutes past seven A.M., and travelled about fifteen miles in a N.N.E.
direction. The hunters of both sexes again dispersing themselves, many
seals were killed merely for their skins, and the carcasses left on the ice,
after being deprived of the entrails, of which the Esquimaux seemed parti-
cularly fond. At seven P.M. Ave landed on the north shore, and pitched our
tent on a rocky point in the midst of the Esquimaux encampment. The
women brought us some roots of the potentilla pukJicUa, which they had
pulled whilst coUecting dwarf-willow for their fires, and v.hich had a
pleasant flavour, resembling liquorice, but not so sweet. They seemed
fond of it, and had brought in a considerable quantity, which they ate
without cleansing from the soil. Nearly all the women had large kettles
full of seals' flesh boiling outside of the tents ; when it was ready the
master of the tent announced it by three loud shouts, to collect the rest of
the men to partake of it. They had scarcely finished one before another was
ready, to which they were again summoned ; and in this manner they kept up
the feast until a late hour.

'■ On the 7th the weather was gloomy with light rain occasionally. The 7.
Esquimaux remained at home all day, most of them being laid up with snow-
blindness. No intelligence could be gained relative to their future movements ;
the women, who are always the most communicative, seemed to know nothing ;
and the men were cither heedless of our inquiries, or very unsatisfactory in
their answers. The land gradually rose behind our tents to hills of coilsiderablc
height, well clothed with herbage, and seeming likely to afford game ; but
after a long walk we saw only a few deer-tracks, two grouse, and some ducks,
all so wild that it was impossible to get near them. From the top of a

454 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

j^"^"^ hill about three miles N.E.b.E. from the tents, -we saw a wide expanse of
^^~r^ ice, bounded by high land to the northward, apparently about the same dis-
tance as Neerlo-nakto was from us. Its eastern point, which seemed low,
bore E.N.E., and was nearly in a line with the north point of the easternmost
of the Calthorpo Islands. Our view to the westward was bounded beyond
N.W. by the land we stood on, which however did not appear to approach
that seen to the northward. A strait, about three miles in breadth, and of the
same length, separated the land we were on from the Calthorpe Islands.
This channel was clear of ice, appeared deep, and had a strong tide or current
setting through it to the southward. I endeavoured to learn from the Esqui-
maux whether the land joined to the westward and formed a l)ay, but was
unsuccessful in my inquiries. This inlet was named after Captain SiuMumiAY
Maxwell, of the Royal Navy. In the evening we visited the tent of the old
man from Toonoonek. He was an Angetkok and seemed fond of exhibiting
his skill. He sat with his arms drawn out of the sleeves of his jacket and
apparently folded over his breast, but in reality employing his fingers taj)ping
upon the skins he sat on. This noise I was told was made by his Tornga, or
spirit, and a great many questions were put to him by the bystanders ; these
were answered by tapping in a particular manner, and the sounds were
then interpreted by the craft of the old Angetkok.
g " A fine day ; nearly all the men went out sealing, accompanied by some

of the women regularly equi])pcd for the hunt. Our people returned in
the evening with the carcass of a deer ; they had been ten or twelve miles
to the westward, in which direction they said the land improved in vegetation ;
but the few living creatures which they saw were as wild as those in the
vicinity of the tents,
q " The weather being very inclement on the 9th, confined every body within

the tents. In the afternoon there was a dance at the Angctkok's, where nearly
the whole party was assembled. The old man opened the ball by a performance
which seemed a medley of conjuring and dancing ; several other men stood up
after him, and last of all his son : when he had finished most of the company
retired, upon which he rushed into the tent, and seizing his youngest wife
by the hair heather severely. She seemed at first inclined to resist, and took
up a tin-pot, as if intending to throw it at him ; he immediately kicked her
out of the tent, and struck her several heavy blows with a walrus tusk. His
other wife, fearing what was to follow, had placed her child in her hood,
as if to protect hei-self from the wrath of her husband. Having satisfied his

OF A NORTH. AVEST PASSAGE. i55

vengeance on the young one, he rushed in again, and, snatching the child ^^23.
away, beat the other poor woman in a most barbarous manner over the head v.^r^
with some heavy weapon which he had snatched up on his entrance. She never
spoke and, although streaming with blood, scarcely attempted to defend her-
self from his fury. Having continued to use her thus for some minutes, one
of the men present held his hand, uj)on which he quietly seated himself
and remained sulky the rest of the evening. The woman retired soon after
with her child some distance from the tent, where I found her giving vent
to her feelings by the most piercing cries. Two or three women stood round
her who, having satisfied their curiosity, left her without shewing the slightest
symptom of pity. The only caase we could discover for this brutal transac-
tion was, because they had not sung when their husband was dancing. He
took no notice of it at the time ; but appears to have meditated revenge
whilst seemingly wrapt up in his amusement. In the evening we found a
small party assembled in the same tent to hear the different spirits whom the
Angetkok was going to send into their presence. He came in soon after and,
taking his station behind the screen, descended after previously putting
a few questions to the bystanders. The performance differed very little from
Toolemak's. Ten torngas rose in succession, some of whom did not confine
themselves to speaking alone, but scratched and thumped against the skin
behind the person addressed. The Angctkok's wife sung during the cere-
mony, but appeared to take little interest in it, and when her duties per-
mitted directed all her attention to us.

" The weather was dull on the 10th, with occasional fogs. About ten A.M. lo.
there appeared a general move amongst our Esquimaux friends. On inquiry
it appeared that four families were going to the eastward, whilst the party to
which we were attached intended to remain another day, and then continue
their journey towards Toonoonee-roochiuk. Having gone out with our guns
the Esquimaux men of our party took advantage of our absence and set off
for Tern Island to collect eggs ; caj-efully concealing their intentions from
us lest we should propose to accompany them. It was not until they
were nearly out of sight that they told the man, who remained to look after
our tent, where they were going, the idea of having deceived us seeming to
afford them much amusement.

" The early part of the 11th was hazy; towards noon it cleared away n^
and became fine. We had felt rather cold during the night, Avhich was the
first we had found at all uncomfortable. Our men went away to the west-

45G SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. Y^ard in pursuit of deer ; before they left the tent they informed me, that
"-^^^ the women had mentioned their intention of continuinq; their journey next
day towards a station where they procure fish. I nia(U> inquiries, but
couUl hear notliing; and as it appeared from their j)revious conduct that
they were imwilling to acquaint me with their designs, I directed the men
to gather all the iniormalion tliey could. It was now become evident that
they did not intend going direct to Toonoonee-roochiuk ; but as I con-
ceived a longer stay witli them migiit furnish something interesting, I
determined on it ; more especially as the distance to Igloolik -was greater
than we could conveniently travel without diminishing our loads. The
Esquimaux returned in the evening witli a few seals, some ducks, and a
great many eggs. They had emptied the latter out of their shells into
walrus bladders, containing each between two and three gallons. They
gave us tM'o ducks and half a dozen eggs, an act of generosity of which
they seemed to think highly, but with whicli we were by no means satis-
fied, after being disappointed of a trip to the island, where we might have
collected some for ourselves.

12. " ^^'^c remained stationary on the 12th, the Esquimaux stating that their

dogs were too lame to travel. They buried most of their tin pots and
iron hoops, which looked as if they intended returning soon. One of the
■women excited our attention by the ingenuity she displayed in mending
a tin kettle which she liad procured from the ships, and which had become
unsoldered. She paid little attention to our instructions, and at length com-
pleted the task, in her own way, by suspending the kettle over the flame of the
lamp, and dropping pieces of solder obtained from the rim of a meat canister,
which when melted she spread with a spike-nail over the joint. In the
evening we were diverted by Kooeetseearioo, who went through the mIioIc
ceremony of raising Tornga. iMy men put up a screen, behind which he
went after some persuasion, and performed the whole of his part with
great skill, particularly the diving scene, where he managed liis voice so well
that it really appeared to come some distance from xuider ground. It would
seem from this that the art is not difficult and that, from the ridicule with
which they seemed to treat it, they were not imposed on. The old people
alone seemed to pay respect to the Angetkoks, while the young ones inva-
riably treated their mysteries with contempt.

13 " At half-past ten A.M. on the 13th, we quitted this station, which by the

mean of five meridian altitudes is in lat. 69° 42' 29", and by the mean of seven

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 457

sets of observations for the chronometer, in long. 00° 46' 22" E. of the ships' 1^23.
winter station. The ice was so full of cracks and holes that it was with diffi- ^'>ly
culty the .sledge could proceed, and it was only enabled to stand the heavy
shocks it received by the looseness of its construction. Two large seals bein»
seen on tlie ice, the sledges stopped while two of the Esquimaux went in
l)ursuit of tlicm. It was full two hours before they got close to one of them,
which they effected by crawling feet foremost towards the animal ; one man
lying concealed behind the other who, by scraping the ice witli his spear,
and moving his feet in imitation of a seals-flipper, deceived the animal until
tliey got within six or seven yards of it. They then remained stationary
some time as if to accustom the seal to them ; when at length the nearest
man, springing on his feet, darted his spear which however striking a bone
did not take eftect. Notwithstanding the quickness of the movement, the
animal was half down the hole before the spear quitted the man's hand.
At four o'clock, having advanced about fourteen miles along shore to the
westward, the party stopped at a rocky point, where they signified iheir
intention of remaining some days. A few miles to the westward a low point
ran out with several small islands off it. Beyond this point was an exten-
sive opening, which the Esquimaux represented to be a bay which they go
up on their route to Toonoonee-roochiuk. Dunn joined us about an hour
after our arrival, with the iutclligence of having killed a deer five or six
miles to the westward. By promising the Nerooka*, a sledge was easily
procured, upon which my two men went, accompanied by one of the Esqui-
maux, to bring it in. Our provisions being nearly expended, I desired
the men to endeavour to bargain with their companion for his sledge to carry
us to Neerlonakto; whilst I also endeavoured to hire one in the event of
their failure. In the evening Erichiuk and some others had a long conversa-
tion about the ships going to Toonoonee-roochiuk, an event they seemed
very anxious to bring about. He persisted in saying it was practicable for
them to go by a western route ; and as he still continued positive after 1 had
explained to him that we found the Strait blocked up by ice last summer,
I concluded that he alluded to some other opening which the formation of
the land precluded us from seeing at present.

" The man who had promised us his sledge the preceding evening, now Mod. 14.

* A part of the deer, before mentioned by Captain Lyon, as considered a great delicacy by
these people.

3 N

458 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. refused it, because we did not immediately comply with his demands for
^-*^-^ the deer's sinews. 'In consequence of this I determined, if he persisted
in his refusal next morning, to construct a lis^ht sledge with our boarding-
pikes to carry our baggage, which by this time was become tolerably light.
Tues. 15. " On the receipt of the sinews and some of the flesh however, he was
again willing to lend his sledge the following day ; we therefore prepared
to move immediately after breakfast. The latitude of this station by one
meridian altitude was 69° 46' 12" N., the longitude, by mean of two sets of
sights for the chronometer, was 00° 34' 42 " cast of the ships. The Esquimaux
seemed sorry to part from us, a feeling rendered reciprocal by the kindness
which they had luiiformly shewn us. It is but justice to say that I never ex-
perienced more attention in my life, and that their whole conduct towards
us seemed expressive of a grateful feeling for the advantages which they had
derived from their intercourse with the ships. Our party was increased to
six by two of the natives joining us just as we were starting. The ice
was tolerably smooth and had but little water on it, so that my men, who
walked more than two-thirds of the way, did it without fatigue, and at half
an hour past six P.M. we landed on Neerlonaktoo. Our companions,
who had volunteered to carry us to the ships, were anxious to proceed, but
compassion for our poor dogs would not suffer me to hear of it. Although
these pco[)!c were kind and attentive to us, they did not think it necessary
to extend this feeling to our dogs, which were become very lame, nor would
they .even supply us with a piece of skin to make boots for them, without
demanding an exorbitant price. Whilst on Neerlonaktoo wc saw three
deer and great numbers of geese and other water fowl, but they were so shy
that all our attempts to get near them were ineffectual.
Wed. 16. " Leaving t!ie island at forty-five minutes past eleven, on the 16th, we
arrived on Igloolik at twenty minutes past one. Having loaded our own
dogs, the Esquimaux left theirs moored to a stone, where they were to
remain without food until their return ; and walking across the island we
reached the ships at four P.M."

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 459

CHAPTER XV.

EXTRAORDINARY DISRUPTION OF ICE IN QUILLIAM CREEK- — SOME APPEARANCE OF

SCURVY AMONG THE SEAMEN AND MARINES ACCOUNT OF A JOURNEY WITH SLEDGES

TO COCKBURN ISLAND DISCOVERY OF GIFFORD RIVER COMMENCE CUTTING THE

ICE OUTSIDE THE SHIPS TO RELEASE THEM FROM THEIR WINTER-QUARTERS

CONSIDERATIONS RESPECTING THE RETURN OP THe' EXPEDITION TO ENGLAND

UNFAVOURABLE STATE OF THE ICE AT THE EASTERN ENTRANCE OF THE STRAIT

PROCEED TO THE SOUTHWARD SHIPS BESET AND DRIFTED UP LYON INLET

DECEASE OF MR. GEORGE FIFE FINAL RELEASE FROM THE ICE, AND ARRIVAL IN

ENGLAND REMARKS UPON THE PRACTICABILITY OP A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.

Among the various changes which the warmth of the returning summer was i823.
now producing around us, none was more remarkable than that noticed by ^J^^^^
Captain Lyon on his present excursion to Quilliam Creek, and which, in aThur. 17.
note received from him by the return of the sledges, on the 17th, he thus
describes : " Between the two points forming the entrance of the creek, we
saw a high wall of ice extending immediately across from land to land, and
on arriving at it found that by some extraordinary convulsion the floe had
burst upwards, and that immense masses of ice had been thrown in every
direction. Several blocks eight or nine feet in thickness and many yards in
diameter were lying on the level solid floe ; yet we were for some time at a
loss to discover whence they had been ejected, till at length we found a
hole or pool, which appeared so small as to be hardly capable of containing
the immense fragments near it ; yet from this place alone must they have
been thrown."

Captain Lyon subsequently added, that " the water, which was found to
be quite fresh was running rapidly to seaward in this opening; and it seemed
probable that the vast accumulation from the streams at the head of the
creek, although at about ten miles' distance, had burst a passage and thus
ejected the ice. The force employed for this purpose may be conceived,

3 n 2

1823. 460 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

July.

when I mention that of several masses of ice one in particular was above
eight feet thick, full forty yards in circumference, and lay more than five
hundred yards from the pool. No traces could be found of the manner in
which these bodies had been transported, as not a single small fragment was
seen lying about, to warrant flie supposition that they had fallen Avith a
shock. Neither were there any marks observable on the smooth un-
cracked floe to cause a suspicion that they had slidden over it, the general
apj)earance of the floe at this i)lace being the same as at all other parts of the
inlet, and bearing no marks of having had any rush of water over it."

Frid.18. The ducks having now nearly deserted the neighbourhood of Arlagnuk,
and the travelling there becoming inconvenient for sledges, our shooting-party
was removed to Igloolik and shortly after recalled on board. The number
of ducks i)rocured by both shijjs during this part of the season was about
nine hundred, of which above two-thirds were king-ducks, and by far the
greater part of the rest, of the long-tailed species. The weather was now,
at times extremely sultry, bringing out swarms of mosquitoes that soon
became very troublesome even on board the ship. A thermometer sus-
pended in the middle of the observatory and exposed to the sun's rays, Avas
observed by Mr. Fisher to stand at 92° at five P.M. on the 18th.

Sat. 19. On the I9th Captain Lyon returned from Quilliam Creek, bringing with
him the whole of our party stationed there, the ice being now so broken up
in that neighbourhood as to render the fishing dangerous without proper boats.
On this journey, which it took two days to perform, eleven dogs drew a
weight of two thousand and fifty poiuids, of which six hundred and forty
were salmon, and ninety-five venison, procured by our peoi)le. The fish
liad all been caught in the trawl ; and treble the quantity might easily have
been taken with a seine had we known how wide the mouth of the stream
was to become. They varied in length from twenty to twenty-six inches,
and one of the largest, when cleaned, weighed eight pounds and a half; but
their average weight in this state did not exceed two pounds and a quarter.
The distance of the fishing-place from the ships, the dangerous state of the
ice, and the soreness of the dogs' feet from travelling on the rough honey-
combed ice, prevented our taking any further advantage of this very accept-
able change of diet.

The following remarks made by Captain Lyon, during his late excursion,
furnishes some information of considerable interest to naturalists. " I had
in the course of my walks several opportunities of observing the nests of

OF A NORTH-AVEST PASSAGE. 461

many of the smaller kinds of birds. The sand-piper, (tringa cinerea), and '^-^-
the j)halarope, {phalaropwi plati/rinchns), lay each four eggs on a tuft of v-

withered grass in swampy ground ; but no care is taken to form any nest.
The snow-buntings and Lapland (inches construct their nests in much tlie
same manner as our English finches, and line them v\'ith white deer's hair in
a very beautiful manner. The outer part is of dried grass and rather
bulky compared with the size of the inner nest. Each of the last men-
tioned birds lays seven eggs, but the bunting prefers building in the crevice
of a rock, or amongst loose stones, while the Lapland finch constructs its
nest on the ground amongst grass and moss. Mr. Crozier found the nest
of a snow-goose containing five eggs; and I saw seventeen of these fine
birds walking on a hill side in a long line, as our domestic geese travel on
commons, one acting as leader and being rather in advance of the rest.
Near the lake in which these birds had been swimming I found an amazing-
quantity of the quill feathers of brent-geese, but saw none of the birds
from which they had moulted. On the banks of the same piece of water,
which was above a mile in length, 1 observed long ridges formed entirely of
the dung of mice and in depth from four to five inches. I cannot conjec-
ture how this could have been brought here, nor how so vast a quantity
of mice could have assembled near the banks of the lake, for wc saw none
of their holes, and the ground being very swampy was not such as they
generally frequent."

Although the dissolution of the ice was hourly going on, yet no very sen-
sible alteration had taken place for some time past, such as might give us hopes
of a speady release from our confinement. The barrier of ice still remaining
fixed between the ships and the sea was above five miles in breadth, though
we lay at the very mouth of the bay, and the only chance of our soon
getting out rested on an accidental crack in the floe, extending from near the
point of Oongalooyat across to the main land, and which had lately become
somewhat wider. Being thus detained I determined on despatching Lieu-
tenant Hoppner once n\ore to the northward, for the purpose of examining
a great bay or inlet of Cockbiun Island, that we had never been able to
approach in the ships, and whicli we supposed to correspond with that
delineated by the Esquimaux in their charts, as forming the fust day's journey
to Toonoonee-roochiuk. Lieutenant Hoppner accordingly left us on the Slst :\lon. 'Z\.
with that intention, being accompanied by two men and furnished with a
sledge and ten dogs.

462 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

Nothing worthy of notice occurred till the 29th, when a patch of ice a
mile broad separated from tlie outer mari^in oC our barrier and drifted
away. Tlie canal formed by laying sand en the ice was now quite through
in mos't places, shewing that the plan would, in this latitude at least, always
ensure a ship's escape at an earlier season than by the regular course of
nature, provided it could be carried the whole way down to the open
water.
Wed. 30. I am now under the disagreeable necessity of entering on a subject,
which I had at one time ventured to hope need scarcely have occu-
pied any i)art of this Narrative : I mean that of the scurvy, some slight,
but unequivocal, symptoms of which disease were this day reported to
me by Mr. Edwards, to have appeared among four or five of the Fury's
men, rendering it necessary, for the lirst time during the voyage, to have
recourse to anti-scorbutic treatment among the seamen or marines. During
our first winter, the only instance in which any such symptoms had been
discovered occurred in Mr. Jermain, the purser of the Hecla, who
however recovered by the usual treatment, as the summer advanced.
This short and dubious season being ended, the carpenter and boat-
swain of the Hecla were also affected ; and in the course of the second
winter Mr. Jermain's complaint returned with greater severity. In the
months of February and March, Messrs. Henderson, Halse, and Scallon, of
the Fury, were occasionally disposed to scurvy; Mr. Edwards was for a week
or two pretty severely attacked by it, and my own gums becoming some-
what livid rendered a short course of additional lemon-juice necessary to
restore them. These cases however shortly and permanently recovered;
but in the spring and even as late as the month of June, when there was
reason to ho])e that every symptom of this kind would have been removed by
the increased warmth and cheerfulness of the season, and the change of
diet afforded by the game, the disease again made its appearance in the
carpenter and boatswain of the Hecla, and soon after attacked the gunner
and Mr. Fife, the Greenland master. These cases which were much more
severe than any we had before experienced, had not now recovered, when
the gums of four or five of the Fury's men betrayed this insidious disease
lurking witliin them, and made it necessary to administer lemon-juice to
them in more copious quantities than ordinary.

It will perhaps be considered a curious and singular fact in the history of
sea-scurvy, that during the whole of the preceding part of this voyage, none

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 463

amongst us but officers should have been in the slightest degree affected by
it, a circumstance directly contrary to former experience. To whatever
causes this might be attributed, it could not however but be highly gratify-
ing to be thus assured, that the various means employed to preserve the
health of the seamen and marines had proved even beyond expectation
efficacious.

That a ship's company should begin to evince S3-inptoms of scurvy after
twenty-seven months' entire dependence upon the resources contained within
their ship, (an experiment hitherto unknown, perhaps, in the ann;\ls of naviga-
tion, even for one-fourdi part of that period,) could scarcely indeed be a subject
of wonder, though it was at this particular time a matter of very sincere regret.
From the health enjoyed by our people during two successive winters, unas-
sisted as we had been by any supply of fresh anti-scorbutic plants or other
vegetables, I had begun to indulge a hope that with a continued attention to
their comforts, cleanliness, and exercise, the same degree of vigour might,
humanly speaking, be ensured at least as long as our present liberal resour-
ces should last. Present appearances however seemed to indicate differently ;
for though our sick-list had scarcely a name upon it, and almost every indi-
vidual was performing his accustomed duty, yet we had at length been im-
pressed with the unpleasant conviction that a strong predisposition to disease
existed among us, and that no very powerful exciting cause was wanting
to render it more seriously apparent. Such a conviction at the present
crisis was peculiarly disagreeable ; for I could not but lament any cir-
cumstance tending to weaken the confidence in our strength and re-
sources at a time when more than ordinary exertion was about to be required
at our hands.

In the afternoon of the 30th, Lieutenant Hoppner and his party returned
on board, having discovered that the inlet in question communicated with a
considerable river, which we jointly named after our mutual and highly-
esteemed friend Mr. Gifford. Lieutenant Hoppner's account of his journey
is here subjoined.

" At a quarter past four we left the Ilecla, and having reached the head of 21.
the bay at half-past six, the party who were there in readiness carried the
sledge across the isthmus ; after which service they returned to the ship.
The fog was now so thick that it was impossible to proceed toAvards Neerlo-
nakto, we therefore kept along the land-ice of Igloolik, when supposing

4G4 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. ourselves Jiearly abreast of the former island, we went on shore to w ait for

Julv.
<-^-s-<,' bettor weather.

-2. " Tliick foggy weather continued until four P.M., on the 22d, when, it

becoming clearer, we recommenced our journey, passing l)etween Neerlo-
naktoo and three small whitish islands oft' its south-west ciu\, which at a
distance are easily mistaken lor hummocks of ' dirty' ice. The ice after-
wards began to improve ; but we were obliged by several wide cracks extend-
ing from Neerlo-naktoo to the west land and the islands in Richards's Bay,
to go some distance round to find parts sufticienlly narrow to cross. At
eleven P.M. we pitched our tent on the norlh-east island in Richards's
Bay ; the ice was so much broken up all round it that it was with diihculty
\te landed.

23. " It rained hard all night, w-ith thick hazy weather wliich did not clear away
until noon the following day. We immediately prepared to move ; but it was
twenty-five minutes past one P.]\I. before we got away, owing to the time taken
up in shoeing the dogs, which for two peojjle was a tedious operation, ^^'e
stood directly over towards the north land, finding the ice so bad for the first
six or seven miles as to make it reasonable to expect that a very few days
would render it impassable. Towards the centre of the strait it became very
good, and continued so until we got near the north shore, where we found
it in much the same state as on the opposite side. Several of the cracks ex-
tended from land to land, and were so wide as to cause us much perplexity in
crossing them. At a quarter past nine we landed on a low sandy beach
which forms the south-east point of the opening we saw to the north-west,
when on our former journey with the Esquimaux.

24. " The weather during the early part of the day was tolerably fine, but in the
afternoon became foggy, with heavy showers of rain. The dogs being a good
deal fagged, I determined to give them a day's rest, expecting we should be
able to ascertain the extent of the inlet on foot. Having waited without success
to get the meridian altitude, 1 walked up the inlet and, crossing the two first
points of land, picked up a piece of fresh skin, which convinced me that
our friends the Esquimaux had not much the start of us. A high mount on
the south side, about twelve or fourteen miles distant, becoming a very pro-
minent object, I made towards it, hoping from thence to see the termination of
the inlet, which here varied from one to three miles in breadth. At five P.M.,
finding the hill above-mentioned still too distant for me to reach on foot, I
Janded on the right-hand shore, from whence the opening appeared to extend at

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 465

least a day's journey for the sledge, continuing about the same breadth and 1823.
not appearing to terminate even at the furthest point seen. After resting
a short time, I returned towards the tent, determining, if our people had
killed any thing which would furnish a supply of food for the dogs, to run up
Avith the sledge next day, and if possible reach its termination. Having
walked about live miles back, I discovered an Esquimaux tent on the north
side, which being pitched behind a point had escaped my notice on
passing up, and which proved to belong to some of our old friends. As
the want of food for the dogs had made me fearful we should be obliged to
abandon our object before its accomplishment, I immediately bargained with
them for a supply, promising to visit them the next day. They had a few
pieces of very iiiie looking lish drying on the rocks. After stopping with
them about ten minutes I took my leave, and, on reaching the' point next
above our tent, found that the rest of the Esquimaux had arrived during my
absence.

" At twenty minutes past twelve on the Sjth we struck our tent and
proceeded up the inlet, stopping a few minutes at the first point, where
we purchased some meat for the dogs, and got the promise of a seal on
our return. At three P.]\I. we arrived at the tent of Erichiuk, from whom
we purchased some more meat and a very fine salmon. The Esquimaux
told us we might reach the head of the inlet to-day ; we therefore left
one of our dogs which was lame in EricbJuks charge, and resumed our
journey, with the intention of lightening the sledge at the first convenient
place. At four P.M., having reached two small islets situated nearly in
mid-channel, we buried whatever we could well spare, to ensure the ac-
complishment of our object ; and having stopped half an hour to refresh
ourselves, we set off at a quick pace. The weather was so thick that
it was but very rarely we got a glimpse of the shores on each side of us ;
when Ave did, they seemed rocky and steep; but a short distance from the
beach the land appeared well clothed Avith vegetation. As Ave advanced the
ice became very thin and rotten, and gave indications of our ajjproach to
its termination : at length, about half past nine, Ave found ourselves
Avithin fifty yards of the Avater, and Avere obliged to pick our Avay to the
.shore over a very rotten surface. On landing Ave were gratified by the sight
of a noble sheet of Avater, a mile and a half in breadth and perfecdy fresh.
The tide Avas out, but there was no current perceptible in the middle, nor

3 o

466 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. fji^i ^yg notice any (luring the whole time of our stay. The Esquimaux had
v-*-Y-«^ informed us of a large fall, but as we neither saw nor heard any thing of it,
it must be a good way higher up, our point of view extending full iifteen
miles, when it terminated in two bluff points, between which the stream
seemed to wind. To these points, to all appearance, it continued about the
same breadth, and from the colour of the water it must be deep enough for
ships of large burden. The land on each side was high, and where wc stood
was more closely covered Avith vegetation than- any spot I had ever seen in
these regions. The dwarf willow grew to a height and size almost entitling
it to be called a shrub, and the Andromeda tetragoiin was in the greatest
abundance.
26 " On the 26th I sent one of my men to the top of a high hill behind our tent,
but his view from thence was not more extensive than what we had already
procured. After stopping to get the meridional altitude, which gave the
lat. 70° 06' 42" N., the longitude, by chronometer, being 0° 39' 48" W. of
the ships, we set out on our return. As the ice was broken \ip for two miles
below us, Ave endeavoured to get on the solid floe by a narroAV neck about
one hundred yards broad ; but having got half Avay it proved so thin and
rotten that I considered it better to return, than to run the risk of crossing
it. The dogs dragged the sledge along shore until Ave came to the firm ice,
performing their task much better than Ave expected. We noAV returned
doAvn the river, and, having picked up the things left on the island, arri\-ed
at the Esquimaux tents at half-past eight. They received us Acry kindly,
assisting to unload the sledge and carry the things to the top of the hill.
We purchased of them some very fine salmon, \Ahich they caught in a
small rivulet emptying itself into a bay about a quarter of a mile from the
tents.
27. " The 27th proving a fine day, the men all went out with their fishing-
spears at high-water, but returned in a short time, saying there Avere no fish,
from AA-hich it is probable that they only come here occasionally, resorting
at other times to other places of the same description, Avith which the river
abounds. The latitude of this station is 70° 0' 13" N. ; longitude, by chrono-
meter, 0° 0 40" W. of the ships. We left our friends about one P.M. ; they
continued civil to the last, although the temptation to rob us Avas too great for
them to resist. This, however, they did in a sly sort of Avay, removing things
from Avhere wc had placed them Avith the idea, perhaps, that wc should not miss

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 467

them until we had taken our departure. On tastin^^ the water at this station, ^^2'^-

July.

which is not more than seven or eight miles from the mouth of the opening,
it proved nearly fresh. We kept close along the north shore, passing over
very bad ice, with cracks extending across to the eastern part of the Strait.
It apj)earcd only to want a strong breeze from the westward to drive it out,
as it was quite detached from the land. At nine P.M. we landed on a small
rocky island, the easternmost of a group about fifteen miles from the spot where
wo left the Esquimaux on our former journey. From this point I could see
both the places we visited during that trip, and could now clearly ascertain
that the land was connected ; as the only part which had been doubtful was
in a bay formed by the north-eastern point of the river, and another about
five miles to the westward of our present station, where (the land being rather
low) there was an appearance of an opening ; this day's journey, however,
proved the continuity of the coast. Our time being limited, I did not think
it worth while going any further to the eastward ; but as the dogs would
require a day's rest previously to carrying us over to Igloolik, I determined
to remain here until the 29th for that purpose.

" The weather was so thick that it was not until past ten on the 29th that 29.
we left the north land, and at seven arrived on the west end of Neerlo-
naktoo, Avherc we stopped for the night, our dogs being too much tired to
proceed. We found the ice in coming over far better than I expected. It
was however separated from both lands by wide cracks, and did not average
more than two feet in thickness as far as I could judge ; it appeared nearly
in the same state as last year at this season.

" Leaving Neerlo-naktoo at half-past eleven on the 30th, we reached 30.
Igloolik at two P.M. The ice between the two islands was almost impassa-
ble for a sledge in some places, but the pools were all frozen over, for the first
time, during the last night. We found great difficulty in landing on Igloolik,
the ice having broken up into detached pieces along its shores. In getting
the sledge across from one end to the other, we were frequently near losing
it, the dogs having to swim across several of the spaces between the broken
jjieces of ice. Having crossed the isthmus, we got sight of the ships and
arrived on board about four P.^I." •

The first qf August had now arrived ; and yet, incredible as it may appear, p"^"**'
the ships were as securely confined in the ice as in the middle of winter, cx-

3 o 2

ABSTRACT

of ihe METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on board His Majesty's

Ship

Fury, at Igloolik, iluring the Month of 7m?;/, 18-23.

Day
1

Falirenlieit's
niumeter.

riier-

Barometer.

Trevailing

WilKlS.

Prevailing M'eather.

Mavi.

IIIU>I>.

niiiii'
niuiii.

MCHII.

.M.i\i.
mum.

Mim. 1
uiuiii. 1 .Mean.

1

JJirt'cticii.

Vtlocily

C

43

o

o
39.08

illCl.l-.

29.59

29.50

29.58-.

\\ N \V

rnoiit.

cloudy

2

41

31)

33.07

29.55

29.39

29.385

Mest

fresh

cloudy

3

■10

:u

30.50

29.19

29.30

29.111

KM'

Irt-sh

rain

4

41

3(i

37.90

29.50

29.40

29.47.'.

NW

fresh

cloudy

5

44

31

37.07

29.10

20.30

29.37:

NNW

mcidt.

cloudy, rain at times

C

42

31

.37.07

20.31

29.21

29 .301

Nortli

inodt.

cloudy, rain ,it times

7

45

33

.39. 17

29.40

29.20

29.29;

SE

light

cloudy and rain

8

41

33

37.00

29.. 38

29.00

29.252

NXE

mi)(U.

cloudy

9

37

32

31.12

29.02

28.90

28.957

NbW

inodt.

cloudy and rain

10

48

31

39.58

29.38

29.08

29.220

S Easterly

li;ht

hazy and rnin

U

41

33

38.17

29.77

29.57

29.CS3

SE

fresh

cloudy

12

37

32

33.58

29.97

29.78

29.892

SE

modt.

cloudy

13

47

33

3S.89

29.98

29.90

29.942

SE

modt.

cloudy

U

47

37

40.37

29.90

29.93

29.947

SE

light

fine

15

65

3(i

1.J.80

29.95

29. b7

29.910

Calm

calm

fine

IC 1

52

3S

45.75

29.81

29.80

29.823

Nortli

light

fine

17

58

40

49.75

29.82

29.80

29.808

Calm

calm

fine

18

68

I'i

51.83

29.70

29.70

-29.727

SE

light

cloudy

10

5'J

39

50 33

29.68

29.00

29.060

SE

light

fine

20

41

30

39.25

29.51

29.10

•29.487

ESE

modt.

cloudy and rain

21

52

31

40. OS

29.52

29.30

29.400

SE

light

fopgy and rain

22

40

34

37.92

29.34

29.30

29.307

North

light

foggy and rain

23

4G

35

39.17

29.12

29.32

29.301-

N\V

light

foggy and rain -

24

49

30

39.92

29.57

29.42

29.515

NE

light

foggy and rain

25

47

31

39.58

29.59

29.55

29 .578

SE

light

hazy and rain

26

42

35

3S.07

29.53

29.44

29.480

r.a»t to N.'jK. '

Calm

light

cloudy

27

55

30

13.17

29.64

29.00

29.012

calm

hazy

2«

41

3:>

3S.5S

29.69

29.53

29.622

SSE

modt.

hazy and rain

29

50

32

10.12

29.00

29.46

29.505

' NW

modt.

cloudy

30

42

31

30.2.5

29.00 29.55

29.5'-3

SSE

modt.

cloudy

31

42

31

30. If

29.08 29.48 '29.520

1 1

SSE

modt.

hazy and rain

59

30

40.04

29.98

1

28.90

29.535

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 469"

copt that a pool of water about twice their own length in diameter was now ^^"^3.
open around them*. I determined, therefore, notwithstanding the apparent \-*-ysL>
hopelessness of sawing our way through four or five miles of ice, to begins • ■'■^"-
tliat laborious process ; not indeed with the hope of cutting a canal sufti^l
ciently large to allow the passage of the ships to sea, but Avith a view to
weaken it so much as, in some measure, to assist its disruption whenever any
swell should set in upon its margin. On this and the following day, there- Sat. 2.
fore, all the gear was carried down for that purpose, and a large tent pitched
for the ships' companies to dine in, the distance being too great to allow
them to return on board to their meals. On the 3d, however, we were Sun. 3.
saved a great deal of unnecessary labour, by the ice opening out at the
crack before mentioned, so that our sawing might now be commenced within
a mile of the Fury. After divine senicc, thercfcire, all hands were sent
from both ships to bring back the tent and tools to the point of Oongalooyat,-
and the parties were recalled from the walrus-fishery, except a single boat's
crew : these also returned on board a few days after, the whole number^
of sea-horses killed being eight, and one large seal. It is remarkable' ." ■•-v/"
that all the walruses were males, of which a skeleton was made on board
each ship as anatomical specimens. The Hecla's two boats had one day a
very narrow escape in assaulting a herd of these animals ; for several of
them, being wounded, made so fierce an attack on the boats with their
tusks, as to stave them in a number of places, by which one was immediately
swamped and the other much damaged. The Fury's boats being fortunately
in sight prevented any further danger ; two of the walruses Avere killed and
secured, and the damaged boats lightened and towed to the shore, from
which they had been several miles distant.

On the 4th our sawing work was commenced, with the usual alacrity on Mon. 4.
the part of the officers and men, and three hundred and fifty yards of ice
were got out before night, its thickness varying from one to four feet, but
very irregular on account of the numerous pools and holes. An equal length
was accomplishcfl on the following day, though not without excessive fa-
tigue and constant wet to the men, several of whom fell into the water bv
the ice breaking under them.

* This circumstance afforded a very favourable opportunity of (»btaining a complete set ot'
steady observations on the deviation of tlie magnetic needle on boai-d the Fury; these are
given in tlie Appendix.

470 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. On the 5th, the register-thermometer, which had been placed in the ground in
v^-r-v^ the winter, was taken up, though, to our astonishment, the ground above and
Tues. 5. aijQut it had become nearly as hard and compactly frozen as when wc dug the
hole to put it clown. How this came about wc were quite at a loss to determine ;
I'or the earth had been thrown in quite loosely, whereas its present consoli-
dated state implied its having been thoroughly thawed and frozen again. It
occupied two men ten days to extricate it, which, as they api)roached the
thermometer, was done by a chisel and mal'et to avoid injury by jarring.
This, however, was not sufficient to prevent mischief, the instrument being
so identified with the frozen earth, as to render it impossible to strike the
ground near it without communicating the shock to the tubes, two of which
were in consequence found to be broken. Thus ended our experiment for
ascertaining the temperature of the earth during the w'inter ; an experiment
which it would seem, from this attempt, scarcely practicable to make in any
satisfactory manner Avithout some apparatus constructed expressly for the
purpose.
Wed. 6. On the 6th, the work was continued as before, and about four hundred yards
of ice were sawn through and floated out, leaving now a broad canal, eleven
hundred yards in length, leading from the open water towards that formed
by the gravelled space. In the course of this day's work, one of the seamen
of the Hecla fell into the water by the ice giving way, and very narrowly
escaped drowning, ivs it was not easy for the other people to apj)roach him.
He was taken out scarcely sensible ; but being immediately conveyctl on
board the Fury was by care and attention recovered in a ^cw hours.
Thur. 7. When the lateness of the season to which the ships had now been detained
in the ice is considered, with reference to the probability of the Fury's
effecting any thing of importance during the short remainder of the present
sunnncr, it will not be wondered at that, coupling this consideration with that
of the health of my officers and men, I began to entertain doubts whether it
would still be prudent to adopt the intended measure of remaining out in the
Fury as a single ship ; whether, in short, under existing circumstances, the
probable evil did not far outweigh the possible good. In order to assist my
own judgment on this occasion upon one of the most material points, I re-
quested the medical oilicers of the Fury to furnish me with their opinions
" as to the probable effect that a third winter passed in these regions would
produce on the health of the officers, seamen, and marines of that ship, tak-
ing into consideration every circumstance connected with oui" situation."

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 471

Mr. Edwards's reply, with which in substance that of Mr. Skeoch coincided, ^8^3.
is here given, as being at once more concise as to expression, and of infinitely
greater weight as to opinion, than any remarks I could myself have offered on
this subject.

" Daring the last winter and subsequently, the aspect of the crcAV of the
Fury in general, together with the increased number and character of their
complaints, strongly indicated that the peculiarity of the climate and service
was slowly effecting a serious decay of their constitutional powers. The
recent appearance also of several cases of incipient scurvy in the most fa-
vourable month of the year, and occurring after a more liberal and continued
use of fresh animal food than we can calculate upon procuring liereafter, are
confirmatory proofs of the progression of the evil.

" With a tolerable prospect of eventual success, other circumstances
remaining unchanged, I should yet expect an increase of general debility,
with a corresponding degree of sickness, though at the same time confident
of our resources being equal to obviate serious consequences. But consi-
dering the matter in the other point of view, namely, as a single ship, it
assumes a much more important shape. It is not necessary that I should
dwell on the altered circumstances in which the crew would then be placed,
as they are such as you must long ago have foreseen and weighed. I allude
to the increase of labour and exposure resulting from the separation of the
vessels, the privation of many salutary occupations, mental and corporeal,
attending their union, and, I may add, at this late period of the season, the
hopelessness of the success of the ensuing navigation being such as to excite
feelings sufficiently lively to counteract those depressing causes. It is im-
possible, in fact, to reflect on the subject and not to apprehend a less favour-
able result than might be expected under the preceding conditions."

Enclosing to Captain Lyon the replies of the medical gentlemen, I now
also requested his opinion whether, under existing circumstances, he still
considered it expedient to adopt the measure originally intended, with respect
to the separation of the two ships. I had scarcely despatched a letter to this
effect when, at ten A.M. on the 8th, the ice about the Fury began to move,
the pools breaking up, and the gravelled canal soon entirely closing. A
breeze springing up from the northward at this time, all sail was made
upon the ship, and the ice gradually driving out as it detached itself from the
shore, the Fury got into open Avater about one P.M. The Hecla, however,
still remained in the middle of her winter's floe, which, though it moved a

472 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. little ^yit]j the rest ^t first, did not come out of the bay. In the course of the

August, . , , .

-*-v-x^ afternoon, fniduig her still stationary, I determined to occupy the lime in
stretchinij over to the northward, for the purpose of examining the state
of the fixed ice at tlio eastern moutli of the strait ; and arriving at its
margin by ten P.M. found it attached to both shores from the north-
eastern part of Ncerlo-naktoo across to Murray Maxwell Inlet. It was tlic
general opinion that this ice was in a more solid state than at the same
time and place the preceding year, but its situation did not I believe differ
half a mile from what it had tlien been. As the sun went down nearly in the
direction of the Strait, we obtained from tlie mast-head a distinct and exten-
sive view in that quarter, and it is impossible to conceive a more hopeless
prospect than this now presented. One vast expanse of level solid ice occu-
pied the whole extent of sea visible to the westward, and the eye wearied
itself in vain to discover a single break upon its surface.

Having finished this examination, which at once destroyed every hope
I had never ceased to indulge of a pas.sage through the Strait, we returned
towards Igloolik to rejoin the Hecla. It was not, however, till the morn-
ing of the 9th that we observed her to be moving out of the bay ; when
at length (for the first time perhaps that such an event ever occurred,)
slie drove to sea in the middle of the floe. Thus at the mercy of the ice,
.she was carried over the shoals off the south-east point off Igloolik in six and
a half fathoms, but was then fortunately drifted into deeper water. Tlie
swell on the outside was all that was wanting to break up her icy prison,
which separating at seven A.M. finally released her from confinement.

Having soon afterwards received Captain Lyon's answer to my communi-
cation, it was necessary for me to come to a final determination on the sub-
ject therein alluded to. I shall first however insert Captain Lyon's reply,
both because it is proper that his opinion should be recorded, and because it
is impossible for me either more clearly or more briefly to communicate the
substance of my own.

" As I consider the health of your crew as of most importance in every
point of view, I shall in the first place state that, independently of the weighty
opinions of your medical officers, it has for some time been my opinion that
the Fury's passing a third winter in this country would be extremely hazard-
ous. I am induced thus to express myself from the great change I have
observed in the constitution of the officers and men of the Hecla, and by the
appearance of some very severe cases of scurvy since the summer has com-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 473

menced; I am also aware that the same scorbutic symptoms have been '823.
noticed, and do still exist, in the Fury. . ^^r^

" Our long continuance on one particular diet, almost total deprivation of
fresh animal and vegetable food for above two years, and the necessary and
close confinement for several months of each severe winter, are undoubtedly
the causes of the general alteration of constitution which has for some time
past been so evident. I therefore conceive that a continued exposure to the
same deprivations and confinements, the solitude of a single ship, and the
painful monotony of a third winter to men whose health is precarious, would
in all probability be attended with very serious consequences.

" When at the commencement of the last winter I gave it as my opinion,
that the service would be benefited by your remaining out in tlie Fury, as
you proposed, and still attempting a further passage to the westward, I did
not anticipate so long a confinement in the ice as Ave have unfortunately
experienced, and formed my opinion on the supposition, and in the full
expectation that we should be at liberty about the 1st of July of this year, and
that the general good health which then prevailed would still continue. From
our being detained until the present time, however, I am of opinion that the
season in which it is possible to navigate has now so far passed, that nothing
material can be cfFcctcd cither by one or both ships. We know from the
experience of last year, that it is not before the end of August or the beginning
of September that the ice breaks up in the Strait of the Fury and Hecla, and
that it is not until that period that you will be enabled to re-examine its
western entrance. Even when you should have done so and, as there is
every reason to expect, found it still closed, you would have barely sufficient
time to return to Igloolik to pass another winter. Again, should the sea
prove open to the south-eastward, and should you deem it expedient to
attempt, by rounding the very extensive land in that direction, to find some
other passage to the westward, I conceive that the extreme lateness of the
season would not admit of your making discoveries of any importance, or at
all events of such importance as to warrant your passing a third winter, at
the risk of the safety of your officers and crew.

" Having now stated my reasons for changing my former opinion, I beg to
advise that the Fury and Hecla return to England together as soon as such
arrangements respecting the removal of stores and provisions as you may
judge proper to make shall be completed."

Under such circumstances, to which may be added the uncertainty of

3 P

474 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. the Hecla's liberation from the ice to the southward before the close
\.*-r^' of the season, I no longer considered it pmdent or justifiable, upon the
slender chance of eventual success now before us, to risk the safety of the
officers and men committed to my chari^e, and whom it was now my first wish
to re-conduct in j^ood health to their country and their friends. Having
communicated my intentions to the officers and ships' companies, I directed
several additions to be made to their ordinary allowance of provisions, par-
ticularly ill the various anti-scorbutics, which had hitherto been reserved for
cases of emergency ; and then beating up to our winter .station which, by
desire of Mr. Fisher, our Chaplain and Astronomer, 1 named Turton Bay,
we anchored there in the afternoon in ten fathoms, and immediately com-
menced our preparations for lightening the Fury. Seven months' provisions,
a bower anchor, and a few other stores Avere received by the Hecla, some of
her water before filled as ballast being started to make room for them ; and
such other arrangements made as circumstances would permit for improving
the stowage of the Fury's hold. The bay was now entirely clear of ice in
every part ; and so changed was its appearance in the course of the last four-
and-twenty hours, that it was scarcely possible to believe it the same place
that we had been accustomed daily to look upon for the ten preceding
months.

The conveyance and stowage of the stores had scarcely been completed,
M'hen some loose ice drifting into the bay with the tide, on the niglit of the
Sun. 10. 10th, obliged us hastily to get under way and stand out. On the following
Mon. 11. morning I ran across to the main-land in the Fury, for the purpose of erect-
ing, in compliance with my instructions, a flag-staff fifty-six feet in height,
having at its top a ball made of iron hoops and canvass, ten feet in diameter,
and a cylinder buried near its foot, containing a parchment with some
account of our visit to this place. In the mean time, I requested Captain
Lyon to stand over to the point of Igloolik where our walruses had been
landed, and to bring off these as well as our boats and tents remaining
there. The ice soon after coming in upon the point, it was not without risk
of the Hecla's being dangerously beset, that Captain Lyon succeeded in
bringing off every thing but one boat. This was indeed no great loss to
us, though a great acquisition to the Esquimaux, for being almost worn
out, I had intended to break her up previously to leaving the ice. Besides
this we purposely left our sledges, and a quantity of wood in pieces of a
convenient size for bows, spears, and paddles, distributing them about in

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 475

several places, that one or two individuals might not make a prize of the 1823.
whole. ^^^

The Hecla rejoining us on the morning of the 12th, we stood out to the Tues. 12.
eastward and finally took our departure from Igloolik. In the forenoon a
thick fog came on, which, with a good deal of loose ice drifting about, gave
us some trouble in clearing the land ; after which we made the Calthorpe
Islands, the wind being southerly with thick rainy weather. This con-
tinued till the following afternoon, when a change of wind soon brought a Wed. 13.
clearer atmosphere, enabling us to bear up for the main-land, which we made
near the three islands called Ooglit, and then ran along it to the southward
in a perfectly open sea. We saw here a great many walruses, but no ani-
mals of any other kind. In the course of the night the favourable breeze
failed us and, on the morning of the I4th, was succeeded by a southerly Thur. 14.
wind, the ships being close to another island called Ooglit about twelve
leagues to the S.S.W. of the others. We were here immediately visited by
our old acquaintance the Esquimaux, several of whom came off in their
canoes in the course of the morning, as if determined to lose no opportunity
of profiting by us. Among these was our worthy old friend Nannow, to
whom every body was glad to give something ; and indeed they all received
as many presents as their canoes could safely carry or tow on shore. Their
tents, nine in number, were pitched on the main-land, a little to the
northward of Ooglitt, at a station they call Ag-wme-o-wik, of which we had
often heard them speak at Igloolik. They now also pointed out to us Ami-
tioke, at the distance of four or five leagues to the southward and westward,
which proved to be the same piece of low land that we had taken for it in
first coming up this coast. The Esquimaux told us that a number of their
younger men were inland in pursuit of deer, and that the rest had abundant
supplies of walrus, which animals we saw in considerable numbers about
this place.

The failure of the wind was not the only cause of our detention here ; the
ice, whose margin we had begun to perceive as we approached this part of
the coast, now closing in completely with the land, so as to prevent the pos-
sibility of our making any farther progress for the present. The closeness of
the main body of ice to the land at this time, compared with its position a
month earlier the preceding year, was undoubtedly to be attributed to the
prevalence of southerly and easterly winds which we had lately experienced,

3 P 2

476 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. ^vi^iie those from the opposite quarter could alone drive it off the land. The

Auo'ust. Ill ^ ^ ^

v^y-w ice was here very heavy, being covered with large hummocks, reminding us
of what we had to encounter in coming up tliis coast. It was also covered
in almost every part with sand and small stones, making its general aspect of
a brownish colour, onlv a few patches of white ice appearing licre and
there. How these substances had been brous:ht here in such abundance,
another year's experience of the phenomena of these seas had not taught us
to explain ; and before we left this coast, we saw many hundred square miles
of ice thus covered. In all the intervals between the hummocks were large
pools of water, which had in many instances formed deep circular beds,
twenty or thirty feet in diameter, in shape like tlie crater of a volcano.
Most of the pools had found their way through to the sea below, and the
smallest swell would have broken every floe-piece into numberless masses :
indeed, as it was, there were few to be seen of more than three or four acres
in extent.

Ucing thus detained, I despatched Mr. Ross to Ooglit to observe the
meridian altitude, which gave the latitude of its south. point 68° 23' 58",
and he found the mineralogical character exactly the same as that of
Igloolik. About tlie middle of the island, which is quite low, are two
bone winter-huts, conspicuous at some distance to seaward. It was low
water at half-past eleven A.M., making the time of high water here on full
and change days a quarter past eleven.

15 to 21. We were now for some days all but beset in this neighbourhood, calms
or light southerly and easterly breezes constantly prevailing. During this
time the main body of ice remained, in most parts, close to the shore ;
leaving us only a "hole" of water to work about in, and much nearer to
the land than on this shoal and shelving coast was altogether safe for
the ships. Notwithstanding this, however, we had soon occasion to ob.
serve that they not only kept their ground, but even drew to the southward,
owing no doubt to the current before found to set in that direction along
the coast.

Frid. 22. On the morning of the 2-2d, being off Amitioke, the ice became more
slack along the shore, and a breeze from the northward enabled us to make
some progress. I may here take occasion to remark that, in the course of
this summer, we experienced not only an unusual proportion of southerly and
easterly winds, but observed also, that these were more frequently attended

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 477

with clear weather than is generally the case ; while on the other hand a '^^3.
great deal of close thick weather occurred with breezes from the northern v-^^-'^"
quarter. The present northerly wind had scarcely sprung up an hour before
a thick fog came on, frequently obscuring the land from us as we ran along,
at the distance of half a mile to a mile and a half. Thus circumstanced, the
Fury was once in the course of the day placed in a very awkward situation,
the water quickly shoaling to six fathoms, and the ice preventing for a time
the possibility of hauling out. Having at length gained an ofbng of a couple
of miles, we were obliged to make the ships fast to a floe-piece, the ice
entirely closing around us.

Continuing to drift to the southward, we observed on the 23d, in latitude Sat. 23.
67° 40' IS" Cape Brown bearing S.E.b.S., five or six miles distant. On the fol-
lowing day at noon we had passed Cape Penrhyn, our drift having been twenty- Sun. 24.
one miles in twenty-four hours, though closely beset, and without a single pool
of Avater in sight the whole time. The current was observed to be parti-
culariy strong when immediately off Cape Penrhyn, taking the ships round
that headland at the rate of two or three knots for one hour. In the nieht
of the 24th, we drifted out to the distance of nine or ten miles from the
land ; and on the 25th at noon had reached the latitude of 67° 17' 28," being Mon. 25.
rather to the southward of the Barrow River. It was probably the influence
of this stream that caused the ships thus to set oft' from the land, this being
the only instance in which they did so. The ice was also rather more slack
here, of which circumstance we took advantage to warp the ships a mile
nearer in shore ; it was, however, still of the same heavy kind as before.
Scarcely a single bird had been seen since leaving Igloolik, and die walruses
were extremely rare on this coast, to the southward of Amitioke.

The ice remained close the whole of the 26tli ; but we continued as usual Tues. 26.
to drift generally to the soiithward, and the next morning being oft'Owlittee- Wed. 27.
week, were enabled to cast off and make sail, the ice being rather more
open than before. Being favoured by a commanding northerly breeze we ran
a considerable distance to the southward, having however only just room to
sail between the points of the closely packed ice and a flat dangerous shore.
A few small low islands were here discovered and added to the chart. In
the evening we were once more arrested in our progress and obliged to make
fast, being two or three miles short of Point Elizabeth, and widiin three
quarters of a mile of the shore. On the making of the flood-tide at night, the
ships were hurried past the point in seven fathoms, and not having been able

478 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. jQ make fast to the same floe-piece were now separated a mile or two and soon

August. ...

again beset. Without escaping for a moment from our confined situation.

Sat. 30. and ahnost without perceiving any motion of the masses of ice among them-
selves, we had at noon on the 30th drifted dov/n within a mile of a small
island, lying near the north-east point of AVinter Island, and which I now

Sun. 31. named after Mr. Crawford. On the 31st the tide took us tlnough between
these, the breadth of the passage being three-quarters of a mile, in no less
than sixteen fathoms water. We then passed within a dangerous reef of
rocks lying a full mile from the shore, and having numerous heavy masses of
grounded ice upon it. After clearing this in a good depth of water we were,
by the evening, carried along shore within a mile of Cape Fisher. Being
desirous of seeing whether the Esquimaux had meddled with the tombs of our
departed shipmates, I despatched a party on shore over the loose ice, and
was glad to tind on their return, which was not accomplished without diffi-
culty, that both were in good order. Among the specimens of plants which
Mr. Ross brought on board were some radishes, onions, and mustard and
cress, found at our gardens. The onions had a very pungent smell and
taste, and the whole were in that healthy state which, however dwarfish
their growth, would have rendered them very acceptable if more abundant.
The Esquimaux had certainly visited the island since our departure, as several
tin canisters, left for them on a particular spot, had been removed.

Thus had we, in a most singular manner, once more arrived at our old
winter-quarters, with scarcely a single successful exertion on our parts
towards effecting that object. The distance from Ooglit to our present
station was about one hundred and sixty miles along the coast. Of this we
had never sailed above forty, the rest of the distance having been accom-
plished while we were iinmoveably beset by mere drifting. The interval
thus employed having been barely eight days, gives an average drift to the
southward of above fifteen miles per day.

The phenomena of the tides had now been precisely similar to those before
observed on this coast, and may be stated in few words. The flood-tide
comes from the northward, but is aided also by a current from the same
quarter, rendering its stream both stronger and of longer duration than tliat
of the ebb. The latter is indeed scarcely perceptible with a northerly
breeze, and even with the wind from the southward does not usually atiect
a ship's drift for more than three hours each tide. This being the case,
I do not know how a ship could eftect a passage along this coast to the

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 479

northward, after the land-ice has once been detached from the shores ; for .'-23.

1 ■ 1 1 August.

having nothing by which to hold on, whenever the ice closes, she can only v-»-r>b^
have the alternative of running into it or of being driven on shore. In the
former case she would in all probability, as we have seen, be drifted back
to the southward at the rate of about fifteen miles per day, and in the letter
could scarcely contrive to escape without serious damage.

At daylight on the 1st of September we found ourselves within three or jjo^ j,
four hundred yards of the rocks on the eastern side of Winter Island, the
soundings having gradually decreased to eleven fathoms. Had it remained
dark an hour longer the Fury would in all probability have gone on shore ;
but happily the ice was slack enough to allow us to warp clear of danger
soon after day-break. The Hecla had in the mean time been drifted
round Cape Fisher, and several miles to the westward towards Lyon Inlet,
in wliich direction the Fury was also carried in the afternoon. The wind Wed. 3.
now setting in easterly, both ships drove with the ice up the inlet, and on
the 4th were abreast of Safety Cove, though fortunately on the western Thur.4.
side, clear of the dangers of the Bay of Shoals. A light breeze then spring-
ing up from the north-west, we again began to move down the inlet; and on
the evening of the 6th, after making a little progress with the sails in the Sat. 6.
course of the last two days, were once more met by an easterly breeze off
Cape Edwards, the ice being still as closely packed as possible. The young
ice also began at times to annoy us, by forming to a considerable thickness
at night, so as to cement the larger masses strongly together. The weather
now became chilly immediately after sunset, and we considered it rather a
premature decrease of temperature in this latitude, when the thermometer
was observed to fall to 24° on the morning of the 31st of August. A very
unusual deposition of dew took place every evening about this season,
immediately after the sun had set, and was in an hour or two converted into
hoar frost.

In the afternoon of the 6th I was much pained at being informed by
telegraph from the Hecla, that Mr. Fife, Greenland Master of that ship, had
just expired, an event which for some days past there had been but too much
reason to apprehend ; the scurvy having within the last three weeks conti-
nued to increase considerably upon him. It is proper for me, however, both
in justice to the medical Officers under whose skilful and humane care he
was placed, and to the means Avith which we were in this way so liberally
supplied, to state that during a part of that time Mr. Fife had taken so great
a dislike to the various anti-scorbutics which were administered to him, that

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on

board H

3 Majesty's Ship

Fury, during the Month of August, 18'23.

Day
1

Place.

Fahrenheit's
Thennumeter.

d.i-

= =

\ b at

Barometer.

Prevailing
Uinds.

Prevailing
Weather.

Mni-
■Dum

.MiDi-

Mnn.

Mi.«i.

Mini.

IllliO).

Mean.

1 Direction.

Velooil).

i+i-

+3°.

+36.92

29.95

inrhr*

29.70

29.7!.'2

1

SE

modi.

hazy, rain

2

' 52

30

38.07

30.03

29.90

29.995

1 SE

light

cloudy

3

55

34

45.40

29.97

29.93

29.942

, East

light

fine

4

! 52

37

43.90

29.93

29.S7

29.900

NNW

light

fine

5

At or

i '1

35

42.92

29.91

29.87

29.890

a.m.NNWJ
p.m. SSE. S

light

fine

G

near the

54

36

44.58

29.93

29.90

29.908

S. Westerlj

light

fine

' ;

' Island

54

40

45.92

29.90

29.70

29.810

NNE

light

clear

8

of

52

31

40.92

29.CS

29.5(>

■29.628

NNE

modt.

1 cloudy

9

Igloolik.

42

33

36.83

32.08

29.02

29.50

29.560

WNW

fresh

! cloudy

10

44

32

39.18

32.25

29.00

29,57

■29.61.:

NW

modt.

fine

11

41

32

38.17

32.S8

29.78

29.70

■29.747

a. m. NW 1
p. m. SE j

light

fine

12 -

35

33

^.00

31.83

29.74

29.45

29.577

SE

a.in. ^iitbrrly f
p.n..>>« )

modt.

hazy with rain

1

1.;

41

32

3G.25

32.00

29.72

29.44

■29.508

modt.

hazy with rain

11

41

35

38.25

33.58

29.82

29.76

29.800

SSE

modt.

fine

15

36

34

35.42

ai.4-.

29.80

29.80

■29.800

.SSE

modt.

• hazy 'with rain

IG

B

3

48

34

40.00

30.25

29.83

29.79

29.810

Westerly

light

foggy

17

a

46

35

38.25

35.92

29.85

29.S0

29.615

SSE

modt.

cloudy

18

a>

41

34

37.00

36.00

29..S0

29.56

29.713

N Easterly

light

cloudy

19

~

37

34

35.75

33.88

29.52

29.44

29.497

a.m. NE >
p m. SE 5

modt.

hazy with sleet & rain

■20

39

34

35.83

33.25

29.07

29.55

29.610

Southerly

light

cloudy

21 ;

45

34

39.25

33.40

29.73

29.65

29.693

Easterly

light

cloudy

22 i

40

33

35.92

33.08

29.70

29.38

29.580

Northerly

light

hazy nith rain

23

S c

41

33

3C.25

31.17

29.30

29.03

29.122

NNW

..m.lilihl >
[I at. modf C

heavy rain
cloudy

24

1

38

30

31.46

30.62

29.49

29.29

29.393

Southerly

modt.

cloudy

25 j

^-2

41

34

36.00

31.17

29.80

29.49

29.658

1

East

light

cloudy

26

>

O
•3

40

29

34.46

31.04

29.83

29.78

29 807[

S Easterly

light

cloudy

27

37

28

33.25

29.91

29.76

29.65

■J9.095

NNE

modt.

cloudy

2^

CO

36

33

34.75

30.08

29.92

•29.04

•29.788|

NNW

modt.

cloudy

29

o

47

31

37.67

30.2.5

30.21

30.02

30.100

1

Northerly

light

fine

30

3

39

1

26

33.33

29.90

30.29

30.26

30.272

NWesterly

light

fine

31

-

' 38

24

31.50

3O.0S

30.29

30.27

30.28o'

SW

light

fine

1 55

24

37.77

32.40

30.29

29.03

29.754'

SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 431

he could seldom be induced to use any of them. The disease, in conse- 1823.

C t-

quence, reduced him to a state of extreme debilitj-, which at length carried v^^^-y-L.
him off almost 'without pain. The Hecla being at the time closely beset,
and in a situation of great danger among the shoals off Winter Islanfi, Cap-
tain Lyon caused the remains of the deceased to be committed to the sea
with all the solemnity which circumstances would permit. 1 cannot close
this melancholy notice without expressing my most sincere regret, to which
I may venture to add that of Captain Lyon and the other officers, for the
loss of this very deserving individual, whose qualities as a seaman and navi-
gator, had it pleased God to spare his life, v\'ould have rendered him an
ornament to the naval service, into which he was to have been admitted as a
Master on the return of the ships to England. Mr. Crawford, the mate of
the Fury, was appointed, for the present, to act as Master of the Hecla in
the room of ^Ir. Fife.

In the night of the 6th, the ships, which had before nearly closed each
other, were again separated to the ilistance of several miles, though no
motion was perceptible in the masses of ice about them. The Hecla was
now carried towards Winter Island, and the Fury up Lyon Inlet, so that on
the 10th we had reached the islands off Five-hawser Bay within three-quar- Wed.
ters of a mile, whcie the Hecla was barely visible from the mast-head. On
the evening of the 11th, however, the wind at length began to freshen fromThur.U.
the north-west, when the ice almost immediately commenced driving down
the inlet at the rate of a mile an hour, carrying the Fury with it and within
half a mile of the rocks, the whole way down to Cape Maitineau, but keep-
ing her in deep water. In the mean time the Hecla had been swept into
much more dangerous situations, passing along the east and south sides of
Winter Island; and after driving nearly up to Five-hawser Bay, being carried
near some dangerous shoals about Cape Edwards, where Captain Lyon
expected every other tide that she would take the ground. Indeed for the
last ten or twelve days the situation of the Hecla had been one of imminent
danger, and every exertion to remove her from it had proved unavailing.
From this time, however, the ice continued to drive to the southward and,
by some means or other, the ships once more closed each other. It was
now observable, as on a former occasion in this neighbourhood, that the ice
did not carry the ships in the direction opposite to the wind, but much more
towards Southampton Island ; so that on the 14th we were once more oft'Sun. 14.
Fife Rock, and had, by great exertions in warping, nearly rejoined the

3 Q

482 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

Hecla. Wc now also observed a dark water-sky to the eastward, which
assured us that a clear sea could bo at no j^rcat distance in that direction.

Mon. 15. On the following day, when tiie ships had closed each otlier within a mile,
we could see the clear water from llic mast-head, and the Hecla could now
have been easily extricated. Such however are the sudden changes that
take place in this precarious navigation, that not long afterwards the Fury
was quite at liberty to sail out of the ice, while the Hecla was now, in her turn,
so immoveably set fast, and even cemented between several very heavy
masses, that no power that could l)e applied was sufficient to move her an inch.

Tues. 16. In this sidiation she remained all the KJtli, without our being able to afford
her any assistance ; and the frost being now rather severe at night, we began
to consider it not improbable that we might yet be detained for another
winter. Wc were perhaps indeed indebted for our escape to a strong

Wed. 17. westerly breeze which blew for several hours on the 17th, when, the ice
being sufficiently close to allow our men to walk to the assistance of the
Hecla, we succeeded, after seven hours' hard labour, in forcing her into
clear water, when all sail was made to the eastward, and our course shaped
for the Trinity Islands in a perfectly open sea.

We thus finally made our escape from the ice after having been almost
immoveably beset in it for twenty-four days out of the last twenty-six, in the
course of which time the ships had been taken over no less than one hun-
dred and forty leagues of ground, generally very close to the shore, and
always unable to do any thing towards effecting their escape from danger.
When it is considered that, to have taken the ground in this situation, with
strong and high tides keej)ing the ice in constant motion, must have almost
involved the certain loss of the ships, and without the possibility of one
offering assistance to the other, wc cannot but consider this as one of the
most providential escapes it has ever been our lot to experience.

I cannot help here remarking how closely the band of packed ice, from
which we had now just escaped, appears to keep to the shores both of the
continent and of Southampton Island, unless driven off the land by strong
north-westerly breezes. After now leaving this body of it we saw no more
on our return to the eastward, which circumstance agrees with tlie accounts
of Baffin in 161.5, and of Fox in 1631 ; the former having stretched over
from Southampton Island to the Trinity Islands without obstruction, and the
latter appearing not to have seen any ice the whole way up to his farthest
north. I have no doubt that the same clear sea would be found to extend

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.

483

some distance to the northward of where Fox turned back, and that the
band of ice from which we had now extricated our ships continues down to
tlie neighbourliood of Carey's Swan's Nest, producing the obstruction occa-
sionally met with by the Hudson's Bay ships on their return homewards in
the autumn.

During the time we were beset in and near Lyon Inlet, advantage was
taken of the deep water to try its temperature at different depths, as shewn
in the following Table :

Whole

Wain-

bi ought up

from a depth

of

Temperalare of 1

Days, 1823.

Time.

deplli of
Walei.

Water brought
up.

Surface
Water.

Air.

September Sd,

2 P.M.

Fatluiiiu.

190

Fathoms.

180

30

30.5

40

jj tf

4 „

176

150

30

30

38

„ 4lh,

9 A.M.

207

200

30.5

30-5

37

5J )J

Noon.

175

170

30.5

.30.5

39

JJ ))

2 P.M.

181

110

31

31

42

J* »'

^ „

108

100

30.5

SO

37

„ 5tli,

1 „

175

I GO

31.4

■31.7

37

Gth,

11.30 AM.

126

125

30.7

30.7

36

>i J>

4 P.M.

1.39

130

30

30 5

34

)) J>

G ,,

150

135

30

30.5

33

»> 5J

8 „

124

115

29.5

30

30

7tl>,

Noon.

105

100

30.5

31

36

J> J)

2 P.M.

129

124

30.2

31

36

)> J»

5 .,

120

113

29.5

.30.2

33

ff >J

T

110

105

29 . 5

29.5

32

yy 8tll.

7 A.M.

125

120

29.5

29.7

S3

j> >j

10 ,.

113

108

29.6

30.5

35

j> j>

3.m P.M.

119

110

29.7

30

3r.

jj j» ^

8

106

106

29

30

34

9tli,

11.30 A.M.

132

120

30

30.5

38

)) »

7 P.M.

125

100

30

SO

35

„ lOtli,

11 A.M.

145

140

30

30

37

nth.

7.30 ,.

128

120

30

30

35

The wind still favouring us after our leaving the ice, we made the land
near the Trinity Islands on the evening of the 18th, and passed Salisbury
Island the following day. IMecting with no obstruction whatever we ran
with a favourable breeze down Hudson's Strait, and at noon on the ^Sd had Tues. 23.

3 Q 2

484 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

1823. passed Button's Isles, from which wc took our final departure. Icebergs of
v-*w/ large dimensions occurred from about the seventy-third degree of longitude
downwards to the entrance of the Strait, and we remarked that below the
sixty-third degree of latitude the land was still comparatively clear of snow.

From the time of our qiiifHiig the ice we began occasionally lo notice
flocks of dovekies, and soon afterwards kittiwake»i and mallemucks with
their young became numerous, especially after leaving Hudson's Strait. In
passing Cape Farewell we saw only one or two shearwaters, probably in
consequence of our being too far to the southward of that head-land. A
very gradual increase took place in the temperature of thc' sea-water as well
as in that of the atmosphere as we advanced to the eastward, which changes
will best be shown by reference to the Meteorological Abstract for the month
of September. The Aurora Borealis was visible more or less almost every
night during our passage across the Atlantic ; it occurred generally in large
detached and irregular patches of yellowish light indifferently in all parts
of the heavens, and frequently afforded as much light as the moon in her
quarters. In a single instance, when the light hap|)cned to be confined to
one portion of the heavens, it was so vivid as to make (he shadows of objects
distinctly visible on the deck. On the same night, the phenomenon assumed
the form of a brilliant arch extending across the heavens through the zenith
from true east to west. It often happened also in cloudy weather, that the
Aurora produced the same kind of general light at niglit as the moon does
under similar circumstances ; the compasses were never perceptibly affected
by this phenomenon.

On the 24th of September, in kit. 60" 30' and long. 01° 30', wc i)icked
up a piece of ycllov/ pine-tree, ten feet long from thc root and a foot in
diameter ; it was quite sound, not at all water-logged, and had no appear-
ance of being worm-eaten. On the 30tli, in hit. 57° 35', long. 39° 30', we
October, passed another tree of considerably larger size ; and on the 2d of October,
Thur.2. i,^ 1^^ 580 ^Q,^ j^j^g 3Q0 Qr^,^ observed a spar from twenty to thirty feet
in length.

We were now generally favoured by strong westerly winds, and nothing
Tues. 7. worthy of notice occurred till the 7th, when being in lat. .59° 20', and long.
10° .5.5', a Six's thermometer was sent down to a depth of three hundred
and fifty fathoms, and indicated a temperature of 50|°, that of the surface
being the same, and of the air .53°. A solan goose was seen on this and
the {^receding day, and these birds became more numerous as we ap-

ABSTRACT of the METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL kept on

board H

is Majesty's Ship

FuRT, during the Month of September,

823.

Tf m, eralure of Aij
ia Shade.

1^

Baromeler.

Prevailing
Winds.

lay

Place.

T'l-ictloti.

Vilocity.

Prevailing Weather.

M«xi- IVIhii-

Mean.

roil in.

Ml.il-
muni.

.Mean.

1

-.

+fi

+&

-f33.2r.

+29.92

inches

30.21

intl.c.

30. U4

inihe.

30.123

E

light

cloudy

2

37

31

34.00

29.68

30.00

29.8;i

29.920

Easterly

light

cloudy

1

40

31

34.42

29.9.5

29.61

29.79

29.807

>;e

modt.

hazy

4

Si

42

32

30.42

30.10

29.91

29.8:!

29.8(.2

Northerly

light

small rain

5

c

37

. 28

33.92

30.02

29.99

29.91

29.900

N'. Wes(crl\

light

clear

G

3

33

20

31.27

30.14

30.U

29.98

30.043

N-\V

light

fine

7

>

30

23

29.79

29.88

30.11

30.0'-

30.100

S. Easterly

light

Cue

S

c

37

29

33. 5S

29.71

30.07

29.81

30.000

EbS

light

cloudy

9

c

40

33

3,j.l7

30.01

29.72

29.49

29.027

E.SE

light

fog and rain.

10

30

34

3.5.07

30.00

29.38

29.10

29.233

ENE

liiodt.

cloudy

II

30

30

34.17

29.79

29.10

29.11

29.245

North

fresh

cloudy

VI

34. r.

27

30.71

29.04

29.80

29.. 52

29.C75

W'NW

fresh

cloudy

n

- c

37

29

32.17

29.00

29.80

29.70

29.707

(■..m.S.Wesltrly
Ip.ni.s.K.sletli

light

cloudy— snow

14

a.

32

27

29.83

28.21

29.79

29.72

29 .700

Westerly

ligiit

cloudy

13

■Il

32

23

28.01

2S.12

29.90

29.72

29.828

WNW

niodt.

cloudy

IC

33

24

27.92

27.88

29.97

29.89

29.940

West

modt

cloudy

\7

J ^-^

30

24

20 40

30.15

29.97

29.89

29.940

NW

modt.

cloudy

18

34.5

20

28. SS

32.17

29.83

29.80

29.805

M'est

light

cloudy — small snow

19

•a

3

29

20

27. 3S

32.83

29.83

29.83

29.830

NNE

modt.

cloudy

iO

^■^

30

28

29.29

33.05

29.90

29.8.5

29.873

KNE

light

cloudy

21

33

28

29.92

33 .29

29.8!-

29 79

29.850

NNE

light

cloudy

22

to
c

34

20

28.07

32.21

29.87

29.77

29.812!

NNW

modt.

line

23

'3

35

20

29.83

32.00

30.02

29.92

29.972

ssw

modt.

clear

24

40.5

32

37.40

38.00

29.90

29.83

29.875

sw

fresh

cloudy

2.5

44

39

41 .38

41.50

29.88

20.62

29.838

ssw

modt.

cloudy

2G

S fc "

51

41

43.83

42.58

29.99

29.78

29.908

WNW

lifl't

fine

27

44

40

41 .92

42.58

29.80

29.50

29. 047 i

1

Southerly

fresh

hazy

2S j

1 "o S

51

40

43.12

43.37

30.00

29.87 29.943'

Westerly

modt.

fine

29 '

.5'^-^^

43

39

41.75

43.17

29.0!

29.00

1

29.830

Norllierly

modt.

fine

30

Off Ihc cnln.i.--e
lo Diivii' ^t^nit.

49

10

42.75

44.33

29.90

.'>9.70

29.628,

WNW

fresh

fine

51

23

33.70

33.15

30.22 29.1029.828,

'

486 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

1823. proaclicd the Orkneys, wliicli wo made on the morning of the 9th, the wind

October.
v-*-r^ being moderate from the southward. It can scarcely perhaps be imagined

by those who have not been similarly situated, with what eager interest one
or two vessels were this day descried by us, being the first trace of civi-
lized man that we had seen for the space of seven and twenty months. Tlie
breeze increasing to a fresh gale from the southward in the course of the
night, with a heavy sea from the same quarter, rendering it impossible for
us to make any progress in that direction, I determined to put into Lerwick
in the Shetland Islands, to procure refreshments and await a change of
wind in our favour. We accordingly bore up for that harbour early on the

Frid. 10. morning of the 10th, and at thirfy minutes past ten A.ISI. anchored there,
where wc were immediately visited by a great number of the inhabitants,
anxious to greet us on our return to our native country.

1 feel it utterly impossible adequately to express the kindness and atten-
tion we received for the three or four days that we were detained in
Bressay Sound by a continuance of unfavourable winds. On the first infoi'-
mation of our arrival the bells of Lerwick were set ringing, the inhabitants
flocked from every part of the country to express their joy at our unex-
pected return, and the town was at night illuminated as if each individual

Sun. 12. had a brother or a son among us. On the 12th, being Sunday, the officers
and men of both ships attended divine service on shore, Avlien the worthy
minister, the Reverend Mr. ]\Ienzies*, who was before well known to
many among us, offered up in the most solemn and impressive manner a
thanksgiving for our safe return ; at the same time calling upon us, with
great earnestness, never to forget what we owed to Him who had been
" about our path, and about our bed, and who spieth out all our ways."
The peculiarity of the circumstances under which wc had joined the con-
gregation, the warmth of feeling exhibited by every person assembled
within the sacred walls, together with the affectionate energy of the
preacher, combined to produce an eftect of which words can convey but
little idea, but w^hich will not easily be effaced from the minds of those who
were present on this aflecting occasion.

Mon. 13. On the 13th, a breeze springing up from the northward, we took leave of
our kind and hospitable friends, deeply sensible of the cordial and afiec-

* This faithful minister and most estimable member of society has since gone to receive the
reward of liis labours ; but he will long li\ e in our grateful remembrance.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 487

tionate reception wc had experienced ; and being still favoured by the wind '^^^■
were abreast of Buchaness the following evening. It was my intention to v-^r»^*
have put into Leith, in order to procure anchors and pilots previously to
venturing upon the English coast, but the wind breaking vis oft" on the morn-
ing of the 15th, prevented our approaching that part of the coast, and we Wed. 15.
continued our course to the southward. On the 16th, being oft" Whitby, I Thur. 16.
went on shore there, accompanied by Mr. Fisher the astronomer, and after
receiving the cordial greetings of a great number of the worthy inhabitants
of Whitby, who had assembled to meet us on landing, set oft" for Lon-
don and arrived at the Admiralty on the morning of the 18th. The ships,
after touching at the Humber for pilots, arrived in the River Thames shortly
afterwards, and were paid oft" at Deptford on the 14tli of November.

Having thus concluded the Narrative of this our second attempt to disco-
ver a North-West Passage, it may be proper for me to oft'er a few remarks on
its probable existence and practicability. That such a passage exists, and
that its outlet on the western side will be found at Bhering's Strait, the dis-
coveries of the last six years, combined with the previous researches of
Cook and Hearne and Mackenzie, have scarcely left a doubt ; indeed, the
various points at which the northern coast of America has now been satis-
factorily laid down, from Icy Cape on the west to the shores of Melville
Peninsula on the east, aff"ord a strong presumption in favour of the opinion
that this Continent does not in any part extend far beyond the 70th or 71st
parallel of latitude.

While the probability of the existence of the Passage has been greatly
strengthened by the efforts of our various Expeditions by land and sea, as
well as by those of the Russians about Icy Capo, the hope of its ultimate
accomplishment has, notwithstanding our late failure, received no inconsi-
derable encouragement. That the sea is sometimes navigable upon the
northern shores of America is no longer a matter of speculation or con-
jecture, but stands recorded upon the authority, and to the honour, of our
distinguished countryman Captain Franklin and his brave companions, A
single view of the drawings accompanying his description of their extraor-
dinary canoe-navigation along these desolate shores, must at once convey to
the minds of those who are interested in the accomplishment of this long-
sought object, a degree of encouragement which the most sanguine could

483 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

scarcely have experienced before. And although there can be no doubt,
that the various changes of ^vind and tide would occasionally block up with
ice the shores surveyed by Ca])tain Franklin, yet the open water he observed
is a proof that the ice has a considerable space to move about in ; and I
cannot, therefore, but entertain a very confident hope that if a ship coidd
once be got upon that coast, she might, by patience and perseverance, ulti-
mately complete the desired object.

The report of the Russian ships that lately visited Icy Cape is, also, as
respects the state of the ice, as favourable as the most sanguine mind could
wi>h ; for their description is precisely that of a kind of navigation through
which our ships have already held their course, uninjured, for hundreds of
leagues, and through which, therefore, they may, under Providence, be
again conducted by similar exertions. When, indeed, a body of ice lias
been once detached from the land, and has acquired some room to recede
from it, which appears to be the case in the summer about Icy Cape, it is
seldom that a ship need despair of making progress, unless the season be too
far advanced to allow her to take advantage of the occasional openings.

Reports so favourable as these of the state of the ice during the summer
upon the central and western parts of the north coast of America, certainly
combine to offer a new view of the enterprise in which we have late been
engaged. From these and from the late failure of the Fury and Ilecla in
endeavouring to force their way into the Polar Sea, it would ajipcar that the
principal difficulty lies on this eastern or. Atlantic side; and it becomes,
therefore, a matter of more interest than ever fo inquire by what route a ship
is most likely to reach that part of the coast lately discovered and surveyed
by Captain Franklin.

The opinion I have before given as to the advantages of continuous land in
tiie navigation of the Polar Seas, has been considerably strengthened by our
subsequent experience for the last three sea-jons ; and I am more than ever
impressed with the belief that the only way in which a ship can, widi toler-
able certainty, succeed in penetrating any considerable distance is by watch-
ing the openings occasionally produced by winds and tides between a body
of ice, when detached and moveable, and some land continuous in the de-
sired direction. I have here adverted to this only for the purpose of further
remarking that, however unsuccessful have been our late endeavours, they
were unquestionably directed to the right place, and that, with the limited
geographical information we then possessed, no other route than that pointed

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 489

out in my Instructions, could possibly have been pursued with any reasonable
hope of success.

Circumstances, however, beyond the reach of any previous speculation,
have combined to oppose an insurmountable barrier to our entrance into the
Polar Sea by the route lately pursued, and consequently preventing us from
reaching the northern shore of the continent of America, along which it
would have been our object to proceed. The state of the ice for two suc-
cessive summers in the Strait of the Fury and Hecla seems to indicate,
that the obstruction we there met with is dependent rather on locality than
on season ; for the phenomenon of two consecutive winters of extraordinary
severity is one of extremely rare occurrence. It is more than probable, that
the obstacles which finally arrested our progress in the Strait are to be
mainly attributed to the current we found setting to the eastward through it ;
and which coincides with that observed by Captain Franklin and by the
Russians to the westward. This stream, in finding its way out through the
Strait, would undoubtedly have the eflfect of keeping the ice close home upon
its western mouth, so as to prevent the egress of a ship in that direction ;
and I cannot help thinking that, on this account, the navigation of that Strait
will seldom if ever be practicable.

Being thus unavoidably shut out from the northern shores of the continent,
it remains to inquire by what other opening there may be the best chance of
approaching it the nearest ; for the principle of coasting it, whenever it can
be reached, must still in my opinion be carefully kept in view. There is
no known opening which seems to present itself so favourably for this pur-
pose as Prince Regent's Inlet. This leads me to observe that, had we even
succeeded in fairly entering the Polar Sea by the Strait of the Fury and.
Hecla, the geographical information obtained from the Esquimaux, and on
which 1 conceive the greatest reliance may be placed, would probably have
induced me so far to depart from the strict tenor of my instructions, as
to attempt a passage across the mouth of the great bay lying on the south-
western side of Melville Peninsula, instead of coasting its winding and pro-
bably much-indented shores. Indeed I consider that the spirit of my In-
structions was fulfilled, as far as they regarded my close examination of the
coast of America, from the moment that I had discovered the Strait which
terminated that coast to the northward ; and that had I been fortunate enough
to succeed in entering the Polar Sea, that my business then was to get to the
westward in the shortest way I was able. It being therefore no longer necesbtary

8 R

490 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

to follow the continent on the western side of Melville Peninsula, it appears to
be of very little importance whether a future attempt be made from Cape Kate r,
Avhich lies near the bottom of Prince Regent's Inlet, or from Cape Enc^leficld
at the western entrance of the Strait of the Fury and Hecla. Indeed the
chance of success is rather in favour of the former of these two stations,
both on account of the shorter distance to Point Turnagain of Caj)tain
Franklin, which from thence does not exceed four hundred and fifty miles,
as well as from the probability to which I have before alluded, of the
ice being almost constantly pressed by the westerly current against the
western mouth of the Strait. The view which we obtained from the southern
part of Prince Regent's Inlet in 1819 was not, indeed, very encouraging as
to the state of the ice at that particular time ; but our business at that time
lying in a different direction, we remained only a few hours on the spot,
and could not therefore judge what favourable changes might have been
produced by the various alterations in wind and tide. The ice was, however,
certainly detached from the shores, and in motion ; in which case a hope
may always be cherished of occasional openings in our favour.

In estimating the probability of success in this attempt, it is proper for
me hero to remark that the difUculty of giving any very decided opinion
upon it arises, not simply from the general uncertainty attending a naviga-
tion of so precarious a nature as that to which we have lately been accus-
tomed, as because there is nothing in our late experience which can pro-
perly be considered analogous to it. To enter a body of heavy ice, of great
and uncertain extent, without any known land stretching in the desired
direction, is an enterprise differing in character from almost any hitherto
attempted with success. In 1819, indeed, the Hecla and Griper crossed the
barrier of ice occupying the centre of Baffin's Bay for a distance of about
ninety miles, and succeeded in reaching the open water off Sir James
Lancaster's Sound ; and since that time numbers of whalers have done the
same : but this distance is small in comparison with that which ships would
have to traverse, from the bottom of Prince Regent's Inlet to any part of
the navigable channel discovered by Captain Franklin, and which it would
be their first object to reach. It is however by no means improbable, that some
intervening land may be discovered in this interval to assist a ship's progress
to the south-westward ; and that, by patience and perseverance, she might
succeed in gaining the shores of the continent, where it may be expected
that only the ordinary difficulties of this navigation would once more present

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 491

themselves. It is possible at the same time that, in so vast an expanse of
sea, channels of open water may occur to assist a ship's progress to the
westward.

It appears, then, that the chief difficulty to be anticipated in the accomplish-
ment of this passage, will consist in getting the ships upon that part of the
continent, which, from the very best authority, we know to be navigable. I
trust that the endeavours of the two Expeditions lately employed under my
orders have at least served the useful purpose of shewing where the passage
is not to be effected, and of thus bringing within very narrow limits the
question as to where any future attempt should be made. In submitting,
Avhich I do with considerable diffidence, the foregoing view of the subject,
it has not been my intention to create or magnify difficulties, but to suggest
as well as I am able the best mode of overcoming them. For ray own part,
I never felt more sanguine of ultimate success in the enterprise in which I
have lately been engaged, than at the present moment; and I cannot but
entertain a confident hope that England may yet be destined to succeed in
an attempt which has for centuries past engaged her attention, and interested
the whole civilized world.

END OF THE NARRATIVE.

3 U 2

402 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

SOME FFJRTHER ACCOUNT OF THE ESQUIMAUX OF MELVFLLE PENINSULA AND

THE ADJOINING ISLANDS ; MORE PARTICULARLY WINTER

ISLAND AND IGLOOLIK.

The number of individvuils composing the tribe of Esquimaux assembled at
Winter Island and Igloolik was two hundred and nineteen, of whom sixty-nine
were men, seventy-seven women, and seventy-three children. Two or three
of the men, from their appearance and infirmities, as well as from the age of
their cliildren, must have been near seventy ; the rest were from twenty to
about fifty. The majority of the women were comparatively young, or from
twenty to five and thirty, and three or four only seemed to have reached sixty.
Of the children, about one-third were under four years old, and the rest
from that age upwards to sixteen or seventeen. Out of one hundred and
fifty-five individuals who passed the winter at Igloolik, we knew of eighteen
deaths and only of nine births.

The stature of these people is much below that of Europeans in general.
One man, who was unusually tall, measured five feet ten inches, and tlie
shortest was only four feet eleven inches and a half. Of twenty individuals
of each sex measured at Igloolik, the range was —

MEN. WOMEN.

From .5 ft. 10 in. to 4 ft. 11 in. From 5 ft. 3i in. to 4 ft. 8| in.
The average height 3 ft. 5} in 5 ft. Og in.

The women, however, generally appear shorter than they really are, both
from the unwieldy nature of their clothes, and from a habit which they
early acquire, of stooping considerably forward in order to balance the weight
the child they carry in their hood.

In their figure they are rather well-formed than otherwise. Their knees
arc indeed rather large in proportion, but their legs are straight, and the
hands and feet, in both sexes, remarkably small. The younger individuals
were all plump, but none of them cori)ulent ; the women inclined the most to
this last extreme, and tlieir flesh was, even in the youngest individuals, quite
loose and without firmness.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 493

Their faces are generally round and full, eyes small and black, nose also
small and sunk far in between the cheek bones, but not much flattened.
It is remarkable that one man, Te-d, his brother, his wife and two daughters
had good Roman noses, and one of the latter was an extremely pretty young
woman. Their teeth are short, thick, and close, generally regular, and in
the young persons almost always white. The elderly women were still well
furnished in this way, though their teeth were usually a good deal worn
down, probably by the habit of chewing the seal-skins for making boots.

In the young of both sexes the complexion is clear and transparent, and
the skin smooth. The colour of the latter, when divested of oil and dirt, is
scarcely a shade darker than that of a deep brunette, so that the blood is
plainly perceptible when it mounts into the cheeks. In the old folks, whose
faces were much wrinkled, the skin appears of a much more dingy hue, the
dirt being less easily and therefore less frequently dislodged from them.

Besides the smallness of their eyes, there are two peculiarities in this
feature common to almost all of them. The first consists in the eye not
being horizontal as with us, but coming much lower at the end next the nose
than at the other. Of the second an account, by Mr. Edwards, will be
given in another place.

By whatever peculiarities, however, they may in general be distinguished,
they are by no means ill-looking people ; and there were among them three
or four grown-up persons of each sex who, when divested of their skin-
dresses, their tattooing and, above all of their dirt, might have been consi-
dered pleasing-looking if not handsome people in any town in Europe. This
remark applies more generally to the children also, several of whom had
complexions nearly as fair as that of Europeans, and whose little bright
black eyes gave a fine expression to their countenances.

The hair both of males and females is black, glossy, and straight. The
men usually wear it rather long, and allow it to hang about their heads in a
loose and slovenly manner. A few of the younger men, and especially those
who had been about the shores of the Welcome, had it cut straight uj)on the
forehead, and two or three had a circular patch upon the crown of the head,
where the hair was quite short and thin, somewhat after the manner of
Capuchin friars. The women pride themselves extremely on the length
and thickness of their hair; and it was not without reluctance on their part,
and the same on that of their husbands, that they were induced to dispose
of any of it. When inclined to be neat they separate their locks into two

494 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

equal parts, one of which hangs on each side of their heads and in front of
tkeir shoulders. To stiffen and bind these they use a narrow strap of deer-
skin, attached at one end to a round piece of bone, fourteen inches long,
tapered to a point, and covered over witli leather. This looks like a little
whip, the handle of which is placed up and down the hair, and the strap
wound round it in a number of spiral turns, making the tail, thus e(piipped,
very much resemble one of those formerly worn by our seamen. The strap
of this article of dress, which is altogether called a tu^lctgd, is so made from
the deer-skin as to shew, when bound round the hair, alternate turns of
white and dark fur, which give it a very neat and ornamental a])pearance.
On ordinary occasions it is considered slovenly not to have the hair thus
dressed, and the neatest of the women never visited the ships without it.
Those who are less nice dispose their hair into a loose plait on each side,
or have one togleega and one plait; and others again, wholly disregarding
the business of the toilette, merely tucked their hair in under the breast of
their jackets. Some of the women's hair was tolerably fine, but would not
in this respect bear a comparison with that of an Englishwoman. In both
sexes it is full of vermin, which they are in the constant habit of picking out
and eating ; a man and his wife will sit for an hour together, performing
for each other that friendly office. The women have a comb, (12.)* which,
however, seems more intended for ornament than use, as we seldom or never
observed them comb their hair. When a woman's husband is ill she wears her
hair loose, and cuts it off as a sign of mourning if he dies; a custom agreeing
with that of the Greenlanders f. It is probable also, from what has been before
said, that some opprobrium is attached to the loss of a woman's hair when
no such occasion demands this sacrifice "l. Tlie men wear the hair on the
upper lip and chin, from an inch to an inch and a half in length, and some
were distinguished by a little tuft between the chin and lower lip.
. The dresses both of male and fevnale are composed almost entirely of deer-
skin, in which respect they difler from those of most Esquimaux before met

* This and tlie other numbers thus occurring in the course of this chapter, refer to tlie
corresponding numbers in the two Engravings of Imj)lements, £)-c.

f Crantz's History of Greenland, London edition, 1767, i. 138, 240. In tlie following
account of the Esquimaux, references will occasionally be marie to Crantz and Ef^edc, as
well to point out any dissimilarity, as any resemblance, between these people and the nations
of Greenland.

+ Id. ibid.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 495

Avith. In the form of the dress they vary very little from those so repeat-
edly described. The jacket, which is close, but not tight, all round, comes
as low as the hips and has sleeves reaching to the wrist. In that of the
women, the tail or flap behind is very broad, and so long as almost to touch
the ground ; while a shorter and narrower one before reaches half- way down
the thigh. The men have also a tail in the hind part of their jacket, but of
smaller dimensions ; but before, it is generally straight, or ornamented by a
single scollop. The hood of the jacket, which forms the only covering for
their head, is much the largest in that of the women, for the purpose of
holding a child. The back of the jacket also bulges out in the middle to
give the child a footing, and a strap or girdle below this, and secured round
the waist by two large wooden buttons in front, prevents the infant from
falling through when, the hood being in use, it is necessary thus to deposit
it. The sleeves of the women's jackets are made more square and loose
about the shoulders than those of the men, for the convenience, as we under-
stood, of more readily depositing a child in the hood ; and they have a
habit of slipping their arms out of them, and keeping them in contact with
their bodies, for the sake of warmth, just as we do with our fingers in our
gloves in very cold weather.

In winter every individual, when in the open air, wears two jackets, of
which the outer one (Cappe-teggd) has the hair outside, and the inner one
(Atte'ega) next the body. Immediately on entering the hut the men take off
their outer jacket, beat the snow from it, and lay it by. Tlic upper garment
of the females, besides being cut according to a regular and uniform pat-
tern, and sewed with exceeding neatness, which is the case with all the
dresses of these people, has also the flaps ornamented in a very becoming
manner by a neat border of deer-skin, so arranged as to display alternate
breadths of white and dark fur. This is, moreover, usually beautified by a
handsome fringe, consisting of innumerable long narrow threads of leather
hansrinsr down from it. This ornament is not uncommon also in the outer
jackets of the men. When seal-hunting, they fasten up the tails of their
jackets with a button behind.

Their breeches, of which in winter they also wear two pair, and similarly
disposed as to the fur, reach below the knee, and fasten with a string
drawn tight round the waist. Though these have little or no waist-band, and
do not come very high, the depth of the jackets, which considerably overlap
them, serves very eftcctually to complete the covering of the body.

496 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

Their legs and feet are so well clothed that no degree of cold can well
affect them. When a man goes on a sealing excursion, he first puts on a pair
of deer-skin boots CAllektfegdJ with the hair inside and reaching to the
knee, where they tie. Over these come a pair of shoes of the same mate-
rial ; next a pair of dressed seal-skin boots perfectly water-tight ; and over
all a corresponding pair of shoes, tying round the instep. These last are
made just like the mocassin of a North-American Indian, being neatly
crinij)ed at the toes, and having several serpentine pieces of hide sewn
across the sole to prevent wearing. The water-tight boots and shoes arc
made of the skin of the small seal, (tieitick) except the soles, which consist
of the skin of the large seal {ogitke) ; this last is also used for their fishing-
lines. When the men are not prepared to encounter wet, they wear an outer
boot of deer-skin with the hair outside.

The inner boot of the women, unlike that of the men, is loose round the
leg, coming as high as the knee-joint behind, and in front carried up, by a
long pointed flap, nearly to the waist, and there fastened to the breeches.
The upper boot, with the hair as usual outside, corresponds with the other
in shape, except that it is much more full, especially on the outer side, where
it bulges out so preposterously as to give the women the most awkward,
bow-legged appearance imaginable. This superfluity of boot has probably
originated in the custom, still common among the native women of Labrador,
of carrying their children in them. We were told that these women some-
times put their children there to sleep ; but the custom must be rare among
them, as we never saw it practised. These boots, however, form their prin-
cipal pockets, and pretty capacious ones they are. Here, also, as in the
jackets, considerable taste is displayed in the selection of different parts of
the deer-skin, alternate strips of dark and white being placed up and down
the sides and front by way of ornament. The women also wear a mocassin
(It(eegegd) over all, in the winter-time.

One or two persons used to wear a sort of ruff round the neck, composed
of the longest white hair of the deer-skin, hanging down over the bosom in
a manner very becoming to young people. It seemed to afford so little
additional warmth to persons already well clothed, that I am inclined
rather to attribute their wearing it to some superstitious notion. The chil-
dren between two and eight or nine years of age had a pair of bi'ceches and
boots united in one, with braces over their shoulders to keep them up.
These, with a jacket like the others, and a pair of deer-skin mittens,

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 497

with which each individual is furnished, constitute the whole of their
dress. Children's clothes are often made of tlie skins of very young fawns
and of the marmot, as being softer than those of the deer.

The Esquimaux, when thus equipped, may at all times bid defiance to the
rigour of this inhospitable climate ; and nothing can exceed the comfortable
appearance which they exhibit even in the most inclement weather. When
seen at a little distance, the white rim of their lioods, whitened still more by
the breath collecting and freezing upon it, and contrasted with the dark faces
which they encircle, render them very grotesque objects ; but while the skin
of their dresses continues in good condition, they always look clean and
Avholesome.

To judge by the eagerness with which the women received our beads,
especially small white ones, as well as any other article of that kind, we
might suppose them very fond of personal ornament. Yet of all that they
obtained from us in this way at Winter-Island, scarcely any thing ever made
its appearance again during our stay there, except a ring or two on the
finger, and some bracelets of beads round the wrist ; the latter of these was
probably considered as a charm of some kind or other. We found among
them, at the time of our first intercourse, a number of small black and vvhite
glass beads, disposed alternately on a string of sinew and worn in this
manner. They would also sometimes hang a small bunch of these, or a
button or two, in front of their jackets and hair; and many of them, in ihe
course of the second winter, covered the whole front of their jackets with
tlie beads they received from us.

The most common ornament of this kind, exclusively their own, consists
in strings of teeth, sometimes many hundred in number, wliich arc either
attached to the lower part of the jacket like the fringe before described, or
fastened as a belt round the waist. ^lost of these teeth are of the fox and
wolf, but some also belonged to the musk-ox, {oomuismii/i), of which animal,
though it is never seen at Winter-Island, we procured from the Esquimaux
several of the grinders and a quantity of the hair and skin. The bones ot
the kdblee-drioo, supposed to be the wolverene, constitute another of their or-
naments ; and it is more than probable that all these possess some imaginary
qualities, as specific charms for various purposes*. The most extraordinary
amulet, if it be one, of this kind, was a row of foxes' noses attached to the

* Egede's Description of Greenland, London Edition, 1745, p. 194.

3 S

498 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

fore-part of a woman's jacket like a tier of black buttons. I purchased
from Iligliuk a semicircular ornament of brass, serrated at the upper edge
and brightly polished, which she wore over her hair in front and which was
very becoming. The handsomest thing of this kind, however, was under-
stood to be worn on the head by men, though we did not learn on what
occasions. (7.) It consisted of a band two inches in breadth, composed of
several strips of skin sewn together, alternately black and yellow ; near the
upper edge, some hair was artfully interwoven, fonning with the skin a very
pretty checquer-work : along the lower edge were suspended more than a
hundred small teeth, principally of the deer, neatly fastened by small double
tags of sinew and forming a very apjjvopriate fringe.

Among their personal ornaments must also be reckoned that mode of
marking the body, called tattooing which, of the customs not essential to
the comfort or happiness of mankind, is perhaps the most extensively prac-
tised throughout the world. Among these people it seems to be an ornament
of indispensable importance to the women, not one of them being without
it. The operation is performed about the age of ten or sometimes earlier,
and has nothing to do Avith marriage, except that, being considered in the
light of a personal charm, it may serve to recommend them as wives. The
parts of the body thus marked are their faces, arms, hands, thighs, and in
some few women the breasts, but never the feet as in Greenland*. The
operation, which by way of curiosity most of our gentlemen had prac-
tised on their arms, is very expeditiously managed by passing a needle and
thread, the latter covered with lamp-black and oilf, under the epidermis,
according to a pattern previously marked out upon the skin. Several stitches
being thus taken at once, the thumb is pressed upon the part, while the
thread is drawn through, by which means the colouring matter is retained
and a permanent dye of a blue tinge imparted to the sskin. A woman ex-
pert at this business will perform it very quickly and with great regularity,
but seldom without drawing blood in many places, and occasioning some
inflammation. Where so large a portion of the surface of the body is
to be covered, it must become a painful as Avell as tedious process, espe-
cially as, for want of needles, they often use a strij) of whalebone as a
substitute. For those parts where a needle cannot conveniently be passed
under the skin, they use the method by puncture, which is common in

* Crantz, I. 188. f Id. Ibid.

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OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 409

other countries, and by which our seamen frequently mark tlieir hands and
arms. The pattern which these people adopt, and which is nearly the same
in all, will best and can indeed be only understood by reference to Cap-
tain Lyon's drawings, in which it is faithfully delineated. Several of the
men had a little of this kind of mark on the back part of their hands ;
and with them we understood it to be considered as a souvenir of some dis-
tant or deceased person who had performed it.

In their winter-habitations, I have before mentioned that the only mate-
rials employed are snow and ice ; the latter being made use of for the win-
dows alone. The work is commenced by cutting from a drift of hard and
compact snow a number of oblong slabs, six or seven inches thick and
about two feet in length, and laying them edgeways on a level spot, also
covered with snow, in a circular form and of a diameter from eight to fifteen
feet, proportioned to the number of occupants the hut is to contain. Upon
this as a foundation is laid a second tier of the same kind, but with the
pieces inclining a little inwards, and made to fit closely to the lower slabs
and to each other, by running a knife adroitly along the under part and
sides. The top of this tier is now prepared for the reception of a third, by
squaring it off smoothly with a knife, all which is dexterously performed by
one man standing within the circle and receiving the blocks of snow from
those employed in cutting them without. When the wall has attained a
height of four or five feet, it leans so much inward as to appear as if about
to tumble every moment, but the workmen still fearlessly lay their blocks
of snow upon it, until it is too high any longer to furnish the materials to
the builder in this manner. Of this he gives notice by cutting a hole close
to the ground in that part where the door is intended to be, which is near
the south side, and through this the snow is now passed. Thus they con-
tinue till they have brought the sides nearly to meet in a perfect and well-
constructed dome, sometimes nine or ten feet high in the centre ; and this
they take considerable care in finishing, by fitting the last block or /iiy-slone
very nicely in ilie centre, dropping it into its place from the outside though
it is still done by the man within. The people outside are in the mean time
occupied in throwing up snow with the pdodllcrai/, or snow-shovel, (5.) and
in stuffing in litde wedges of snow where holes have been accidentally left.

The builder next proceeds to let himself out by enlarging the proposed
door-way into the form of a Gothic arch three feet high, and two feet and a
half wide at the bottom, communicating with which they construct two

3 s 2

500

SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

passages, as shewn in the annexed ground-plan, eacli from ten to twelve
feet long and from four to five in height, the lowest being that next the
hut.

The roofs of these passages are sometimes arched, but more generally
made flat by slabs laid on horizontally. In first digging the snow for build-
ing the hut, they take it principally from the part Avhere the passages are to
be made, which purposely brings the floor of the latter considerably lower
than that of the hut, but in no part do they dig till the bare ground aj)pears.

The work just described comj)ietes the walls of a hut, if a single apart-
ment only be required ; but if, on account of relationship, or from any other
cause, several families are to reside under one roof, the passages are made
common to all, and the first apartment (in that case made smaller) forms a
kind of anti-chamber, from which you go through an arched door-way five
feet high into the inhabited apartments. When there are three of these,
which is generally the case, the whole building with its adjacent passages,
forms a tolerably regular cross.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 501

For the admission of light into the huts a round hole is cut on one side of
the roof of each apartment, and a circular plate of ice, three or four inches
thick and two feet in diameter, let into it. The light is soft and pleasant
like that transmitted through ground glass, and is quite sufficient for every
purpose. When after some time these edifices become surrounded by drift,
it is only by the windows, as I have before remarked, that they could be
recognised as human habitations. It may perhaps then be imagined how
singular is their external appearance at night, when they discover themselves
only by a circular disk of light transmitted through the windows from the
lamps within.

The next thing to be done is to raise a bank of snow two and a half feet
high, all round the interior of each apartment, except on the side next die
door. This bank, which is neatly squared off, forms their beds and tire-place,
the former occupying the sides and the latter the end opposite the door.
The passage left open up to the fire-place is between three and four feet
wide. The beds are arranged by first covering the snow with a quantity of
small stones, over which arc laid their paddles, tent-poles, and some blades of
Avhalebone : above these they place a number of little pieces of net-work,
made of thin slips of whalebone, and lastly a quantity of twigs of birch* and
of the andromeda tdragona. Their deer-skins, which are very numerous,
can now be spread without risk of their touching the snow ; and such a bed is
capable of affording not merely comfort but luxurious repose, in spite of the
rigour of the climate. The skins thus used as blankets are made of a large
size and bordered, like some of the jackets, with a fringe of long narrow slips
of leather, in which state a blanket is called ktipik.

The fire belonging to each family consists of a single lamp, or shallow
vessel of /opw ollum, its form being the lesser segment of a circle. (2.) The
wick, composed of dry moss rubbed between the hands till it is quite inflam-
mable, is disposed along the edge of the lamp on the strait side, and a greater
or smaller quantity lighted according to the heat required or the fuel that
can be afforded. When the whole length of this, which is sometimes above
eighteen inches, is kindled, it affords a most brilliant and beautiful light

* This birch they said had been procured from the southward, by way of Nooirook. We
never met with any of the same kind in those parts of the country which we visited, except
that observed by Captain Lyon in the deserted habitations cf the Esquimaux near Five
Hawser-Bay.

502 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

without any perceptible smoke or offensive smell. The lamp is made to
supply itself with oil, by suspend inj? a long thin slice of whale, seal, or sea-
horse blubber near the flame, the warmth of which causes the oil to drip into
the vessel until the whole is extracted. Immediately over the lamp is fixed
a rude and ricketty frame-work of wood, from which their pots arc suspended,
and serving also to sustain a large hoop of bone, having a net stretched tight
within it. This contrivance, called hmetdl, is intended for the reception of
any wet things, and is usually loaded with boots, shoes, and mittens.

The fire-place just described as situated at the upper end of the apartment,
has always two lamps facing different ways, one for each family occupying
the corresponding bed-place. There is frequently also a smaller and less-
pretending establishment on the same model, lamp, pot, net and all, in one
of the corners next the door ; for one apartment sometinies contains three
families, which are always closely related, and no married woman or even a
widow without children is without her separate fire-place.

With all the lamps lighted and the hut full of people and dogs, a thermo-
meter placed on the net over the fire indicated a temperature of 3b^ ; when
removed two or three feet from this situation it fell to 32^, and placed close
to the wall stood at 23", the temperature of the open air at the time being
25° below zero. A greater degree of warmth than this, produces extreme
inconvenience by the dropping from the roofs. This they endeavour to
obviate, by applying a little piece of snow to the place from which a drop
proceeds, and this adhering is for a short time an effectual remedy ; but for
several weeks in the spring, when the weather is too warm for these edifices,
and still too cold for tents, they suffer much on this account,

The most important perhaps of the domestic utensils, next to the lamp
already described, are the ootkooseeks or stone pots for cooking. (1.) These
are hollowed out of solid hpis ollam, of an oblong form, wider at the top than at
the bottom, all made in similar proportion though of various sizes, correspond-
ing with the dimensions of the lamp which burns under it. The pot is sus-
pended by a line of sinew at each end to the frame-work over the tire, and
thus becomes so black on every side that the original colour of the stone is in
no part discernible. -Many of them were cracked quite across in several places,
and mended by sewing with sinew or rivets of copper, iron, or lead, so as
with the assistance of a lashing and a due proportion of dirt to render them
quite water-tight. I may here remark, that as these people distinguish the

7 OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 503

Wager River by the name of Odtkoosetk-salik,* we were at first led to conjecture
that they procured their pots, or the material for making them, in that neigh-
bourhood : this, however, they assured us was not the case, the whole of
them coming from Akkoolee, where the stone is found in very high situations.
One of the women at W^inter Island, who came from that country, said that
her parents were mucli employed in making these pots, chiefly it seems as
articles of barter. The asbestos which they use in the shape of a roundish
pointed stick, called tatko, for trimming the lamps, is met with about Repulse
Bay, and generally as they said on low land.

Besides the ootkooseeks, they have circular and oval vessels of Avhalebone
of various sizes which, as well as their ivory knives made out of a walrus'
tusk, (16.) are precisely similar to those described on the western coast of Baf-
fin's Bay in 1820f. They have also a number of smaller vessels of skin sewed
neatly together ; and a large basket of the same material, resembling a com-
mon sieve in shape, but with the bottom close and tight, is to be seen in
every apartment. Under every lamp stands a sort of " save-all," consisting
of a small skin basket for catching the oil that falls over. Almost every
family was in possession of a wooden tray very much resembling those used
to carry butchers' meat in England, and of nearly the same dimensions, which
we understood them to have procured by way of Noowook. They had a
number of the bowls or cups already once or twice alluded to as being
made out of the thick root of the horn of the musk-ox. (26.) Of the
smaller part of the same horn they also form a convenient drinking-cup, (9.)
sometimes turning it up artificially about one-third from the point, so as to
be almost parallel to the other part, and cutting it full of small notches as a
convenience in grasping it. (8.) These or any other vessel for drinking they
call Immoochiuk.

Besides the ivory knives, the men were well supplied with a much more
serviceable kind, made of iron, and called paiina. (14.) The form of this knife
is very peculiar, being seven inches long, two and a quarter broad, quite
straight and flat, jtointed at the end, and ground equally sharp at both edges ;
this is firmly secured into a handle of bone or wood, above a foot long, by
two or three iron rivets. This formidable looking weapon, of which Cap-

* It will be seen by the chart that the Esquimaux gave us information of an arm of the
sea lying opposite to Wager River, on the Northern Coast of America, whicli tney also dis-
tinguish by the same name, and which is only one or two days' journey distant from the other,
t Journal of the Voyage of 1^19-20, p. 2S6.

504 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

tain Lyon's drawing renders any further description unnecessary, has all
the appearance of a most destructive spear head, but is nevertheles put to
no other purpose than that of a very useful knife, which the men are scarcely^
ever without, especially on their sealing excursions. For these, and several'
knives of European form, they are jjrobably indebted to an indirect commu-
nication with our factories in Hudson's Bay. The same may be observed of
the best of their women's knives, CoolooJ on one of which, of a larger size
than usual, were the names of" Wild and Sorby." When of their own
manufacture, the only iron part was a little narrow slip let into the bone and
secured by rivets. (27.) It would be superfluous to offer any further verbal
description of these knives, of which Crantz luxs put one into the hand of a
Greenland woman in plate 3, p. 136, of his first volume. It is curious to ob-
serve in this and in numerous other instances, how exactly, amidst all the di-
versity of time and place, these people have preserved unaltered their manners
and habits. That which an absurd dread of innovation does in China, the
want of intercourse with other nations has eff'ectcd among the Esquimaux.

Of the horn of the musk-ox they make also very good .spoons much like
ours in shape ; and I must not omit to mention their marrow-spoons, fpatte/c-
nhik, from pdittk, marrow,) made out of long narrow hollowed pieces of bone,
of which every housewife has a bunch of half a dozen or more tied to-
gether, and generally attached to her needle-case. (25.)

For the purpose of obtaining fire the Esquimaux use two lumps of com-
mon iron pyrites, from which sparks are struck into a little leathern case,
containing moss well dried and rubbed between the hands. If this tinder
does not readily catch, a small quantity of the white floss of the seed of
the ground willow is laid above the moss. As soon as a spark has caught, it
is gently blown till the fire has spread an inch around, when, the pointed
end of a piece of oiled wick being applied, it soon bursts into a flame, the
whole process having occui)ied perhaps two or three minutes.

Among the articles in their possession, which must have been obtained
by communication along shore with Hudson's Bay, were two large copper
kettles, several open knives with crooked wooden handles, and many frag-
ments of copper, iron, and old files. On a small European axe was observed
the name of " Foster*."

* It may perhaps be the means of saving useless conjectures at some future time to mention,
that on several knives made by the armourer of the Hecla, the name of " James Wilkes"
was marked, together with the Prince of Wales's feathers.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 505

In enumerating the articles of their food we might perhaps give a list of
every animal inhabiting these regions, as they certainly will at times eat
any one of them. Their principal dependence however is on the rein-deer,
(tuoktou;) musk-ox, ( oonnngmuk , ) in the parts where this animal is found;
whale, (aggdivek ;J walrus, (ei-u-ek ;) the large and small seal, fogukc and
imtiek ;) and two sorts of salmon, the ewee-tardke, fsalmo alpinus?J and
khlmwdke. The latter is taken by hooks in fresh-water lakes, and the
former by spearing in the shoal water of certain inlets of the sea. Of all
these animals, they can only procure in the winter the walrus and small seal
upon this part of the coast ; and these at times, as we have seen, in scarcely
sufficient quantity for their subsistence.

They certainly in general prefer eating their meat cooked, and while
they have fuel they usually boil it ; but this is a luxury and not a necessary
to them. Oily as the nature of their principal food is, yet they commonly
take an equal proportion of lean to their fat, and unless very hungry do
not eat it otherwise. Oil they seldom or never use in any way as a part of
their general diet ; and even our butter, of which they were fond, they would
not eat without a due quantity of bread*. They do not like salt meat
as well as fresh, and never use salt themselves ; but ship's pork or even a
red herring did not come amiss to them. Of pea-soup they would eat as
much as the sailors covdd afford to give them ; and that word was the only
one, with the exception of our names, which many of them ever learned in
English. Among their own luxuries must be mentioned a rich soup called
ktl^o, made of blood, gravy, and water, and eaten quite hot. In obtaining
the names of several plants, which will be found in the vocabulary, we
learned that they sometimes eat the leaves of sorrel, (kdngokk,) and those of
the ground willow ; as also the red berries, fpaoona-rootik,) of the vaccinum
Jiligiiwiiim, and the root of the pokntUla pidchella ; but these cannot be said to
form a part of their regular diet ; scurvy grass they never eat.

Their only drink is water ; and of this when they can procure it they
swallow an inconceivable quantity ; so that one of the principal occupatio is
of the women during the winter is the thawing of snow in the ootkooseks for
this purpose. They cut it into thin slices, and are careful to have it clean, on

* Toolooak, who was a frequent visitor at tlie young gentlemen's mess-table on board ilie
Fury, once evinced this taste, and no small cunning at the same time, by asking alternately
for a little more bread, and a little more butter, till he had made a hearty meal.

S T

506 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

Avhich account they will bring it from a distance of fifty yards from the
huts. They have an extreme dislike to drinking water much above the
temperature of 32°. In eating their meals the mistress of the family, having
jireviously rooked the meat, takes a large lump out of the pot witli her
Ihigers and hands it to her husband, who placing a part of it between his
teeth cuts it off with a large knife in that position, and then passes the
knife and meat together to his next neighbour. In cutting off a mouthful
of meat the knife passes so close to their lips, that nothing but constant
liabit could ensure them from the danger of the most terrible gashes ; and it
would make an English mother shudder to see the manner in which
children, five or six years old, are at all times freely trusted with a knife to
be used in this way.

Tlie length of one of the best of seven canoes belonging to these Esqui-
maux was twenty-five feet, including a narrow-pointed projection, three
feet long at eacli end, which turns a little upward from the horizontal. The
extreme breadth, which is just before the circular hole, was twenty-one
inchps and the depth ten inches and a half. The plane of the upper sur-
face of the canoe, except in the two extreme projections, bends downwards
a little from the centre towards the head and stern, giving it the appearance
of what in ships is called " broken-backed." The gunwales are of fir, in
some instances of one piece, three or four inches broad in the centre and
tapering gradually away towards the ends. The timbers, as well as the
fore-and-aft connecting pieces, are of the same material, the former being
an inch square, and sometimes so close together as to require between forty
and fifty of them in one canoe ; which when thus " in frame" is one of the
prettiest things of the kind that can be imagined. The skin with which
the canoe is covered is exclusively that of the mitkk, prepared by scraping
ofl' the hair and fat with an ooloo, and stretching it tight on a frame over the
fire ; after which and a good deal of chewing, it is sewn on by the Avomen
with admirable neatness and strength. Their paddles have a blade at each
end, the whole length being nine feet and a half ; the blades are covered
with a narrow plate of bone round the ends to secure them from splitting :
they are always made of fir, and generally of several pieces scarfed and
woolded together.

In summer they rest their canoes upon two small stones raised four
feet from the ground ; and in winter, on a similar structure of snow ; in
one case to allow them to dry freely, and in the other to prevent the

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 507

snow-drift from covering, and the dogs from eating them. The difficulty
of procuring a canoe may be concluded from the circumstance of there
being at Winter Island twenty men able to manage one, and only seven
canoes among them. Of these indeed only three or four were in good
repair ; the rest being wholly or in part stripped of the skin, of which a
good deal was occasionally cut oif during the winter, to make boots, shoes,
and mittens for our people. W^e found no oomialc, or women's boat, among
them, and understood that they were not in the habit of using them,
which may in part be accounted for by their passing so much of the summer
in the interior ; they knew very well however what they were, and made
some clumsy models of them for our people.

In the weapons used for killing their game there is considerable variety,
according to the animal of which they are in pursuit. The most simple
of these is the oonak, which they use only for killing the small seal. It
consists of a light staff of wood, four feet in length, having at one end
the point of a narwhal's horn, from ten to eighteen inches long, firmly
secured by rivets and wooldings : at the other end, is a smaller and Icss
effective point of the same kind. To prevent losing the ivory part, in case
of the wood breaking, a stout thong runs along the whole length of the
wood, each end passing through a hole in the ivory, and the bight secured
in several places to the stafl". In this weapon, as far as it has yet been
described, there is litde art or ingenuity displayed; but a considerable degree
of both in an appendage called smtko (13), consisting of a piece of bone
three inches long, and having a point of iron at one end, and at the other
end a small hole or socket to receive the point of the oonak. Through the
middle of this instrument is secured the dllek, or line of thong, of which
every man has, when sealing, a couple of coils, each from four to six fathoms
long, hanging at his back. These are made of the skin of the ogiike as in
Greenland *, and are admirably adapted to the purpose, both on account of
their strength, and the property Avhich they possess of preserving their plia-
bility even in the most intense frost.

When a seal is seen, the siatko is taken from a little leathern case in
which, when out of use, it is carefully enclosed, and attached by its socket
to the point of the spear (18) ; in this situation it is retained by bring-
ing the allek tight down and fastening it round the middle of the staff by
what seamen call a " slippery hitch,"" which may instantly be disengaged

* Crantz, I., 125.

3 T 2

508 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

by pulling on the other end of the line. As soon a^^ the spear has been
thrown, and the animal struck, the siatko is thus purposely separated, and
being slung by the middle now performs very effectually the important
office of a barb, by turning at right angles to the direction in which it has
entered the orifice. Tliis device is in its principle superior even to our barb ;
for the instant any strain is put upon the line it acts like a toggle, opposing
its length to a wound only as wide as its own breadth.

The uklaik, or akleega, used for the large seal, has a blown bladder attached
to the staff, for the purpose of impeding the animal in the water (18).
The weapon with two long parallel prongs of bone or iron, obtained from
the natives of the Savage Islands, these people also called akleuk, and said
it was for killing seals.

The third and largest weapon is that called katleelik (20), with which the
walrus and whale are attacked. The staff of this is not longer, but much
stouter than that of the others, especially towards the middle, where there is
a small shoulder of ivory securely lashed to it for the thumb to rest against,
and thus to give additional force in throwing or thrusting the spear. The
ivory point of this weapon is made to fit into a socket at the end of the staff,
where it is secured by double thongs (21), in such a manner as steadily to
retain its position when a strain is put upon it in the direction of its length, but
immediately disengaging itself with a sort of spring, when any lateral strain
endangers its breaking. The siatko is always used with this spear ; and to
the end of the allek, when the animal pursued is in open water, they attach
a whole seal-skin, (Imv-ivul-td,) inflated like a bladder, for the purpose of
tiring it out in its progress through the water.

They have a spear called Ippoo for killing deer in the water. They de-
scribed it as having a light staff' and a small head of iron ; but they had none
of these so fitted in the winter. The niigiiee, or dart for birds (19), has,
besides its two ivory prongs at the end of the staff, three divergent ones in the
middle of it, with several small double barbs upon them turning inwards ; they
differ from the ?iuguit of Greenland *, and that of the Savage Islands, in having
these prongs always of unequal lengths. To give additional velocity to the bird-
dart, they use a throwing-stick {noke-shak) which is probably the same as the
" hand-board " figured by Crantz. It consists of a flat board about eighteen
inches in length, having a groove to receive the stafi", two others and a hole
for the fingers and thumb, and a small spike fitted for a hole in the end of the

* Crantz.

^•rswp?**!*?*?^

i^^M i.

-^sMssdc.^

~.I'

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 509

staff. This instrument is used for the bird-dart only. The spear for salmon
or other fish, called kdkkee-wti, consists of a wooden staff with a spike of
bone or ivory, three inches long, secured at one end. On each side of the
spike is a curved prong, much like that of a pitch-fork, but made of flexible
horn which gives them a spring, and having a barb on the inner part of the
point turning downwards. Their fish-hooks {kakliukiu) consist only of a nail
crooked and pointed at one end, the other being let into a piece of ivory to
which the line is attached. A piece of deer's horn or curved bone, only a
foot long, is used as a rod, and completes this very rude part of their nsliing-
gear (10).

Of their mode of killing seals in the winter, I have already spoken in the
course of the foregoing narrative, as far as we were enabled to make our-
selves acquainted with it. In their summer exploits on the water, the killing
of the whale is the most arduous undertaking which they have to perform ;
and one cannot sufficiently admire the courage and activity which, with gear
apparently so inadequate, it must require to accomplish this business.
Okotook, who was at the killing of two whales in the course of a single
summer, and who described the whole of it quite con amore, mentioned the
names of thirteen men who, each in his canoe, had assisted on one of these
occasions. When a fish is seen lying on the water, they cautiously paddle
up astern of him till a single canoe, preceding the rest, comes close to him
on one quarter, so as to enable the man to drive the katteelik into the
animal with all the force of both arms. This having the siatko, a long allek,
and the inflated seal-skin attached to it, the whale immediately dives, taking
the whole apparatus with him except the katteelik which, being disengaged
in the manner before described, floats to the surface and is picked up by
its owner. The animal re-appearing after some time, all the canoes again
paddle towards him, some warning being given by the seal-skin buoy float-
ing on the surface. Each man being furnished like the first, they repeat the
blows as often as they find opportunity, till perhaps every line has been thus
employed. After pursuing him in this manner, sometimes for half a day, he
is at length so wearied by the resistance of the buoys, and exhausted by loss
of blood, as to be obliged to rise more and more often to the surface when,
by frequent wounds with their spears, they succeed in killing him, and tow
their prize in triumph to the shore. It is probable that with the whale, as
with the smaller sea-animals, some privilege or perquisite is given to the first
striker ; and, like our own fishermen, they take a pride in having it known

510 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

that their spear has been the first to inflict a wound. They meet with the
most wliales on the coast of Eiwlllik.

In attackina: the wahus in the water, they use the same gear, but much
more caution than with tlic nliale, always throwing the katkdik from some
distance, lest the animal should attack the canoe and demolish it with his
tusks. The walrus is in fact the only animal with which they use any cau-
tion of this kind. They like the flesh better than that of the seal ; but
venison is preferred by them to cither of these, and indeed to any other kind
of meat.

At Winter Island thoy carefully preserved the heads of all the animals
killed during the winter, except two or three of the walrus which we ob-
tained with great difficulty. There is probably some superstition attaclicd
to this, but they told us that they were to be thrown into the sea in the
summer, which a Greenlander* studiously avoids doing ; and indeed, at
Igloolik, they had no objection to part with them before the summer
arrived. As tlie blood of the animals which they kill is all used as food of
the most luxurious kind, they are careful to avoid losing any portion of it ;
for this purpose they carry with them on their excursions a little instrument
of ivory called tdopohtd, in form and size exactly resembling a " twenty-
penny " nail (25), v\ilh which they stop up the orifice made by the sj)ear,
by thrusting it through the skin by the sides of the wound, and .securing
it with a twist. I must here also mention a simple little instrument called
keipkulluJi, being a slender rod of bone nicely rounded, and having a point
at one end and a knob or else a laniard at the other (17). The use of
this is to thrust through the ice where they have reason to believe a seal is at
work underneath. This little instrument is sometimes made as delicate as a
fine wire, that the seal may not sec it ; and a part still remaining above the
surface informs the fishermen by its motion whether the animal is employed
in making his hole : if not, it remains undisturbed, and the attempt is given
up in that place.

One of the best of their bows was made of a single piece of fir, four feet
eight inches in length, flat on the inner side and rounded on the outer,
being five inches in girth about the middle where, however, it is strength-
ened on the concave side, when strung, by a piece of bone ten inches long,
firmly secured by tree-nails of the same material. At each end of the bow

* Crantz, 1., 216.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 311

is a knob of bone, or sometimes of wood covered with leather, with a deep
notch for the reception of the string. The only wood which they can procure,
not possessing sufficient elasticity combined with strength, they ingeniously
remedy the defect by securing to the back of the bow, and to the knobs at
each end, a quantity of small lines, each composed of a plat or "sinnet" of
three sinews. The number of lines thus reaching from end to end is gene-
rally about thirty; but besides these, several others are fastened with hitches
round the bow, in pairs, commencing eight inches from one end, and again
united at the same distance from the other, making the whole number of
strings in the middle of the bow sometimes amount to sixty. These being
put on with the bow somewhat bent the contrary way, produce a spring so
strong as to require considerable force as well as knack in stringing it, and
giving the requisite velocity to the arrow. The bow is completed by a
woolding round the middle and a wedge or two, here and there, driven in
to tighten it. A bow in one piece is however very rare ; they generally
consist of from two to five pieces of bone of unequal lengths, secured toge-
ther by rivets and tree-nails (22).

The arrows vary in length from twenty to thirty inches, according to the
materials that can be commanded. About two-thirds of the whole length is
of fir rounded, and the rest of bone let by a socket into the wood, and
having a head of thin iron, or more commonly of slate, secured into a slit by
two tree-nails. Towards the opposite end of the arrow are two feathers,
generally of the spotted oval, not very neatly lashed on*. The boAv-string
consists of from twelve to eighteen small lines of three-sinew sinnet, having
a loose twist, and with a separate becket of the same size for going over the
knobs at the end of the bow.

We tried their skill in archery by getting them to shoot at a mark for a
prize, though with bows in extremely bad order on account of the frost and
their hands very cold. The mark was two of their spears stuck upright in
the snow, their breadth being three inches and a half. At twenty yards
they struck this every time ; at thirty sent the arrows always within an inch
or two of it ; and at forty or forty-five yards, I should think, would generally
hit a fawn if the animal stood still. These weapons are perhaps sufficient
to inflict a mortal wound at something more than that distance, for which,

• An arrow-head of a more complicated form, but of which we did not discover the par-
ticular use, is figured in the engra^nng (15) .

512 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

however, a strong arm would be required. The animals which they kill with
the bow and arrow for their subsistence are principally the musk-ox and deer,
and less frequently the bear, wolf, fox, hare, and some of the smaller
animals.

It is a curious fact, that the musk-ox is very rarely found to extend his
migrations to the eastward of a line passing through Repulse Bay, or about
the meridian of 86° West, while, in a northern direction, we know that he
travels as far as the seventy-sixth degree of latitude. In Greenland this
animal is known only by vague and exaggerated report ; on the western
coast of Baffin's Bay it has certainly been seen, though very rarely, by the
present inhabitants ; and the eldest person belonging to the Winter Island
tribe had never seen one to the eastward of Eiwllli/i-, where, as well as at
Akkoblet, they are said to be numerous on the banks of fresh-Avater lakes
and streams. The few men who had been present at the killing of one of
these creatures, seemed to pride themselves very much upon it. Toolooak,
who was about seventeen years of age, had never seen either the musk-ox
or the kubkc-drioo, a proof that the latter, also, is not common in this corner
of America.

The rein-deer are killed by the Esquimaux in great abundance in the
summer season, partly by driving them from islands or narrow necks of land
into the sea, and then spearing them from their canoes ; and partly by shoot-
ing them from behind heaps of stones raised for the purpose of watching
them, and imitating their peculiar bellow or grunt. Among the various arti-
fices which they employ for this purpose, one of the most ingenious consists in
two men walking directly//o»i the deer they wish to kill, when the animal
almost always follows them. As soon as they arrive at a large stone, one of
the men hides behind it with his bow, while the other continuing to walk
on soon leads the deer within range of his companion's arrows. They are
also very careful to keep to leeward of the deer, and will scarcely go out
after them at all when the weather is calm. For several weeks in the course
of the summer, some of these people almost entirely give up their fishery on
the coast, retiring to the banks of lakes several miles in the interior, which
they represent as large and deep and abounding with salmon, while the
pasture near them affords good feeding to numerous herds of deer.

The distance to which these people extend their inland migrations, and
the extent of coast of which they possess a personal knowledge, are really
very considerable. Of these wc could at the time of our first intercourse form

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 513

no correct judgment, from our uncertainty as to the length of what they call a
seenik (sleep), or one day's journey, by which alone they could describe to
us, with the help of their imperfect arithmetic, the distance from one place to
another. But our subsequent knowledge of the coast has cleared up much
of this difficulty, affording the means of applying to their hydrographical
sketches a tolerably accurate scale for those parts which we have not hitherto
visited. A great number of these people, who were born at Amitiokc and
Igloolik, had been to Nooivook, or nearly as far south as Chesterfield Inlet,
which is about the »e plus ultra of their united knowledge in a southerly
direction. Not one of them had been by water round to Akkoolee, but
several by land ; in which mode of travelling they only consider that
country from three to five days' journey from Repulse Bay. Okotook and
a fev\^ others of the Winter Island tribe had extended their peregrinations
a considerable distance to the northward, over the large insular piece of
land to which we have applied the name of Cockburn Island ; which they
described as high land, and the resort of numerous rein-deer. Here
Okotook informed us he had seen icebergs, which these people call by
a name (piccdlooi/d/c) having in its pronunciation some affinity to tliat used
in Greenland*. By the information afterwards obtained when nearer the
spot, we had reason to suppose this land must reach beyond the seventy-
second degree of latitude in a northerly direction ; so that these people pos-
sess a personal knowledge of the Continent of America and its adjacent
islands, from that parallel to Chesterfield Inlet in 63f°, being a distance of
more than five hundred miles reckoned in a direct line, besides the numer-
ous turnings and windings of the coast along which they are accustomed to
travel. Ewerat and some others had been a considerable distance up the
Wager River ; but no record had been preserved among them of Captain
IMiddleton's visit to that inlet about the middle of the last century.

Of the continental shore to the westward of Akkoolee, the Esquimaux
invariably disclaimed the slightest personal knowledge ; for no land can be
seen in that direction from the hills. They entertain, however, a confused
idea that neither Esquimaux nor Indians could there subsist for want of
food. Of the Indians they know enough by tradition to hold them in
considerable dread, on account of their cruel and ferocious manners. "V\'hen,
on one occasion, we related the circumstances of the inhuman massacre

* Illuliak.

3 U

514 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

described by Hcarne, they crowded round iis in the hut, listening with mute
and almost breathless attention ; and the mothers drew their children closer
to them, as if to guard them from the dreadful catastrophe. It is worthy
of notice, that they call the Indians by a name (Etrl-lcti-lte) which appears
evidently the same as that * applied by the Greenlanders to the man-eaters
supposed to inhabit the ea-stern coast of their country, and to whom terror
has assigned a face like that of a dog.

The Esquimaux take some animals in traps, and by a very ingenious con-
trivance of this kind they caught two wolves at Winter Island. It consists of
a small house built of ice, at one end of which a door, made of the same
plentiful material, is fitted to slide up and down in a groove ; to the upper
part of this a line is attached and, passing over the roof, is led down into the
trap at the inner end, and there held by slipping an eye in the end of it over
a peg of ice left for the purpose. Over the peg, however, is previously
placed a loose grummet, to which the bait is fastened, and a false roof placed
over all to hide the line. The moment the animal drags at the bait the
grummet slips off the peg, bringing with it the line that held up the door,
and this falling down closes the trap and secures him.

A trapj for birds is formed by building a house of snow just large enough
to contain one person, who closes himself up in it. On the top is left a small
aperture, through which the man thrusts one of his hands to secure the bird
the moment he alights to take away a bait of meat laid beside it. It is prin-
cipally gulls Uiat are taken thus ; and the boys sometimes amuse themselves in
th's manner. A trap in which they catch foxes has been mentioned in ano-
ther place.

The sledges belonging to these Esquimaux were in general large and
heavily constructed, being more adapted to the carriage of considerable
burdens than to very quick travelling. They varied in size, being from six
and a half to nine feet in length, and from eigliteen inches to two feet in
breadth. Some of those at Igloolik were of larger dimensions, one being
eleven feet in length, and weighing two hundred and sixty-eight pounds,
and two or three others above two hundred pounds. The runners are
sometimes made of tlie right and left jaw-bones of a whale ; but more
commonly of several pieces of wood or bone scarfed and lashed together,
the interstices being filled to make all smooth and firm with moss stuffed

*o

* Erkiglit. Crantz, I. 208, 269.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 515

in tight, and then cemented by throwing water to freeze upon it. The
lower part of the runner is shod with a plate of harder bone, coated with
fresh-water ice to make it run smoothly, and to avoid wear and tear, both
which purposes are thus completely answered. This coating is performed
with a mixture of snow and fresh-water about half an inch thick, rubbed over
it till it is quite smooth and hard upon the surface, and this is usually
done a few minutes before setting out on a journey. When the ice is only
in part Avorn off, it is renewed by taking some water into the mouth, and
spirting it over the former coating. We noticed a sledge which was extremely
curious, on account of one of the runners and a part of the other being con-
structed without the assistance of wood, iron, or bone of any kind. For
this purpose, a number of seal-skins being rolled up and disposed into the
requisite shape, an outer coat of the same kind was sewed tightly round
them ; this formed the upper half of the runner, the lower part of which
consisted entirely of moss moulded while wet into the proper form, and
being left to freeze, adhering firmly together and to the skins. The usual
shoeing of smooth ice beneath completed the runner, which for more than
six months'out of twelve, in this climate, was nearly as hard as any wood ; and
for winter use, no way inferior to those constructed of more durable mate-
rials. The cross-pieces which form the bottom of the sledge are made of
bone, wood, or any thing they can muster. Over these is generally laid a
seal-skin as a flooring, and in the summer-time a pair of deer's horns are
attached to the sledge as a back, which in the winter are removed, to enable
them when stopping to turn the sledge up, so as to prevent the dogs running
away with it. The whole is secured by lashings of thong, giving it a degree
of strengdi combined with flexibility which perhaps no other mode of fasten-
ing could effect.

The dogs of the Esquimaux, of which these people possessed above a
hundred, have been so often described that there may seem little left to
add respecting their external appearance, habits, and use. Our visits to
Igloolik having, however, made us acquainted with some not hitherto
described, I shall here offer a further account of these invaluable animals.
In the form of their bodies, their short pricked ears, thick furry coat,
and bushy tail, they so nearly resemble the wolf of these regions that,
when of a light or brindled colour, they may easily at a little distance be
mistaken for that animal. To an eye accustomed to both, however, a differ-
ence is perceptible in the wolf's always keeping his head down, and his tail

3 u 2

5J6 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

between his legs in running, whereas the 'dogs ahnost always carry their
tails handsomely curled over the back. A difference less distinguishable,
when the animals are apart, is the superior size and more muscular make of
the wild animal, especially about the breast and legs. The Molf is also, in
general, full two inches taller than any Esquimaux dog we have seen ; but
those met with in 1818, in the latitude of 7G°, appear to come nearest to it
in that respect. The tallest dog at Igloolik stood two feet one inch from
the ground, measured at the withers ; the average height was about two
inches less than this.

Tiie colour of flie dogs varies from a white, through brindled, to black
and white, or almost entirely black. Some are also of a reddish or ferrugi-
nous colour, and others have a brownish-red tinge on their legs, the rest of
their bodies being of a darker colour, and these last were observed to be
generally the best dogs. Their hair in the winter is from three to four inches
long ; but besides this, nature furnishes them during this rigorous season,
with a thick under coating of close soft wool, which they begin to cast in
the spring. While thus provided, they are able to withstand the most incle-
ment weather without suffering from the cold, and at whatever temperature
the atmosphere may be they require nothing but a shelter from the wind to
make them comfortable, and even this they do not always obtain. They are
also wonderfully ena1)led to endure the cold even on those parts of the body
which arc not thus protected, for we have seen a young puppy sleeping,
with its bare paw laid on an ice-anchor, with the thermometer at — 30°,
which with one of our dogs would have produced immediate and intense
pain, if not subsequent mortification. They never bark, but have a long
melancholy howl like that of the wolf, and this they will sometimes jjcrform
in concert for a minute or two together. Tliey are besides always snarling
and fighting among one another, by which several of them are generally
lame. When much caressed and well-fed, they become quite familiar and
domestic ; but this mode of treatment does not improve their qualities as
animals of draught. Being desirous of ascertaining whether these dogs are
wolves in a state of domestication, a question which we understood to have
been the subject of some speculation, JNIr. Skeoch at my request made a ske-
leton of each, when the number of all the vertel)rae was found to be the same
in both*, and to correspond with the well-known anatomy of the wolf.
When drawing a sledge, the dogs have a simple harness {annoo) of deer or

* Cer\-ical, 7; dorsal, 13; lumbar, 7; sacral, 3; caudal, 19.

OF A XORTH-AVEST PASSAGE. 517

seal-skin, going round the neck by one bight, and another for each of the fore-
legs, with a single thong leading over the back and attached to the sledge as a
trace. Though they appear at first sight to be huddled together without regard
to regularity, there is, in fact, considerable attention paid to their arrangement,
particularly in the selection of a dog of peculiar spirit and sagacity, who is
allowed, by a longer trace, to precede the rest as leader, and to whom, in
turning to the right or left, the driver usually addresses himself. This choice
is made without regard to age or sex, and the rest of the dogs take prece-
dency according to their training or sagacity, the least effective being put
nearest tlie sledge. The leader is usually from eighteen to twenty feet from
the fore part of the sledge, and the hindmost dog about half that distance,
so that when ten or twelve are running together, several are nearly abreast
of each other. The driver sits quite low on the fore-part of the sledge, with
his feet overhanging the snow on one side, and having in his hand a whip (6.)
of which the handle, made either of wood, bone, or whalebone, is eighteen
inches, and the lash more than as many feet in length. The part of the
thong next the handle is platted a little way down to stiffen it and give it a
spring, on which much of its use depends ; and that which composes the lash
is chewed by the women to make it flexible in frosty weather. The men
acquire from their youth considerable expertness in the use of this whip; the
lash of which is left to trail along the ground by the side of the sledge, and
with which they can inflict a very severe blow on any dog at pleasure.
Though the dogs are kept in training entirely by fear of the whip, and indeed
without it would soon have their own way, its immediate effect is always
detrimental to the draught of the sledge ; for not only does the individual
that is struck draw back and slacken his trace, but generally turns upon his
next neighbour, and this passing on to the next occasions a general diver-
gency, accompanied by the usual yelping and shewing of teeth. The dogs
then come together again by degrees, and the draught of the sledge is acce-
lerated ; but even at the best of times, by this rude mode of draught the
traces of one-third of the dogs form an angle of thirty or forty degrees on
each side of the direction in which the sledge is advancing. Another great
inconvenience attending the Esquimaux method of putting the dogs to,
besides that of not employing their strength to the best advantage, is the
constant entanglement of the traces by the dogs repeatedly doubling under
from side to side to avoid the whip, so that, after running a few miles, the
traces always require to be taken off and cleared.

518 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

In dircctin^^ the sledge the whip acts no very essential part, the driver for
this purpose using certain words, as the carters do with us, to make the dogs
turn more to the right or left. To these a good leader attends witli admira-
ble precision, especially if his own name be repeated at the same time, looii-
ing behind over his shoulder with great earnestness, as if listening to the
directions of the driver. On a beaten track, or even where a single foot or
sledge-mark is occasionally discernible, there is not the slightest trouble in
ffuidinsr the doffs ; for even in the darkest night and in the heaviest snow-
drift, there is little or no danger of (heir losing the road, the leader keeping
his nose near the ground, and directing the rest with wonderful sagacity.
Where, however, there is no beaten track, the best driver among them makes
a terribly circuitous course, as all the Esquimaux roads plainly shew ; these
generally occupying an extent of six miles, when with a horse and sledge
the journey would scarcely have amounted to five. On rough ground, as
among hummocks of ice, the sledge would be frequently overturned or
altogether stopped if the driver did not repeatedly get off, and by lifting or
drawing it to one side steer it clear of those accidents. At all times,
indeed, except on a smooth and well-made road, he is pretty constantly em-
ployed thus with his feet, which, together with his never-ceasing vocifera-
tions and frequent use of the whip, renders the driving of one of these
vehicles by no means a pleasant or easy task. When the driver wishes to
stop the sledge, he calls out " Wo, woa," exactly as our carters do, but
the attention paid to this command depends altogether on his ability to
enforce it. If the weight is small and the journey homeward, the dogs are
not to be thus delayed ; the driver is therefore obliged to dig his heels into
the snow to obstruct their progress ; and having thus succeeded in stopping
them, he stands up with one leg before the foremost cross-piece of the sledge
till, by means of laying the whip gently over each dog's head, he has made
them all lie down. He then takes care not to quit his position ; so that
should the dogs set off he is thrown upon the sledge, instead of being left
behind by them.

With heavy loads the dogs draw best with one of their own jieople, espe-
cially a woman, walking a little way a-head ; and in this case they are some-
times enticed to mend their pace by holding a mitten to the mouth, and then
making the motion of cutting it with a knife, and throwing it on the snow, when
the dogs mistaking it for meat, hasten forward to pick it up. The Avomen
also entice them from the huts in a similar manner. The rate at which they

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 519

travel depends, of course, on the weight they have to draw and the road on
which their journey is performed. When the latter is level and very hard
and smooth, constituting what in other parts of North America is called
" good sleighing," six or seven dogs will draw from eight to ten hundred
weight, at the rate of seven or eight miles an hour for several hours to-
gether, and will easily under those circumstances perform a journey of fifty
or sixty miles a day ; on untrodden snow, five-and-twenty or thirty miles
would be a good day's journey. The same number of well-fed dogs, with a
weiglit of only five or six hundred pounds (that of the sledge included) are
almost unmanageable, and will on a smooth road run any way they please
at the rate often miles an hour. The work performed by a greater number of
dogs is, however, by no means in proportion to this ; owing to the imperfect
mode already described of employing the strength of these sturdy creatures,
and to the more frequent snarling and fighting occasioned by an increase of
numbers.

In the summer, Avhen the absence of snow precludes the use of sledges,
the dogs are still made useful on journeys and hunting excursions, by
being employed to carry burdens in a kind of saddle-bags laid across their
shoulders. A stout dog thus accoutred will accompany his master, laden
with a weight of about twenty to twenty-five pounds. When leading the
dogs, the Esquimaux take a half hitch with the trace round their necks
to prevent their pulling, and the same plan is followed when a sledge is
left without a keeper. They are also in the habit of tethering them, when
from home, by tying up one of the four legs ; but a still more effectual
method is similar to that which we saw employed by the Greenlanders of
Prince Regent's Bay, and consists in digging with their spears two holes
in the ice in an oblique direction and meeting each other, so as to leave an
eye-bolt to which the dogs arc fastened.

The scent of the Esquimaux dogs is excellent ; and this property is turned
to account by their masters in finding the seal holes, which these invaluable
animals will discover entirely by the smell at a very great distance. The
track of a single deer upon the snow will in like manner set them off at a full
gallop, when travelling, at least a quarter of a mile before they arrive at it,
when they are with difficulty made to turn in any other direction ; and the
Esquimaux are accustomed to set them after those animals to hunt them down
when already wounded with an arrow. In killing bears the dogs act a very
essential part, and two or three of them when led on by a man will eagerly

520 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

attack one of those ferocious creatures. An Esquimaux seldom uses any other
weapon than his spear and panna in this encounter, for which the readiness of
the dogs may be imi)lied from the circumstance of the word "nennook"
(bear) being often used to encourage them when running in a sledge. In-
deed the only animal which they are not eager to chase is the wolf, of which
the greater part of them seem to have an instinctive dread, giving notice at
night of their ajjproach to the huts by a loud and continued howl. There
is not one dog in twenty among them that will voluntarily, or indeed without
a great deal of beating, take the water if they think it is out of their depth,
and the few that would do so were spoken of as extraordinary exceptions.

The Esquimaux in general treat their dogs nuich as an unfeeling master
does his slaves ; that is, they take just as much care of them as their own
interest is supposed to require. The bitches with young arc in the wnter
allowed to occupy apart of their own beds, where they are carefully attended
and fed by the women, who will even su])ply the young ones with meat and
water from their mouths as they do their own children, and not unfre-
queiitly also carry them in their hoods to take care of them. It is probably
on this account that the dogs are always so much attached to the women,
who can at any time catch them or entice them from the huts, when the
men fail. Two females that were with young on board the Fury in the
month of February brought forth six and seven at a litter, and the former
number were all females. Their feeding which, both in summer and winter,
principally consists of /i«oU', or the skin and part of the blubber of the walrus,
is during the latter season very precarious, their masters having then but
little to spare. They therefore become extremely thin at that time of the
year, and would scarcely be recognised as the same animals as when regu-
larly fed in the summer. No wonder therefore that they will cat almost any
thing however tough or filthy, and that neither whii)ping nor shouting will
prevent their turning out of the road, even when going at full speed, to pick
up whatever they espy. When at the huts they are constantly creeping in
to pilfer what' they can, and half the time of the people sitting there is
occupied in vociferating their names, and driving them by most unmerciful
blows out of the apartments. The dogs have no water to drink during the
winter, but lick up some clean snow occasionally as a substitute ; nor indeed
if water be offered them do they care about it unless it happens to be oily.
They take great pleasure in rolling in clean snow, especially after or during
a journey, or when they have been confined in a house during the night.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 521

Notwithstanding the rough treatment which they receive from their masters
their attachment to them is very great, and this they display after a short
absence by jumping up and licking their faces all over with extreme delight.
The Esquimaux however never caress them, and indeed scarcely ever take any
notice of them but when they offend, and they are then not sparing in their
blows. The dogs have all names to which they attend with readiness,
whether drawing in a sledge or otherwise. Their names are frequently the
same as those of the people, and in some instances are given after the rela-
tions of their masters, which seems to be considered an act of kindness among
them. Upon the whole, notwithstanding the services performed by these
valuable creatures, I am of opinion that art cannot well have done less
towards making them useful, and that the same means in almost any other
hands would be employed to greater advantage.

In the disposition of these people, there was of course among so many
individuals considerable variety as to the minute points ; but in the general
features of their character, which with them are not subject to the changes
produced by foreign intercourse, one description will nearly apply to all.
The virtue which, as respected ourselves, we could most have wished
them to possess is honesty, and the impression derived from the early part
of our intercourse was certainly in this respect a favourable one. A great
many instances occurred, some of which have been related, where they
appeared even scrupulous in returning articles that did not belong to them ;
and this too when detection of a theft, or at least of the offender, would
have been next to impossible. As they grew more familiar w'ith us, and the
temptations became stronger, they gradually relaxed in their honesty, and
petty thefts were from time to time committed by several individuals both
male and female among them.

The bustle which any search for stolen goods occasioned at the huts was
a sufficient proof of their understanding the estimation in which the crime
was held by us. Until the affair was cleared up, they would affect great
readiness to shew every article which they had got from the ships, repeating
the name of the donor with great warmth as if offended at our suspicions,
yet with a half-smile on their countenance at our supposed credulity in
believing them. There was indeed at all times some degree of trick and

3 X

522 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

cunning in this shew of openness and candour; and they would at times
brinif back some very trifling article that had been given them tendering
it as a sort of expiation for the theft of another much more valuable.
Wlien a search was making they would invent all sorts of lies to screen
themselves, not caring on whom l)esides the imputation fell ; and more than
once, they directed our people to the apartments of others who were inno-
cent of the offence in question. If they really knew the offendert hey were
generally ready enough to inform against him, and this with an air of
affected secrecy and mysterious importance ; and as if the dishonesty of
another constituted a virtue in themselves, they would repeat this informa-
tion frequently, perhaps for a month afterwards, setting up their neigli-
bour's offence as a foil to their own pretended honesty.

In appreciating the character of these people for honesty, however, we
must not fail to make due allowance for the degree of temptation to which
they were daily exposed, amidst the boundless stores of wealth which
our ships appeared to them to furnish. To draw a parallel case, we must
suppose an European of the lower class sufiered to roam about amidst
hoards of gold and silver ; for nothing less valuable can be justly compared
with the wood and iron that every where presented themselves to their view
on board the ships. The European and the Esquimaux, who in cases so
similar, both resist the temptation of stealing, must be considered pretty
nearly on a par in the scale of honesty ; and judging in this manner, the
balance might possibly be found in favour of the latter, when compared
with any similar number of Europeans taken at random from the lower
class.

In what has been hitherto said, regard has been had only to their deal-
ings Avith ?«. In their transactions among themselves there is no doubt that,
except in one or two privileged cases, such as that of destitute widows, the
strictest honesty prevails, and that as regards the good of their own commu-
nity they arc generally honest people. We have in numberless instances
sent presents by one to another, and invariably found that they had been
faithfully delivered. The manner in which their various implements are
frequently left outside their huts is a proof, indeed, that robbery is scarcely
known among them. It is true that there is not an article in the possession
of one of them, of which any of the rest Avill not readily name the owner,
and the detection of a theft would therefore be certain and immediate.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 523

Certainty of detection however among a lawless and ferocious people,
instead of preventing robbery, would more probably add violence and
murder to the first crime, and the strongest would ultimately gain the upper
hand. We cannot therefore but admire the undisturbed security in which
these people hold their property, without having recourse to any restraint
beyond that which is incurred by the tacitly-received law of mutual for-
bearance.

In the barter of their various commodities their dealings with us were fair
and upright, though latterly they were by no means backward or inexpert
in driving a bargain. The absurd and childish exchanges* which they at
first made with our people, induced them subsequently to complain that the
Kabloonas had stolen their things, though the profit had been eventually a
hundred-fold in their favour. Many such complaints were made, when the
only fault in the purchaser had been excessive liberality, and frequently
also as a retort, by way of warding off the imputation of some dishonesty of
their own. A trick not uncommon with the women was, to endeavour to
excite the commiseration, and to tax the bounty of one person by relating
some cruel theft of this kind, that had, as they said, been practised upon
them by another. One day, after I had bought a knife of Togolat, she told
Captain Lyon, in a most piteous tone, that Parree had stolen her last ooloo,
that she did not know what to do without one, and at length coming to tlie
point begged him to give her one. Presently after this, her husband coming
in and asking for something to eat, she handed him some meat accompa-
nied by a very fine ooloo. Her son being thus reminded of eating made
the same request, upon which a second knife was produced and, imme-
diately after, a third of the same kind for herself. Captain Lyon, having
amused himself in watching these proceedings, which so well confirmed the
truth of the proverb, that certain people ought to have good memories, now
took the knives, one by one, out of their hands, and holding them up to
Togolat, asked her if Parree had not stolen her last ooloo. A hearty laugh
all round was the only notice taken by them of this direct detection of the
deceit.

The confidence which they really placed in us was daily and hourly
evinced by their leaving their fishing gear stuck in the snow all round the
ships; and not a single instance occurred, to my knowledge, of any theft

♦ Crantz, L 173.

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524 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

committed on their property. The licking of the articles received from
us was not so common with them as with Esquimaux in general, and this
practice was latterly almost entirely left off by them.

Among the unfavourable traits in their character must be reckoned an
extreme disposition to envy, which disi>layed itself on various occasions
during our intercourse with them. If we had made any presents in one
hut, the inmates of the next would not fail to tell us of it, accompanying
their remarks with some satirical observation, too unequivocally expressed to
be mistaken, and generally by some stroke of irony * directed against the
favoured person. If any individual with whom we had been intimate hap-
pened to be implicated in a theft, the circumstance became a subject of
satisfaction too manifest to be repressed, and we were told of it with ex-
pressions of the most tri\imphant exultation on every occasion. It was
indeed curious, though ridiculous, to observe that, even among these simple
people, and in this obscure comer of the globe, that little gossip and scandal
so commonly practised in small societies among us were very frequently
displayed. This was especially the case Avith the women, of whom it was
not uncommon to see a group sitting in a hut for hours together, each
relating her quota of information, now and then mimicking the persons
of whom they spoke, and interlarding their stories with jokes evidently
at the expense of their absent neighbours, though to their own infinite
amusement.

In extenuation, however, of these faults, it must be allowed that we were
ourselves the exciting cause which called them into action, and without
which they would be comparatively of rare occurrence among them. Like
every other child of Adam, they undoubtedly possess their share of the
seeds of these human frailties; but even in this respect they need not shrink
from a comparison with ourselves, for who among us can venture to assure
himself that, if exposed to similar temptations, he would not be found
wanting ?

To anotlier failing, to which they arc addicted, the same excuse will not so
forcibly apply; as in this respect our acquaintance with them naturally fur-
nished an opportunity for the practice of a virtue, rather than for the deve-
lopment of its opposite vice. I have already, in the course of the fore-
going Narrative, hinted at the want of gratitude evinced by these people in

* Crantz, 1. 170.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 525

their transactions with us. Among themselves, ahnost the only case in
which this sentiment can have any field for exertion, is in the conduct of chil-
dren towards their parents, and in this respect, as 1 shall presently have
occasion to notice, their gratitude is by no means conspicuous. Any thing
like a free gift is very little if at all known among them. If A gives B a
part of his seal to-day, the latter soon returns an equal quantity when he is
the successful fisherman. Uncertain as their mode of living is, and dependant
as they are upon each other's exertions, this custom is the evident and
unquestionable interest of all. The regulation does credit to their wis-
dom, but has nothing to do with their generosity. This being the case, it
might be supposed that our numerous presents, for which no return was
asked, would have excited in them something like thankfulness combined
with admiration ; but this was so little the case, that the cojjcnna (thanks)
which did now and then escape them, expressed much less than even the
most common-place " thank ye" of civilized society. Some exceptions, for
they were only exceptions and rare ones to this rule, have been mentioned as
they occurred ; but in general, however considerable the benefit conferred,
it was forgotten in a day; and this forgetfulness was not unfrequently aggra-
vated by their giving out that their benefactor had been so shabby as to make
them no present at all. Even those individuals who, either from good beha-
viour or superior intelligence, had been most noticed by us, and particularly
such as had slept on board the ships, and whether in health or sickness had
received the most friendly treatment from every body, were in general just
as indifferent as the rest ; and 1 do not believe that any one amongst them
would have gone half a mile out of his road, or have sacrificed the most
trivial self-gratification to have served us. Though the riches lay on our
side, they possessed abundant means of making some nominal return which,
for the sake of the principle that prompted it, would of course have been
gratifying to us. Okotook and Iligliuk, whom I had most loaded with pre-
sents, and who had never offered me a single free gift in return, put into
my hand, at the time of their first removal from Winter-Island, a dirty
crooked model of a spear, so shabbily constructed that it had probably
been already refused as an article of barter by many of the ship's company.
On my accepting this, from an unwillingness to affront them, they were
uneasy and dissatisfied till I had given them something in return, though
their hands were full of the presents which I had just made them. Selfish-
ness is in fact almost without exception their universal characteristic, and

526 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

the main-spring of all their actions, and that too of a kind the most direct
and unamiable that can well be imagined.

In the few opportunities we had of putting their hospitality to the test,
we had every reason to be pleased with them. Both as to food and accom-
modation the best they had were always at our service ; and their attention,
both in kind and degree, was every thing that hospitality and even good
breeding could dictate. The kindly offices of drying and mending our
clothes, cooking our provision and thawing snow for our drink, were per-
formed by the women witli an obliging cheerfulness which we shall not
easily forget, and which coimiianded its due share of our admiration and
esteem. While thus their guest, I have passed an evening not only with
comfort, but with extreme gratification ; for with the women working and
singing, their husbands quietly mending their lines, the children playing
before the door, and the pot boiling over the blaze of a cheerful lamp, one
might well forget for the time that an EsquimauK hut Avas the scene of tiiis
domestic comfort and tranquillity ; and 1 can safely affirm with Cartwright*
that, while thus lodged beneath their roof, I know no people whom I would
more confidently trust as respects either my person or my property, than
the Esquimaux. It is painful, and may perhaps be considered invidious
after this, to inquire how far their hospitality would in all probability be
extended if interest were wholly separated from its practice, and a stranger
were destitute and unlikely soon to repay them. IJut truth obliges me to
confess that, from the extreme sellishness of their general conduct, as well
as from their behaviour in some instances to the destitute of their own tribe,
I should be sorry to lie under the necessity of thus drawing very largely on
their bounty.

The estimation in which women are held among these people is, I
think, somewhat greater than is usual in savage life. In their general em-
ployments they are by no means the drudges that the wives of the Green-
landers ■[• are said to be ; being occupied only in those cares which may pro-
perly be called domestic, and as such are considered the peculiar business of
the women among die lower classes in civilized society. The wife of one of
these people, for instance, makes and attends the fire, cooks the victuals,
looks after the children, and is sempstress to her whole family ; while her
husband is labouring abroad for their subsistence. In this respect it is not

* Cartwiight's Labrador, III. 232. f Crantz, I. 164, 165.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 527

even necessary to except their task of cuttins^ up the small seals, which is
in truth one of the greatest luxuries and privileges they enjoy ; and even if
it were esteemed a labour, it could scarcely be considered equivalent to that
of the women in many of our own fishing-towns, where the men's business is at
an end tlie moment the boat touclies the beach. The most laborious of their
tasks occurs perhaps in making their various journeys, when all their goods
and chattels are to be removed at once, and when each individual must un-
doubtedly perform a full share of the general labour. The women are
however good walkers and not easily fatigued ; for we have several times
known a young woman of two and twenty, with a cliild in her hood,
walk twelve miles to the ships and back again the same day, for the sake of
a little bread-dust and a tin canister. When stationary in the winter, they
have really almost a sinecure of it, sitting quietly in their huts, and having
little or no employment for the greater part of the day. In short, there
are few, if any people, in this state of society among whom the women
are so well oft". Tliey always sit upon the beds with their legs doubled
under them*, and are uneasy in the posture usual with us. The men
som etimes sit as we do, but more generally with their legs crossed before
them.

The women do not appear to be in general very prolific. lUumea indeed
liad borne seven children, but no second instance of an equal number in one
family afterwards came to our knowledge ; three or four is about the usual
nuvnber. They are, according to their own account, in the habit of suckling
their children to the age of three years ; but we have seen a child of five
occasionally at the breast, though they are dismissed from the mother's hood
at about the former age. The time of weaning them nuist of course in some
instances depend on the mother's again becoming pregnant, and if this suc-
ceeds quickly it must, as Crantz relates of the Greenlandersf , go hard with
one of the infants. Nature, however, seems to be kind to them in this re-
spect, for we did not witness one instance, nor hear of any, in which a woman
was put to this inconvenience and distress. It is not uncommon to see one
woman suckling the child of another, while the hitter happens to be em-
ployed in her other domestic occupations. They are in t!ie habit also of
feeding their younger children from their own mouths, softening the food
by mastication, and then turning their heads round so that the infant in the

* Crantz, I. 140. t ^^i^- !• 1^2.

5«8 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

hood may put its lips to theirs. The chill is taken from water for them in
the same manner, and some fathers are very fond of taking their children on
their knees and thus feeding them. The women are more desirous of hav-
ing sons than daughters, as on the former must principally depend their
support in old age.

Twelve of the men had each two wives, and some of the younger ones had
also two betrotlied ; two instances occurred of the father and son being
married to sisters. The custom of betrothing children in their infancy is
commonly practised here, in which respect these people differ from the
natives of Greenland, where it is comparatively rare*. A daughter of
Arnaneelia, between two and three years old, had long been thus contracted
to Okotook's son, a hero of six or seven, and the latter used to run about the
hut calling his intended by the familiar appellation of Noollc-a (wife), to the
great amusement of the parents. When a man has two wives there is gene-
rally a difference of five or six years in their ages. The senior takes her
station next the principal lire, which comes entirely under her manage-
ment; and she is certainly considered in some respects superior to the
other, though they usually live together in the utmost harmony. The men
sometimes repudiate their wives without ceremony, in case of real or
supposed bad behaviour as in Greenland f, but this does not often
occur. There was a considerable disparity of age between many of the
men and their wives, tlie husband being sometimes the oldest by twenty
years or more, and this also when he had never married any former
wife. We knew no instance in which the number of a man's wives ex-
ceeded two, and indeed we had every reason to believe that the practice
is never admitted among them. We met with a singular instance of two
men having exchanged wives, in consequence merely of one of the latter
being pregnant at the time when her husband was about to undertake a long
journey.

The authority of the husband seems to be sufficiently absolute, depending
nevertheless in great measure on the dispositions of the respective parties.
Iligliuk was one of those women who seem formed to manage tlieir husbands;
and we one day saw her take Okotook to task in a very masterly style, for
having bartered away a good jacket for an old useless pistol, without powder
or shot. He attempted at first to bluster in his turn, and with most Avomen

* CraiiU, I. 159. f Bid. 160.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. .529

would probably have gained his point. But with Iligliuk this would not do ;
she saw at once the absurdity of his bargain, and insisted on his immediately
cancelling it, which was accordingly done and no more said about it. In
general indeed the husband maintains his authority, and in several instances
of supposed bad behaviour in a wife, we saw obedience enforced in a pretty
summary manner. It is very rare, however, to see them proceed to this
extremity ; and the utmost extent of a husband's want of tenderness towards
his wife consists in general in making her walk or lead the dogs, while he
takes his own seat in the sledge and rides in comfort. Widows, as might be
expected, are not so well off as those whose husbands are living, and this
difference is especially apparent in their clothes which are usually very dirty,
thin, and ragged ; when indeed they happen to have no near relatives their
fate, as we have already seen, is still worse than this.

I fear we caiinot give a very favourable account of the chastity of the
women, nor of the delicacy of their husbands in this respect. As for the
latter, it was not uncommon for them to offer their wives as freely for sale
as a knife or a jacket. Some of the young men informed us that, when two
of them were absent together on a sealing excursion, they often exchanged
wives for the time, as a matter of friendly convenience ; and indeed, without
mentioning any other instances of this nature, it may safely be affirmed, that
in no country is prostitution carried to greater lengths than among these
people. The behaviour of most of the women, when their husbands were
absent from the huts, plainly evinced their indifference towards them, and
their utter disregard of connubial fidelity. The departure of the men was
usually the signal for throwing aside restraint, which was invariably resumed
on their return. For this event they take care to be prcjiared by the report
of the children, one of whom is usually posted on the outside for the purpose
of giving due notice.

The affection of parents for their children was frequently displayed by
these people, not only in the mere passive indulgence, and abstinence from
corporal punishment, for which Esquimaux have before been remarked, but
by a thousand playful endearments also, such as parents and nurses practise
in our own country. Nothing indeed can well exceed the kindness with
which they treat their children ; and this trait in their character deserves to
be the more insisted on, because it is in reality the only very amiable one
which they possess. It must be confessed indeed, that the gentleness and
docility of the children are such as to occasion their parents little trouble, and

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530 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

to render severity towards them quite unnecessary. Even from their earliest
infancy, ihcy possess that quiet disposition, gentleness of demeanour, and
uncommon evenness of temper, for which in more mature age they arc for
the most part distinguished. Disobedience is scarcely ever known, a word
or even a look from a parent is enough ; and I never saw a single instiuice
of that frowardness and disposition to mischief, which, with our youth, so
often requires the whole attention of a parent to watch over and to correct.
They never cry from trifling accidents, and sometimes not even from very
severe hurts, at which an English child would sob for an hour. It is indeed
astonishing to see the indifference with which, even as tender infants, they
bear the numerous blows they accidentally receive, when carried at their
mothers' backs.

They arc just as fond of play as any other young people and of the same
kind ; only that while an English child draws a cart of Avood, an Esquimaux
of the same age has a sledge of whalebone ; and for the superb baby-house
of the former, the latter builds a miniature hut of snow, and begs a lighted
Avick from her mother's lamp to illuminate the little dwelling. Their parents
make for them, as dolls, little figures of men and women, habited in the true
Esquimaux costume, as well as a variety of other toys, many of them having
some reference to their future occupations in life, such as canoes, spears,
and bows and arrows. The drum or tambourine mentioned by Crantz * is
common among them, and used not oidy by the children, but by the
grown-up people at some of their games. They sometimes serrate the
edges of two strips of whalebone and whirl them round their heads, just as
boys do in England to make the same peculiar humming sound. They will
dispose one piece of wood on another, as an axis, in such a manner that
the wind turns it round like the arms of a wind-mill ; and so of many other
toys of the same simple ki nd. These are the distinct property of the children,
who will sometimes sell them while their parents look on, without interfering
or expecting to be consulted.

When not more than eight years old, the boys are taken by their fathers on
their sealing excursions, where they begin to learn their future business; and
even at that early age, they are occasionally intrusted to bring home a .sledge
and doffs from a distance of several miles over the ice. At the age of eleven
we see a boy with his water-tight boots and mocassins, a spear in his hand,

» Crantz, I. 176.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 531

and a small coil of line at his back, accompanying the men to the fishery,
under every circumstance ; and from this time his services daily increase
in value to the whole tribe. On our first intercourse with them we supposed,
that they would not unwillingly have parted with their children, in conside-
ration of some valuable present, but in this we afterwards found that we
were much mistaken. Happening one day to call myself Toolooak's
attata (father,) and pretend that he was to remain with me on board the
ship, I received from the old man, his father, no other answer than what
seemed to be very strongly and even satirically implied, by his taking
one of our gentlemen by the arm and calling him his son ; thus intimating
that the adoption which he proposed was as feasible and as natural as my
own.

The custom of adoption is carried to very great lengths among these
people, and served to explain to us several apparent inconsistencies with re-
spect to their relationships The adoption of a child in civilized countries hag
usually for its motive either a tenderness for the object itself, or some affec-
tion or pity for its deceased, helpless, or unknown parents. Among the
Esquimaux, however, with whom the two first of these causes would prove
but little excitement, and the last can have no place, the custom owes its
origin entirely to the obvious advantage of thus providing for a man's own
subsistence in advanced life ; and it is consequently confined almost without
exception to the adoption of sons, who can alone contribute materially to
the support of an aged and infirm parent. When a man adopts the son of
another as his own, he is said to " tego" or take him ; and at whatever age
this is done, (though it generally happens in infancy,) the child then lives
with his new parents, calls them father and mother, is sometimes even
ignorant of any such transfer having been made, especially if his real
parents should be dead ; and whether he knows it or not, is not always
willing to acknowledge any but those with whom he lives. Without
imputing much to the natural affection of these people for their offspring,
which like their other passions is certainly not remarkable for its strength,
there would seem, on the score of disinterestedness, a degree of conside-
ration in a man's thus giving his son to another, Mhich is scarcely com-
patible with the general selfishness of the Esquimaux character ; but there is
reason to suppose that the expediency of this measure is sometimes sug-
gested by a deficiency of the mother's milk, and not unfrequently perhaps
by the premature death of the real parent. The agreement seems to bo

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532 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

always made between the fathers, and to differ in no respect from the
transfer of other property, except that none can equal in value the pro-
perty thus disposed of. The good sense, good fortune, or extensive claims
of some individuals were particularly apparent in this way, from the num-
ber of sons they had adopted. Toolemak, deriving perhaps some advan-
tage from his qualifications as Angetkook, had taken care to negotiate for
the adoption of some of the finest male children of the tribe ; a provision
which now appeared the more necessary from his having lost four children
of his o\vn,'besides Noogloo, who was one of his tego'd sons. In one of the
two instances that came to our knowledge of tlic adoption of a female child,
both its own parents were still living, nor could we ascertain the motive for
this deviation from the more general custom.

In their behaviour to old people, whose age or infirmities render them use-
less and therefore burdensome to the community, the Esquimaux betray a
degree of insensibility bordering on inhumanity, and ill-repaying the kind-
ness of an intlulgcnt parent. The old man Hikkciera, who was very ill during
the winter, used to lie day after day little regarded by his Avife, son, daugh-
ter, and other relatives, except that his wretched state constituted, as they
well knew, a forcible claim upon our charity ; and, with this view, it was sure
to excite a whine of sympathy and commiseration whenever we visited or
spoke of him. When, however, a journey of ten miles was to be performed
over the ice, they left him to find his way with a stick in the best manner he
could, while the young and robust ones were many of them drawn on sledges.
There is indeed no d«;ubtthat, had their necessities or mode of life required
a longer journey than he could thus have accomplished, they would have
pushed on like the Indians, and left a fellow-creature to perish. It was
certainly considered incumbent on his son to support him, and he was for-
tunate in that son's being a very good man ; but a few more such journeys to
a man of seventy would not impose this incumbrance upon him much longer.
Ilhimea, the mother of several grown-up children, lived also in the same
apartment with her youngest son, and in the same hut with her other rela-
tions. She did not however interfere, as in Greenland*, with the management
of her son's domestic concerns, though his wife was half an idiot. She was
always badly clothed, and even in the midst of plenty not particularly well-
fed, receiving every thing more as an act of charity than otherwise ; and

* Crantz, I. 164.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 533

she will probably be less and less attended to, in proportion as she stands
more in need of assistance.

Tlie different families appear always to live on good terms with each other,
though each preserves its own habitation and property as distinct and inde-
pendent as any housekeeper in England. The persons living under one
roof, who are generally closely related, maintain a degree of harmony
among themselves which is scarcely ever disturbed. The more turbulent
passions which, when unrestrained by religious principle or unchecked by
the dread of human punishment, usually create so much havoc in the world,
seem to be very seldom excited in the breasts of these people, which ren-
ders personal violence or immoderate anger extremely rare among them ;
and one may sit in a hut for a whole day, and never witness an angry word
or look except in driving out the dogs. If they take an offence, it is more
common for them to shew it by the more quiet method of sulkiness, and
this they now and then tried as a matter of experiment with us. Okotook, who
was often in this humour, once displayed it to some of our geutlemen in his
own hut, by turning his back and frequently repeating the expression " good-
bye," as a broad hint to them to go away. Toolooak was also a little
given to this mood, but never retained it long, and there was no malice
mixed with his displeasure. One evening that he slept on board the Fury,
he either offended Mr. Skeoch, or thought that he had done so, by this
kind of humour ; at all events they parted for the night Avithout any formal
reconciliation. The next morning Mr. Skeoch was awakened at an unusu-
ally early hour, by Toolooak's entering his cabin and taking hold of his hand
to slmke it, by way of making up the supposed quarrel. On a disposition
thus naturally charitable, what might not Christian education and Christian
principles effect! Where a joke is evidently intended, I never knew people
more ready to join in it than these are. If ridiculed for any particularity
of manner, figure, or countenance, they are sure not to be long behind-hand
in returning it, and that very often with interest. If wc Avere the aggressors
in this way, some ironical observation respecting the Kuhloonat was frequently
the consequence ; and no small portion of wit as well as irony was at times
mixed with their raillery.

In point of intellect as well as disposition great variety was of course
perceptible among the different individuals of this tribe ; but few of them
were wanting in that respect. Some indeed possessed a degree of natural
quickness and intelligence which perhaps could hardly be surpassed in the

534 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

natives of any country. Iligliuk, though one of the least amiable, was
particularly thus gifted. When she really wished to develop our meaning,
she would desire her husband and all the rest to hold their tongues, and
would generally make it out while they were puzzling their heads to
no purpose. In returning her answers the very expression of her coun-
tenance, though one of the plainest among them, was almost of itself
sufficient to convey her meaning ; and there was, in these cases, a pe-
culiar decisive energy in her manner of speaking which was extremely
interesting. This woman would indeed have easily learned any thing to
which she chose to direct her attention ; and had her lot been cast in a
civilized country instead of this dreary region, which serves alike to " freeze
the genial current of the soul" and body, she would probably have been a very
clever person. For want of a sufficient object, however, neither she nor
any of her companions ever learned a dozen words of English, except our
names, with which it was their interest to be familiar, and which, long
before we left them any child could repeat, though in their own style of
pronunciation.

Besides the natural authority of parents and husbands, these people
appear to admit no kind of superiority among one another, except a certain
degree of superstitious reverence for their angdkooks, and their tacitly fol-
lowing the counsel or steps of the most active seal-catcher on their hunting
excursions. The word imlk-gak, used in Greenland to express " master,"
and " lord" in the Esquimaux translations of the Scriptures, they were not
acquainted with. One of the young men at Winter Island appeared to be
considered somewhat in the light of a servant to Okotook, living with the
latter and quietly allowing him to take possession of all the most valuable
presents which he received from us. Being a sociable people, they unite in
considerable numbers to form a settlement for the winter; but on the return
of spring they again separate into several parties, each appearing to choose his
own route without regard to that of the rest, but all making tlieir arrange-
ments M ithout the slightest disagreement or diflerence of opinion that we
could ever discover. In all their movements they seem to be actuated by
one simultaneous feeling that is truly admirable.

Superior as our arts, contrivances, and materials must unquestionably have
appeared to them, and eager as they were to profit by this superiority, yet,
contradictory as it may seem, they certainly looked upon us in many resjiects
with profound contempt ; maintaining that idea of self-sufficiency which has

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.

O-JO

induced them, in common with the rest of their nation, to call themselves, by
way of distinction hmuee, or mankind. One day for instance, in securing some
of the gcer of a sledge, Okotook broke a part of it composed of a piece of
our wliite line, and I shall never forget the contemptuous sneer with which
he muttered in soliloquy the word " Kabloona!" in token of the inferiority
of our materials to his own. It is happy, perhaps, when people possessing
so few of the good things of this life can be thus contented with the little
allotted them.

The men, though low in stature, arc not wanting in muscular strength
in proportion to their size, or in activity and hardiness. They are good
and even quick walkers, and occasionally bear much bodily fatigue, wet'
and cold, without appearing to suffer by it, much less to complain of it.
Whatever labour they have gone through and with whatever success in pro-
curing game, no individual ever seems to arrogate to himself the credit of
having done more than his neighbour for the general good. Nor do 1 con-
ceive there is reason to doubt their personal courage, though they are too
good-natured often to excite others to put that quality to the test. It is true
they will recoil with horror at the tale of an Indian massacre, and probably
cannot conceive what should induce one set of men deliberately and with-
out provocation to murder another. War is not their trade ; ferocity forms
no part of the disposition of the Esquimaux. Wiatever manly qualities they
possess are exercised in a different way, and put to a far more worthy pur-
pose. They are fishermen and not warriors ; but I cannot call that man a
coward who, at the age of one and twenty, will attack a polar bear single-
handed, or fearlessly commit himself to floating masses of ice which the next
puff of wind may drift for ever from the shore.

If in short they are deficient in some of the higher virtues, as they are
called, of savage life, they are certainly free also from some of its blackest
vices ; and their want of brilliant qualities is fidly compensated by those
which, while they dazzle less, do more service to society and more honour
to human nature. If, for instance, they have not the magnanimity wliich
would enable them to endure without a murmur the most excruciating tor-
ture, neither have they the ferocious cruelty that incites a man to inflict
that torture on a helpless fellow-creature. If their gratitude for favours be
not lively nor lasting, neither is their resentment of injuries implacable nor
their hatred deadly. I do not say there are not exceptions to this rule,
though we have never witnessed any, but it is assuredly not their general
character.

535 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

When viewed more nearly in their domestic relations, the comparison will
I believe, be still more in their favour. It is here as a social being, as a
husband and the lather of a family, promoting within his own little sphere
the benefit of that community in which Providence has cast his lot, that the
moral character of a savage is truly to be sought ; and who can turn without
horror from the Esquimaux, peaceably seated after a day of honest labour
with his wife and children in their snow-built hut, to the self-willed and
vindictive Indian, wantonly plunging his dagger into the bosom of the help-
less woman, whom nature bids him cherish and protect !

Of the few arts possessed by this simple peoj)le some account has already
been given in the dcscrii)tion of their various implements. As mechanics
they have little to boast, when compared with other savages lying under equal
disadvantages as to scantiness of tools and materials. As carpenters they can
scarf two pieces of wood together, secure them with pins of whalebone
or ivory, fashion the timbers of a canoe, shoe a paddle, and rivet a scrap of
iron into a spear or arrow head. Their principal tool is the knife (panna,)and
considcx'ing the excellence of a great number which they possessed previous
to our intercourse with them, the work they do is remarkably coarse and
clumsy. Their very manner of holding and handling a knife is the most
awkward that can be imagined. For the purpose of boring holes they have
a drill and bow so exactly like our own that they need no further description,
except that the end of the drill-handle, which our artists place against their
breasts, is rested by these peo])lc against a piece of wood or bone held in their
mouths, and having a cavity fitted to receive it. With the use of the saw
they were well acquainted, but had nothing of this kind in their possession
better than a notched piece of iron. One or two small European axes were
lashed to handles in a contrary direction to ours, that is, to be used like an
adze (3,) a form which, according to the observation of a traveller* well
qualified to judge, savages in general prefer. It was said that these people
steamed or boiled wood, in order to bend it for fashioning the timbers of their
canoes. As fishermen or seamen they can put on a woolding or seizing with
sufficient .strengdi and security, and are acquainted widi some of die most
simple and serviceable knots in use among us. In all the arts, however,
practised by the men it is observable that the ingenuity lies in the principle,
not in the execution. The experience of ages has led them to adopt the

* Ledyard. Proceedings of the African Association. Vol. i. p. 30.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 537

most efficacious methods, but their practice as handicrafts has gone no
further than absolute necessity requires ; they bestow little labour upon
neatness or ornament.

In some of the few arts practised by the women there is much more dex-
terity displayed, particularly in that important brahch of a housewife's busi-
ness, sewing, which even with their own clumsy needles of bone (11.) they
perform with extraordinary neatness. They had however several steel needles
of a three-cornered shape, which they kept in a very convenient case (25.)
consisting of a stri]) of leather passed through a hollow bone and having its
ends remaining out, so that the needles which are stuck into it may be drawn
in and out at pleasure. These cases were sometimes ornamented by cutting;
and several thimbles of leather, one of which in sewing is worn on the first
finger, are usually attached to it, together with a bunch of narrow spoons and
other small articles liable to be lost. The thread they use is the sinew of
the rein-deer (tooktoo twdlldb,) or, when they cannot procure this, the swal-
low-pipe of the neitick. This may be split into threads of diftcrent sizes,
according to the nature of their work, and is certainly a most admirable ma-
terial. This, together with any other articles of a similar kind, they keep in
little bags, which are sometimes made of the skin of birds' feet, disposed with
the claws downwards in a very neat and tasteful manner. (23.) In sewing,
the point of the needle is entered and drawn through in a direction towards
the body, and not from it or towards one side as with our sempstresses.
They sew the deer-skins with a " round seam," and the water-tight boots
and shoes are " stitched." The latter is performed in a very adroit and
efficacious manner, by putting the needle only half through the substance of
one part of the seal-skin, so as to leave no hole for admitting the water. In
cutting out the clothes the women do it after one regular and uniform pat-
tern, which probably descends unaltered from generation to generation.
The skin of the deer's head is always made to form the apex of the hood,
while that of the neck and shoulders comes down the back of the jacket ;
and so of every other part of the animal which is appropriated to its par-
ticular portion of the dress. To soften the seal-skins of which the boots,
shoes, and mittens are made, the women chew them for an hour or two toge-
ther, and the young girls are often seen employed in thus preparing the
materials for their mothers. The covering of the canoes is a part of the
women's business, in which good workmanship is especially necessary to
render the whole smooth and water-tight. The skins, which are those of

3 Z

538 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

the ntitick only, are prepared by scraping off the hair and the fleshy parts
with an ooloo, and stretching them out tight on a frame, in which state they
are loCt over the lamps or in the sun for several days to dry ; and after this they
are well chewed by the women to make them iit for working. The dressing
of leather and of skins in the hair, is an art which the women have brought
to no inconsiderable degree of perfection. They perform this by first
cleansing the skin from as much of the fat and fleshy matter as the ooloo
will take off", and then rubbing it hard for several hours with a blunt scraper,
called s'udo'ol, so as nearly to dry it. It is then put into a vessel containing
urine and left to steep a couple of days, after which a drying completes the
process. Skins dressed in the hair are however not always thus steeped ;
the women, instead of this, chewing them for hours together till they arc
quite soft and clean. Some of the leather thus dressed looked nearly as
well as ours, and the hair was as firmly fixed to the pelt, but there was in
this respect a very great difference, according to the art or attention of the
housewife. Dyeing is an art wholly unknown to them. The women are
very expert at platting, which is usually done with three threads of sinew ;
if greater strength is required, several of these are twisted slackly together
as in the bow-strings. The quickness Avith which some of the women plat
is really surprising ; and it is well that they do so, for the quantity required
for the bows alone would otherwise occupy half the year in completing it.

It may be supposed that among so cheerful a people as the Esquimaux there
are many games or sports practised ; indeed it was i-arely that we visited their
habitations without seeing some engaged in them. One of these our gentle-
men saw at Winter Island, on an occasion when most of the men were absent
from the huts on a sealing excursion, and in this Iligliuk was the chief per-
former. Being requested to amuse them in this way, she suddenly unbound
her hair, platted it, tied both ends together to keep it out of her way, and then
stepping out into the middle of the hut, began to make the most hideous faces
that can be conceived, by drawing both lips intd her mouth, poking forward
her chin, squinting frightfully, occasionally shutting one eye, and moving her
head from side to side as if her neck had been dislocated. This exhibition,
which they call dj/d/iit-tdk-pokc *, and which is evidently considered an ac-
complishment that few of them possess in perfection, distorts every feature

* This name, as -well as those of the other games I ^ii now describing is given in the third
person singular of the verb used to express the performance.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGK .539

in the most horrible manner imaginable, and would, I think, put our most
skilful horse-collar grinners quite out of countenance.

The next performance consists in looking steadfastly and gravely forward
and repeatingthe words tdbdJi-tabak, ktibo-ktibo, ktbdng-t-nu-to-tck , ktbangenutoeek,
dmdtdmd, amatama, in the order in which they are here placed, but each at
least four times, and always by a peculiar modulation of the voice speaking
them in pairs as they are coupled above. The sound is made to proceed
from the throat in a way much resembling ventriloquism, to which art it is
indeed an approach. After the last amatama Iligliuk always pointed with
her finger towards her body, and pronounced the word angetkook, steadily
retaining her gravity for five or six seconds, and then bursting into a loud
laugh, in which she was joined by all the rest. The women sometimes pro-
duce a much more guttural and unnatural sound, repeating principally the
word Ikkeree-ikkeree, coupling them as before, and staring in such a manner
as to make their eyes appear ready to burst out of their sockets with the exer-
tion. Two or more of them will sometimes stand up face to face, and with
great quickness and regularity respond to each other, keeping such exact
time that the sound appears to come from one throat instead of several.
Very few of the females are possessed of this accomplishment, which is
called pilkoo-she-rdk-poke, and it is not uncommon to see several of the younger
females practising it. A third part of the game, distinguished by the word
keifik-poke, consists only in falling on each knee alternately, a piece of
agility which they perform with tolerable quickness, considering the bulky
and awkward nature of their dress.

The last kind of individual exhibition was still performed by Iligliuk, to whom
in this, as in almost every thing else, the other women tacitly acknowledged
their inferiority, by quietly giving place to her on every occasion. She now
once more came forward, and letting her arms hang down loosely and bend-
ing her body very much forward, shook herself with extreme violence as if
her whole frame had been strongly convulsed, uttering at the same time, in
a wild tone of voice, some of the unnatural sounds before-mentioned.

This being at an end, a newexhibition was commenced in which ten or twelve
women took a part, and which our gentlemen compared to blind mans buff.
A circle being formed, and a boy despatched to look out at the door of the
hut, Iligliuk, still the principal actress, placed herself in the centre, and
after making a variety of guttural noises for about half a minute, shut her
eyes, and ran about till she had taken hold of one of the others, Mhose

a z 3

540 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

business it then became to take her station in the centre, so that ahnost every
woman in her turn occupied this post, and in her own peculiar way, either by
distortion of countenance or other gestures, performed her part in the t^ame.
This continued throe quarters of an hour and, from the precaution of placing
a look-out who was Mithdrawn when it was over, as well as from some very
expressive signs which need not here be mentioned, there is reason to
believe that it is usually followed by certain indecencies, with which their
husbands are not to be acquainted. Kaoongut was present indeed on this
occasion, but his age seemed to render him a privileged person; besides
which his own wife did not join in the game.

The most common amusement however, and to which their husbands made
no objection, they performed at Winter Island expressly for our gratifica-
tion. The females, being collected to the number often or twelve, stood in
as large a circle as the hut would admit, with Okotook in the centre. He
began by a sort of half-howling, half-singing noise, which appeared as if
designed to call the attention of the women, the latter soon commencing the
Arrma Ai/a song hereafter described. This they continued without variety,
remaining quite still while Okotook walked round within the circle ; his body
was rather bent forward, his eyes sometimes closed, his arms constantly
moving up and down, and now and then hoarsely vociferating a word or two
as if to increase the animation of the singers, who, whenever he did tiiis,
quitted the chorus and rose into the words of the song. At the end of ten
minutes they all left off at once, and after one minute's interval commenced
a second act precisely similar and of equal duration, Okotook continuing to
invoke their muse as before. A third act, which followed this, varied only
in his frequently towards the close throwing his feet up before and clapping
his hands together, by which exertion he was thrown into a violent perspira-
tion. He then retired, desiring a young man (who as we were informed was
the only individual of several then present thus qualified) to take his place
in the centre as master of the ceremonies, when the same antics as before
were again gone through. After this description it will scarcely be necessary
to remark that nothing can be poorer in its way than this tedious singing
recreation, which, as well as every thing in which dancing is concerned, they
express by the word mdmek-po/ce. They seem, however, to take great delight
in it ; and even a number of the men as well as all the children crept into
the hut by degrees to peep at the performance.

The Esquimaux women and children often amuse themselves with a game

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 541

not unlike our " skip-rope." This is performed by two women holding the
ends of a line and whirling it regularly round and round, while a third
jumps over it in the middle according to the following order. She com-
mences by jumping twice on both feet, then alternately with the right and
left, and next four times with the feet slipped one behind the other, the rope
passing once round at each jump. After this she performs a circle on the
ground, jumping about half-a-dozen times in the course of it, which bring-
ing her to her original position, the same thing is repeated as often as it can
be done without entangling the line. One or two of the women performed
this with considerable agility and adroitness, considering the clumsiness of
their boots and jackets, and seemed to pride themselves in some degree on
the qualification. A second kind of this game consists in two women hold-
ing a long rope by its ends and whirling it round in such a manner, over the
heads of two others standing close together near the middle of the bight,
that each of these shall jump over it alternately. The art therefore, which
is indeed considerable, depends more on those whirling the rope than on the
jumpers, who are, however, obliged to keep exact time in order to be ready
for the rope passing under their feet.

The whole of these people, but especially the women, are fond of music
both vocal and instrumental. Some of them might be said to be passionately
so, removing their hair from off their ears and bending their heads forward
as if to catch the sounds more distinctly, whenever we amused them in this
manner. Their own music is entirely vocal, unless indeed the drum or tam-
bourine before mentioned be considered an exception.

The voices of the women are soft and feminine, and when singing with
the men are pitched an octave higher than theirs. They have most of them
so far good ears, that, in whatever key a song is commenced by one of
them, the rest will always join in perfect unison. After singing for ten
minutes the key had usually fallen a full semi-tone. Only two of them, of
whom lligluik was one, could catch the tune as pitched by an instrument ;
which made it difficult with most of them to complete the writing of the
notes, for if they once left oft' they were sure to re-commence in some
other key, though a flute or violin was playing at the time.

There is not in any of their songs much variety, compass, or melody. In
the following specimens therefore which, in conjunction M'ith Mr. Hender-
son, I wrote down from their singing, I can only promise that the notes
arc correctly given, and that I have done my best to put them into the time

542

SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

in which they are sung. Unharmonious as they will appear to musical
ears, we thought them pleasing when sung in good time by a number of
female voices.

The first and mucli the most common of these is that in which tlie well
known Greenland chorus, " Amna «'/«," commences the performance, and
is introduced between each verse, constituting about five-sixths of the whole
song. When the words of the song are introduced, the notes rise a little for
three or four bars, and then relapse again into the same hum-drum chorus as
before, which to do it justice is well calculated to set the children to sleep.
The words of the song seem to be as interminable as those of " Chevy
Chace ;" for the women will go on singing them for nearly half an Jiour,
and tlien leave off' one by one, not with their story but their breath ex-
hausted.

They have a second song, varying from the preceding one very slighdy
in the tune, and accompanied by the same cliorus, but with ditferent
words.

The third and last is the most tuneful of any of their songs. The ter-
mination, which is abrupt and fanciful, is usually accompanied by a peculiar
motion of the head, and an expression of archness in the countenance
which cannot be described by words.

• •-! f-i-«-»-Ff-»^-#-|-»=i-»^- -

/-N

^S

'T^,

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 543

There is only one verse to this song, and that, from its commencing Avith
the word " pilletay," we supposed to be a begging one. Of the words of
their songs in general, I cannot, from my imperfect knowledge of their lan-
guage, pretend to speak very accurately. From the occasional introduction
of the words " sledge, canoe, spear," and others of that kind with which
we were acquainted, it is probable that their own exploits by sea and land
orm the principal subjects. The last song is not so often sung as tlie first,
which these cheerful creatures unconsciously strike up every hour in the
day, and which seems to beguile the time both to themselves and their
children, under almost any circumstances in which they can be placed. The
men seldom sing, and perhaps consider it unmanly ; for we never heard them
but at our request, and even then they soon left the women to finish
the ditty. Their province rather seems to be to invoke the muse of the
women at the games before described.

During the season passed at Winter Island, which appears to have been a
healthy one to the Esquimaux, we had little opportunity of becoming
acquainted with the diseases to which they are subject. Our subsequent
intercourse with a greater number of these people at Igloolik, having unfor-
tunately afforded more frequent and fatal instances of sickness among them,
I here insert Mr. Edwards's remarks on this subject.

" Exempted as these people are from a host of diseases usually ascribed to
the vitiated habits of more civilized life, as well as from those equally numer-
ous and more destructive ones engendered by the pestilential effluvia that
float in the atmosphere of more favoured climes, the diversity of their mala-
dies is, as might a p;w/ be inferred, very limited. But, unfortunately, that
improvidence which is so remarkable in their kindred tribes is also with them
proof against the repeated lessons of bitter experience they are doomed to
endure. Alternate excesses and privations mark their progress through life,
and consequent misery in one or another shape is an active agent in effect-
ing as much mischief amongst them as the diseases above alluded to pro-
duce in other countries. The mortality arising from a few diseases and
wretchedness combined seems sufficient to check any thing like a progressive
increase of their numbers. The great proportion of deaths to births that
occurred during the period of our intercourse with them has already been
noticed.

544 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

" It is doubtful in what proportion the mortality is directly occasioned by
disease. Few perhaps die, in the strict sense of the term, a natural death.
A married person of either sex rarely dies without leavintj destitute a parent,
a widow, or a helpless female infant. To be deprived of near relations is to
be deprived of every thing ; such unfortunates are usually abandoned to
their fate and too generally perish. A widow and two or three children left
under these circumstances were known to have died of inanition, from the
neglect and apathy of their neighbours, who jeered at the commanders of
our ships on the failure of their humane endeavours to save what the Esqui-
maux considered as worthless.

" Our first communication with these people at Winter Island gave us a
more favourable impression of their general health than subsequent experi-
•ence confirmed. There however they were not free from sickness. A
catarrhal affection in the month of February became generally prevalent,
from wliicli they readily recovered after the exciting causes, intemperance
and exposure to wet, had ceased to operate. A solitary instance of pleurisy
also occurred, which probably might have ended fatally but for timely assist-
ance. Our intercourse with them in the summer was more interrupted ; but
at our occasional meetings they were observed to be enjoying excellent
health. It is probable that their certain supplies of food, and the nomade
kind of life they lead in its pursuit during tiiat season, arc favourable to
health. Nutrition goes on actively, and an astonishing increase of strength
and fulness is acquired. Active diseases might now be looked for, but that
the powers of nature are providentially exerted with effect.

" The unlimited use of stimulating animal food, on which they are from
infancy fed, induces at an early age a highly plctlioric state of the vascular
system. The weaker over-distended vessels of the nose quickly yield to the
increased impetus of the blood, and an active hermorrhage relieves the subject.
As the same causes continue to be applied in excess at frequent intervals,
and are followed by similar effects, a kind of vicarious hemorrhage at length
becomes established by habit; superseding the intervention of art, and
having no small share in maintaining a balance in the circulating system.
The phenomenon is too constant to have escaped the observation of those
who have visited the different Esquimaux people ; a party of them has
indeed rarely been seen that did not exhibit two or three instances of the
fact.

" About the month of September, the approach of winter induced the Es-

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 545

quimaux at Igloolik to abandon their tents, and to retire into their more
established village. The majority were here crowded into huts of a perma-
nent construction, the materials composing the sides being stones and the
bones of whales, and the roofs being formed of skins, turf, and snow ; the
rest of the people were lodged in snow-huts. For a while they continued
very healthy ; in fact as long as the temperature of the interior did not exceed
the freezing point, the vapours of the atmosphere congealed upon the walls,
and the air remained dry and tolerably pure ; besides, their hard-frozen
winter stock of walrus did not at this time tempt them to indulge their
aj)petitcs immoderately. In January the temperature suffered an unseason-
able rise, some successful captures of walrus also took place, and these
circumstances, combined ])erhaps with some superstitious customs of which
we were ignorant, seemed the signal for giving way to sensuality. The
lamps were accumulated and the kettles more frequently replenished, and
gluttony in its most disgusting form became for a while "tiie order of the day.
The Esquimaux were now seen wallowing in filth, while some surfeited lay
stretched upon their skins enormously distended, and with their friends
employed in rolling them about to assist the operations of oppressed nature.
The roofs of their huts were no longer congealed, but dripping with wet and
tlireatening speedy dissolution. The air was in the bone-huts damp, hot,
and beyond sufferance ollensivc with putrid exhalations from the decomposing
relics of offals, or other animal matter permitted to remain from year to vear,
undisturbed in these horrible sinks.

" What the consequences might have been had this state of affairs long
continued it is not difficult to imagine ; but fortunately for them an early
and gradual dispersion took place, so that by the end of January few indi-
vidimls were left in the village. The rest in divided bodies established
themselves in snow-huts upon the sea-ice at some distance from the land.
Before this change had been completed disorders of an ii!flammatory charac-
ter had appeared. A few went away sick, some were unable to remove, and
others taken ill upon the ice, and we heard of the death of several about this
period.

" The cold snow-huts into which they had moved, though in rniitcly prefer-
able to diose abandoned, were ill suited to (he reception of people already
sick or predisposed, from the above-named causes, to sickness ; many of
them were also deficient in clothing to meet the rigorous weather that fol-
lowed. Nevertheless after this violent excitement had passed away a com-

4 A

546 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

paratively good condition of hoalth was enjoyed for the remainder of the^
winter and spriiif^ months.

" Their distance from the ships at once prechided any efl'ectJial assistance
beinj? rendered them at their huts, and their removal on board with safety;
the complaints of those who died at the huts therefore did not coine under
observation. It appears however to have been acute inflammation of some of
the abdominal viscera, very rapid in its career. In the generality the disetise
Jissunied a more insidious and sub-acute form, under which the patient
lingered for a while, and was then either carried ofl" by a diarrluea, or slowly
recovered by the powers of nature. Three or four individuals who, with
some risk and trouble, were brought to the ships, we were j)rovidentially
instrumental in recovering ; but two others almost hopeless patients were so
far exhausted before their arrival, that the endeavours used were unsuccess-
ful, and death was probably hastened by their removal.

" Abdominal and thoracic inflammations in fact seem to be the only active
diseases they have to encounter. Where a spontaneous recovery does not
take place these prove fatal in a short time. The only instance among them
of chronic sequels to those complaints occurred in an old man almost in
dotage, whose feeble remains of life were wasting away by an ulceration of
the lungs.

" No traces of the exanthematous disorders met our observation. A soli-
tary case of epilepsy was seen in a deaf and dumb boy, who eventually died.
Chronic rheumatism occurs, but it is rare and not severe. I have some
doubt in saying that scurvy exists among them. A disease however having
a close alhiiity to it was witnessed, but as in the only case tliat came fairly
under our notice it was complicated with the symptoms of a previous debili-
tating disease, the diagnosis was difficult. During the patient's recovery
from one of the abdominal attacks above mentioned, the gums were observed
to be spongy, separated from the teeth and reverted, bleeding, and in vari-
ous parts presenting the livid appearance of scorbutic gums. At the same
period arose pains of an anomalous description, and of considerable severity,
about the shoulders and thorax. These gradually yielded as he recovered
strength, but were succeeded by other pains and tenderness of the bones
and muscles of the thighs and legs. The citric acid was given to him freely
from the beginning until it interfered with his appetite and bowels, when
it was omitted. Topical applications Avere at the same time used, and after-
wards continued. Signs of amendment appeared before became necessary

OF A KORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 54?

to withhold the vegetable acid, and it Avas not recurred to while he remained
on board. Urged by impatience of control he left us to join his countrymen
before he had well regained his strength, but we saw him on board several
•times afterwards in a progressive state of improvement, and thougli yet weak
free from scorbutic symptoms. Another instance offered in a woman, whom
I saw but once. Her gums were spongy and reverted, but not discoloured,
her countenance sallow, lips pale, and she suffered under general debility,
without local pain or rigidity of the limbs. She remained in this state for a
long time, and eventually as the weather improved recovered without assist-
ance.

" That affection of the eyes, known by the name of snow-blindness, is ex-
tremely frequent among these people. With them it scarcely ever goes beyond
painful irritation, whilst among strangers inflammation is sometimes the con-
sequence. I have not seen them use any other remedy besides the exclu-
sion of liglit ; but, as a preventive, a wooden eye-screen is worn, very
simple in its construction, consisting of a curved piece of wood six or seven
inches long, and ten or twelve lines broad, (4.) It is tied over the eyes like
a pair of spectacles, lieing adapted to the forehead and nose, and hollowed
out to favour the motion of the eye-lids. A few rays of light only are
admitted through a narrow slit an inch long, cut opposite to each eye. This
contrivance is more simple and quite as efficient as the more heavy one pos-
sessed by some who have been fortunate enough to acquire wood for the
purpose. This is merely the former instrument, complicated by the addition
of a horizontal plate projecting three or four inches from its upper rim like
the peak of a jockey's cap. In Hudson's Strait the latter is common, and
the former in Greenland, where also we arc told they wear with advantage
the simple horizontal peak alone.

" There are upon the whole no people more destitute of curative means
than these. With the exception of the hemorrhage already mentioned, which
they duly aj)preciate, and have been observed to excite artificially to cure
head-ach, they are ignorant of any rational method of procuring relief. It
has not been ascertained that they use a single herb medicinally. As pro-
phylactics they wear amulets, which are usually the teeth, bones, or hair of
some animal, the more rare apparently the more valuable. In absolute sick-
ness they depend entirely upon their Angekoks, who, they persuade them-
selves, have influence over some submarine deities who govern their destiny.
The mummeries of these impostors, consisting in pretended consultations

4 A 2

548 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

with their oracles, are looked upon with confidence, and their mandates,
however absurd, superstitiously submitted to. These arc constituted of
unnieaniui,' ceremonies and prohibitions generally aftecting the diet, both in
kind and mode, but never in quantity. Seal's flesh is Corbidden, for instance,
in one disease, that of the walrus in the other ; the heart is denied to some
and the liver to others. A poor woman, on discovering that the meat she
had in her mouth Avas a piece of fried heart instead of the liver, ai)i)eared
horror-struck ; and a man was in equal tribulation at having eaten, by mis-
take, a piece of meat cooked in his wife's kettle.

" This charlatanerie, although we may ridicule the imposition, is not, how-
ever, with them, as it is with us, a positive evil. In the toial absence of the
medical art, it proves generally innoxious ; while in many instances it must
be a source of real benefit and comfort, by buoying up the sick spirit with
confident hopes of recovery, and eventually enabling the vital powers to rise
superior to the malady, when, without such support, the suft'erer might have
sunk under its weight. It was attempted to ascertain whether climate effected
any difference in animal heat between them and ourselves, by frequently
marking the temperature of the mouth ; but the experiments were neces-
sarily made, as occasion offered, under such various states of vascular excite-
ment, as to afford nothing conclusive. As it was, their temperature varied
from 97° to 102°, coinciding pretty nearly with our own under similar cir-
cumstances. The pulse offered nothing singular.

" I may here remark that there is in )uany individuals a peculiarity about
the eye amounting, in some instances, to deformity, which I have not noticed
elsewhere. It consists in the inner corner of the eye being entirely covered
by a duplication of the adjacent loose skin of the eye-lids and nose. This
fold is lightly stretched over the edges of the eye-lids, and forms as it were
a third palpebra of a crescentic shape. The aperture is in consequence ren-
dered somewhat pyriform, the inner curvature being very obtuse, and in
some individuals distorted by an angle formed where the Ibid crosses the
border of the lower palpebra. This singularity depends upon the variable
form of the orbit during immature age, and is very renuirkable in childhood,
less so towards adult age, and then, it would seem, frequently disappearing
altogether ; for the proportion in which it exists among grown-up persons
bears but a small comparison with that observed among the young.

" Person-al deformity from mal-conformation is uncommon ; the only
instance I remember being that of a young woman, whose utterance was

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 561

by Lieutenant Palmer, he describes as " being laid in a regular but shallow
grave, with its head to the north-east. It was decently dre.ssed in a good
deer-skin jacket, and a seal-skin prepared without the hair was carefully
placed as a cover to tlie whole (igurr, and tucked in on all sides. The body
was covered with flat pieces of limestone, which however were so light that
a fox might easily have removed them. Near the grave were four little
separate piles of stones, not more than a foot in height, in one of which
we noticed a piece of red cloth and a black silk handkerchief, in a second a
pair of child's boots and mittens, and in each of the others a whalebone
pot. The face of the child looked unusually clean and fresh, and a few
days only could have elapsed since its decease."

These Esquimaux do not appear to have any idea of the existence of One
Supreme Being, nor indeed can they be said to entertain any notions on this
subject, which may be dignified with the name of Religion. Their super-
stitions, which are numerous, have all some reference to the preternatural
agency of a number of toonigow, or spirits, with whom, on certain occasions,
the Anget/iooh pretend to hold mysterious intercourse, and who in various
and distinct ways are supposed to preside over the destinies of the Esqui-
maux. On particular occasions of sickness or want of food the Angetkooks
contrive, by means of a darkened hut, a peculiar modulation of the voice,
and the uttering of a variety of unintelligible sounds, to persuade their
countrymen that they are descending to the lower regions for this purpose,
where they force the spirits to communicate the desired information. The
superstitious reverence in which these wizards are held, and a considerable
degree of ingenuity in their mode of performing their mummery, prevent
the detection of the imposture, and secure implicit confidence in tliese absurd
oracles. My friend Captain Lyon having particularly directed his attention
to this part of their history during the whole of our intercourse with these
people, and intending to publish his Journal which contains much interest-
ing information of this nature, I shall not here enter more at large on the
subject. Some account of their ideas respecting death, and of their belief
in a future state of existence, have already been introduced in the course
of the foregoing pages, in the order of those occurrences which furnished
us with opportunities of observing them.

The language of the Esquimaux is so full of words, and so varied and
peculiar in the formation of its sentences, that it would require a much
longer acquaintance with these people, as well as far greater ability than

552 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

nunc, to give a satisfactory account of its grammatical construction. In the
few remarks which follow, 1 have taivcn as my guide Crantz's Account of tl.t;
language of Greenland, and have endeavoured to trace a resemblance or to
discover a ditference between the two, <is far as our knowledge enables us
to ascertain. They are in fact, however, so nearly allied to each other, that
it cannot but excite surprise to observe how slight a change time and distance
have been able to cflect in the language, as well as in the habits, of this
widely-scattered nation.

One of the principal difficulties experienced by an European in acquiring
a knowledge of this language, arises from the constant blending of the several
words of a sentence into one, not simply by joining them loosely together,
but by a regular combination of the whole, according to fixed yet infmitely
varied rules. Of this peculiarity Crantz * has given an instance or two,
which, though extreme cases, serve to shew the kind of difficulty which
occurs in distinguishing the separate words of whicli such a sentence is com-
pounded.

Several of our letters, taken according to the English mode of pronuncia-
tion, are not in use among these pcojile. The letter c may at all limes be
very well rcpresened by /c ; and /, j, q, v, x ; and z never, I believe, occur at
ad. Of about eiglit hundred words contained in the annexed Vocabulary,
1 can hud none beginning with the letters /j, d, g, I, r, ofiif. £) occurs
very seldom in the middle of a word, and d still more rarely ; and in most
cases these letters immediately precede the liquids / or r. It is worthy of
remark, that the only exception to this that I have met with occurs in three
«f the words used in the games already described, where the b is followed
by a vowel, as if, in the formation of these probably unmeaning words, as
well as in the mode of uttering them, something out of the common way
had been intended by the inventor. The letter/ being quite unknown to
them, the first attempt at the word " fife" produced " pipe," and it was not
till after mucli practice that they could pronounce even one of the f's with
distinctness.

I have remarked above that / is not used at the beginning of a word ; for
though it thus occurs in the conjunction loo, yet as this is invariably placed at

• II. 224, 225.

■f The words so spelt by Crantz ai-e, according to the Engl i si i pronunciation, more accu-
rately expressed by Oo, as in 0(vang-a. Nearly the same remark applies to the v of the
Missionaries, for which, in English, w must be substituted.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 553

the end of the noun or pronoun, it can hardly be considered an exception to
the rule. The Esquimaux ha(i great difficulty in pronouncing Captain Lyon's
name, which it was more convenient to them to change into Nayon. The
letter / occurs perhaps more frequently than any other in the middle of
Esquimaux words. The letters r and s are never pronounced as with us, but
in a thick guttural manner, the former approximating to the Northumbrian
dialect, and the latter to the Scotch ch, (as in the Avord "loch.") The mark
* over either of those letters in the Vocabulary is intended to express
that sound. The r at the beginning of a word is perhaps the least adapted
of any to their organs or habits of speech, and the combination of letters in
the v>'ord " spring" produced from them nothing nearer than " sh-pudding."
When the letter g is preceded by n, and followed by a vowel, as in anga and
pingahike, the g is sounded as in the English word " hanger," and not as
in " anger."

It is common for the Esquimaux to vary the pronunciation of their words
at different times without altering the sense. The women, iu particular,
seem frequently to make such alterations as conduce to the softness of the
words, as, for instance, by dropping the harsh final k which occurs so com-
monly, as, Innialoo iox Innialook ; by changing it into a vowel, as Ne-a-ko-a
for Necikoke, or by altering Oo-7e-ga into Oo-ing-a or Oo-7e-nui, and Hee-ii-
t^ga into Hce-u-iiug-a. Other examples of the same kind occur in the
Vocabulary.

The nouns substantive have three numbers, singular, dual, and plural.
The dual generally terminates with a k, and the plural M'ith a < or an ?/ ; to
these, however, there are some exceptions among the following words,
obtained by repeatedly using the words AUou'seuk (one), Madltroke (two), and
Oomoktoot (a great many) respectively.

Plural.

Keinian

Igloot

Angootit

Pannan

Innueet

Kabloonan

Took toot

Oomingmei.

In the construction of a sentence the nominative case usually precedes the
verb, except it be a personal pronoun, which appears always to follow the

4 B

Singular.

Dual.

Keiyak

Kei-nia

Igloo

Iglook

Ang-oot

Angootik

Pan-na

Pan-nak

Innuke

In-niike

Ka-bloo-na

Kabloonak

Took-too

Took-took

Oo-ming-muk

Oomingmak

554 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

verb, as " tamooa ooanj^a" (I cat), and indeed, in some instances, is so con-
nected with it as to form a sinj^lc word. The accusative case often ])rcccdes
the verb, as " Oinut tamooa ooanga" (I am eating heart). The adjectives
■which 1 have been able to discover arc so few that they are probably in this
language, as in that of Greenland, of rare occurrence. Articles, 1 believe,
tliey have none. The personal pronouns are as follow, nor could we distin-
guish any difterence of pronunciation between these and the possessive pro-
nouns. The latter always follow the substantive to which they belong.

/, Oo-an^-a Hr, Oma Yn, Illipsce

fig-weet TVe, Oo-a-goot They, Okkoa.

Ul-weet

The language of the Esquimaux abounds in verbs, there being a different
one for each of several expressions which, in other languages, are cither
comprehended under one general term, or require a number of words to con-
vey the meaning. To the instance quoted by Crantz (IT. 218.) of those
used to express Avhat avc call " to fish," I may add two others ; namely,
the variety of words they use for throwing a spear, or for putting on
their clothes, the verb being formed of the noun denoting the particular
kind of spear thrown, or the article of dress put on. This copiousness ren-
ders it the more difficult to acquire a knowledge of the moods and tenses,
especially when the words of a sentence are so closely blended as in this lan-
guage. The following arc the six persons of the present tense of the verb
■" to be well."

Nappa-woong-a / am

Nappa-wootik Thou art

Nappa-woke He is

Nappa-woot We are

Nappa-wootit Ye are

Nappa-wook They are

■ well, or in health.

The third person singular generally terminates in oh, and most of the verbs
in the Vocabulary are inserted in this person, which the Esquimaux more
commonly gave than any other. There appear to be, as in Greenland, two
imperative moods, one expressing a desire and the other a summary and
positive command. This last ends in it, as " Eiliarit igloomoot" (Go aAvay to
the huts), and, when spoken with seriousness by a man to his wife or child,
ensures immediate attention.

The only prepositions that I have noticed (if indeed parts of speech can

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 555

be so called which always follow the noun) are three ; namely, mi/c (at), as
*' Igloomikpoke," he is at the huts ; mee (in, upon, or, sometimes, at), as
*' Oomia-mce," in the ship ; " Sikkoomee," upon the ice ; " Amitio-mee,"
at Amitioke ; and moot (to), as " Ooagna-moot," to the westward. These
are always tacked on at the end of the noun, like que in Latin ; and so is the
conjunction loo (and), being pronounced with it, as if one word. A com-
mon interjection, expressing surprise and admiration, is Hei .' or Hei-i/d ! but
a superlative degree of astonishment, mixed with pleasure, is expressed by
the words A-tdmna-trdnee !

The Esquimaux make much use of winks and nods in conversing. The
former, which are always intended to convey a negative meaning, are fre-
quently the only reply made to a question, which a bystander might therefore
suppose to be still unanswered. A nod, as with us, implies the affirmative.
A peculiarity in the idiom of this language Avhich may here be noticed, is
the affirmation of a question put in the negative, in order to convey a nega-
tive reply, as " Have you not been out fishing to-day?" to which if a nega-
tive answer be intended the person says " Yes," or returns a nod, implying
*' I have not." I may also mention as another peculiarity in their mode of
expressing themselves, a common custom of speaking of a third person, not
by his own name but as " the father, husband, brother, ^c, of such a one,"
and this even when the individual so spoken of is brother to tlie person
speaking. Thus Iligliuk would often call her brother Toolooak " the son of
Ka-oong-ut." In mentioning names it is not uncommon for them to adopt a
mode of pronunciation differing from the correct one, and which (if tlie term
can at all be applied to an unwritten language,) may be called colloquial :
this consists in a change of the termination, as " Toolooaghioo" for Toolooak,
" Oongalaghioo ' for Ooug-a-luk, S,c., and appears equivalent to the familiar
diminutives of Christian names common among us. The proper names
in common use among these people are borrowed from the most familiar
objects in nature, and have no reference to the qualities of the possessor,
as among other savages of the Nortli American continent. The names are
common to both sexes (so at least we found them in \'arious instances) and
are usually given after some of the relatives of the parents, but only on one
occasion that we knew of, after the child's own parent. That they consider
the sun as feminine and the moon masculine (as, indeed, do the Green-
landers,) may be implied from the words " neiya" and " anninga," by which
those objects arc respectively called, but which literally mean " sister".

4 B 2

556 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY

and " brother." But the mmt of " tatkuk," by which the moon is likewise
distinguished, belonged to a female in the only instance we knew of its being
in use.

These Esquimaux arc no great proficients in die science of ariUunetic,
their numerals extending in general only to live, and then commencing again

thus :

Attuwseuk

Madleroke, or Ardlek .

Pingahuke .

Sittamat

Ted-lf~/'-ma

Six and seven are however sometimes expressed by Arguenrak and Argwcitrak-
loic-a, respectively ; and some of the more knowing individuals go so far as
ten, thus :

One,

or

Six.

Two

!»

Seven,

Three

:j

Eight.

Four

5'

Nine.

Five

))

Ten.

Kittuklee-moot

Eight.

Mikkeelukka-moot

Nine.

EeT-kit-koke

Ten.

But with these last, which have an evident reference to the fingers held up
to represent them, very few were acquainted. In counting even as far as
three they must use their fingers as auxiliaries, and before they arrive at
.seven generally make some mistake. Beyond nine they hold up both hands,
and if fifteen or twenty be required they make another person do the same,
but never use their toes in this way as in Greenland*. It distresses tiie
most intelligent person among them to exceed ten in numeration, and they
arc always glad to get ofl'by calling it oonobktoot, whicli may therefore imply
any number from a dozen to a million. For this reason their account of a
number beyond ten, unless it be of men or dogs, whose names they remem-
ber, and whicii may thus be set down as they repeat them, is never to be
depended on.

They reckon their days by " sleeps" (seenik), and their years by summers
or winters, according as the event of which they speak occurred about either
of those seasons. The spring they call opai-ruk, but like ourselves cannot
very exactly define the limits of that welcome season. They began however
about the latter end of March, to talk of Avhat had happened " in the win-
ter." They have probably some corresponding term to express the autumn,

* Crautz, II. 22.5.

OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 557

but we had no opportunity of learning it. In one instance I heard a time
described by the number of moons that had since elapsed, and with tolerable
precision ; but this mode of computation is not in common use, and was only
resorted to from the question being put in that way. We were not aware of
their making use of any other epochs, or large divisions of time, with one
of which, however, our own arrival among them is not unlikely to furnish
them. It is perhaps owing to their deficiency in numeration that their
mode of expressing any short interval of time beyond a single day is
extremely dubious and indefinite. For instance ikpoJikec-untc is used indif-
ferently to express yesterday, and several days, or even weeks ago, and
al-rd-nee any past period beyond a single year. If several years be spoken of
they either express it by repeating " alranee, alranee, alranee," or more
simply by the usual resource of " oonooktoot" (a great many,) and always
seem teazed and perplexed by more minute inquiry.

In expressing colours the same kind of uncertainty exists, except Avith
red, white, black, and grey. For blue and yellow the terms given by diftcr-
ent persons, or by the same person at different times, are seldom twice alike ;
and the confession of " ncUoo-ooanga" (I don't know^) generally follows a
closer inquiry. Dark blue they at once call black, and light blue or yellow,
Avhite ; as to green they scarcely ever pretend to give it a name, which, little
as they are accustomed to see that colour, is perhaps not much to be won-
dered at.

The foregoing remarks on the language of these people comprise all the
certain information I have been enabled to collect on this subject, during
the time of our residence with them, both at "Winter Island and Igloolik. I
shall close this brief sketch by the annexed vocabulary of words and sen-
tences *, in which great care has been taken not to insert any of which the
meaning is doubtful. That considerable caution is requisite in this respect
repeated experience has taught us, as well on account of the uncertainty
which must always attend a first communication witJi any peo])le whose
language is imperfectly known, as from the habit Avhicli the Esquimaux
have of repeating any word you say, as if for the purpose of affirming it,

* In acquiring information of diis nature, at the time of our first communication with the
Esquimaux, we were much assisted by a list of words and sentences in the Greenland lan-
guage, for wliich I am indebted to the unsolicited kindness of tlie Reverend C.I. Latrobe, a
gentleman well known and deservedly esteemeil in the Christian and literary world.

558 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY.

whereas their intention perhaps is only to get rid of the inquiry. It is very
common also for them when asked what a thing is, to give the name of the
material of which it is composed, or of the animal tliat furnished it, instead
of the name of the article in its j)resent state. If for insUinco, a stranger
should shew a pair of seal-skin mittens, and desire to know their name, an
Esquimaux would in all probability answer " neitiek," (seal,) or " amia,"
(skin,) and not mention " poo-a-look," till more closely questioned.

In the following collection of words, the mode of spelling adoj)ted has
been such as to render the pronunciation intelligible to an English person,
by attending to the foUovting examples of particular combinations of

letters : —

a to be pronounced as in father.

a terminal . . China.

e or ee . . . impede, feed.

ei . ... eider, eye.

oke .... smoke.

00 ... . root.

ow or ou . . . cow, foul.

uk . . . . hick.

uke . . . duke.

ut . . . . cut.

It is of some importance that the stress should be laid on the right
syllable, to ensure which the marks used in Latin prosody have been
adopted ; namely - long, and ^ short, the latter being usually understood
where no mark is ai)pUcd ; the mark ♦ as already obsorvcd, denotes a guttural
pronunciation.

VOCABULARY

OF

ESQUIMAUX WORDS AND SENTENCES.

Air, or weatlier. Also
or heaven .

In the open air
Afraid . . . .

,, he is , .

Alive, he is .
Alone, or by one's self
And, or also .
Andromeda tetragona

(plant)
Angry, he is . .
Arm, below the elbow

„ above the elbow
Arrived, or come he is
Arrow
Asbestos .
Auk, little
Aunt

Aurora Borealis .
Awaken, he does .
Away, or far oflf .

„ „ he is
Axe ....

sky,

. . See-la.

Seela-mSe.
. Eerk-see.
. Eerk-see-woke.

Innuo-woke.

Ke-see-mee.
. Loo.
r Ikke-u-tik, or
. L Ik-see-6o-tit.
. Erk-sissee-yak-poke
. Tei-yiik-a-nak.

Akkei-atkoa.
. Tikkeet-poke.
. Kakleoke.
. MUkoo-sha.

Ak-palli-anoo.
. Atta.
. Arksak.
. Tobpak-poke.
. Ow-a-nee.
. Ow-a-n7et-poke.
. OOlee-mow.

Back of a man

Kee-a-teeka.

„ of a whale or seal

Back-bone

Bad, it is . .

Bag, or pocket

Bald, he is .

Band for women's hair
Bark, he does

{

Bear, a

Beads ....
Beard, or mustachios .
Beat, he does
Bend, it does

Belly of a man . . .

„ of a whale, or seal
Berry, a . . . .
Big with young, she is .
Bird ....

Birch ....

Bite, he does . . . .

Arree-ang-a.

Kool-leeng-a.

Keimeg-lob-a.

Ma-ma-it-poke.

Ma-ma-in-mut.
. Ik-periuk.
r Mlt-ko-ee-j'eenuk.
i Nuya-foo-te-w6ke.
. To-glee-ga.
. Killo-mo-ak-poke.
r Nennook.
1 Naiinoke.
. Hu-nOw-yak.

Oo-mitkee.
. Tiglik-pakma.

Ning-ob-oke^

Neiyuk.

Neidiek.

Teema.

Pa-d8nii-rootik.

Sing-ei-woke.

Ting-mee-ya.

Oke-pfe-yak.

Ka-o-16ke-poke.

Mikkeek-poke

{

{

560

VOCABULARY OF ESQUIMAUX

Black, or dark-coloured, it is Kei-niuk-toke.

A-o&-nak-poke.

Bleed it does

Blood ....
Blow, he does .

„ it does (as a whale)
Blue, it is . .
Boatswain (bird) .

Boil, it does

Bone . • .

Book ....

Boot ....

f

A-ook-poke.

A-6o-nak.

Su-bloo-uk-tokepoke

Pob-ee-w6ke.

Kinv-look-poke.

Is-su-nak.

Kal-lak-poke.

Ikko-a-lak-poke.

Heovv'-nik.

Tjtterow-yak.

AUek-teenra.

„ he puts on li!s .
,, ankle boots

Bore, or drill, he does

Bow, for shooting

„ he shoots with a . .
„ for drilling .

Bow-case ....

Bowl of wood, like a but-
cher's tray ....

Box,

■i Mitko-leega.
(^ Kamee-ga.

Ka-meeg-poke.

Pinnee-ia-ra.

Ikkoo-tok-poke.

Pit-tce-kee.

Pitteek-seak-poke.

Kei-woot.

Pitteek-siek-tak.

Poo-oo-tid<.
Illee-we-ak.

Braces for children's clothes Hwee-te-u-ta.

Bracelet
Brains .
Brass .

Break .

Bread
Bread-dust
Breast of a woman
Breast-bone .

Breeches

he puts on his

Seap-pilng-a.
Kari-etak.
. Ka-ko-blek.

{Now-ik-poke.
Keek-to-ak-poke.
. She-ga-lak.

Ka-nib-roijt.
. Oo-ee-ag-nig.
. Toonek-il-a.
r Kaklee-ga.
I Kakleek.
. Kakleek-poke.

Brother

Brent-goose, or barnacle . Nur-glilk.

Bristles Oomia.

Kattangootee aneega
(or anninga.)
Brown, it is . . . . Kei-yoke-toke.
Buoy (made of an inllated

seal-skhi) . . . How-wut-tak.
Burn, it does . . . O-ii-nak-poke.

Button Iche-ree-yuk.

Butterfly, a . . . . Takkee-likkee-ta.

Calcareous spar .

Calm, it is

Canoe ....

,, he paddles a .
Cap, or hood . .
Charm, a skin strap worn as a, 06-ya-mee-ga

r Oolniak.

Oku-ree-yuk.

lUee-ung-nak-poke.

Kei-yak.

Kei-yak-to-poke.

Nei-seak.

Cheek

Chew, he does

Chin . . .

Clay-slate

Clench his fist, lie does

Climb, he does

Cloud

Coal

Cold . . .

Comb . . .

Come here

Oo-loo-a-ga.

Ang-oo-la-woke.

Kablooga.

Ow-wee-wiuk.

Eef-keet-poke.

Ma-yu-ak-poke.

Noo-woo-e-a.

Agga-e-a.

Ik-kee.

Ilia-u-tik.

Kei-lee. Karree.

(more commanding) Keiliarit.
he does
down
or go in
sliall I ? .

. Kei-wa.

Ka-noong-a.
. Ittiek.
• Ittiek-lang-a ?
„ out,itdoes(as an arrow) Kat-tak-poke.

Ang-et-kook.
Conjuror, or Sorcerer . . i Annat-k6-a.

Annatko.

WORDS AND SENTENCES.

561

Copper

Cough, he does
Crane (bird) .
Cn", he does .

. Ka-noo-yak.

Ko-fikto-poke.
. Tattee-lee-iiiuok.

Kei-a-woke.

Cup, or howl of musk-ox liom Kei-yu-tuk.

+
|- Sdwe-ak-poke.

Cut, he does . . • ■ i Sowe-roke-poke.

tuke-poke.

. •< oowe-r
L Pilliuk-

Danto, he does
Dark

„ it is
Dart for birds
Daughter
Dead, lie is .
Dirt

Dirtv, he is

Dive, he does

. Momek-poke.

, Tak.

. Tak-poke.

N6o-g66-ee.
. Panneeya. Pannee.
. Tokijo-woke.
. Ippuk.

r Ippiik-poke.

1 Oo-iu-ya.

r Atka-moke.

I At-kak-poke.

it does, as a seal into

I hole

Dos

Draba alpina (plant) .

Dream, he does

Dress viftiials, lie dot's

Dress (with clothes

i) he di

Drill, a . .

„ bow of .

„ he does .
Drink, he does
Driiiking-cup
Drop, it does, as wafer
Drown, he does
Drum, or tambourine

. Aglouk-poke.

r Mikkee.

I Kei-meg.

Nap-pob-yat.

+

Seenik-toomowoke.

Koo-Up-siuk-poke.

{Au-n6-ak-i)oke.
Kap-peet-poke.
Ik-koo-tak.
Kei-woot.
Ik-koo-tok-poke.
Immiek-moke.
Im-moo-L'hiuk.
Koo-td(5-ak-poke.
Ippee-woke.
Keilia-6\\--tik.

Drunk, he is
Dry, it is
Duck, king .
Duck, eider
Duck, long-tailed
Dust

Ear

East

,, to the
Eat, he does

Tokoo-yakpoke.

Pau-nek-iK)ke.

Mit-tiek.

Am-mow-liguok.

Al-dicrjjee-arioo.

Oke-oke.

Hee-ii-tee-ga.

Hee-u-tlng-a.

Nee-yuk.

Nee-yuk-mee.

Tamob-a-woke.

Mannig. P/.Mannian.

Ping-a-huke.

Kit-tuk-lee-moot.

Ping-a-hu-at.

Innucet (plur.)

S?ad-ler-me-&6.

Ikko-see-ga.

Ter-ree-ya.

Kablouna.

Kabloo-nak-ta.

Ei-ee-ga.

Illee-u-poke.

Kei-ma-rei-yak.

Ka-bloot-kee.

■ Ke-nar-rii.
Ke-niak.
E-u-kii-pokc.
E-il-kak-poke.
TinCT-iu"-oo-oke.
Ow-a-uee.

„ he is .... Ow-a-neet-poke.
Fat, he is .... Oo-in-nik-too-woke
Father Attata.

Father (or mother) in-law Sakkee.

4 C

Eight ....

Eighth , • . .
Esquimaux

„ (when strangers)
Elbow ....
Erniine ....
European (sub.) .

„ (adj.). . .

Eye

,, he has an inflamed
Eye-lash ....
Eve-brow

Face

Fall, it does .

„ the tide does
Far off .

562

Fawn, a ...

Feather

Female, of any aiiiuial
Fern ....
File, a . . . .
Finger, a . . .

„ the first

„ middle

„ third .

„ little .
Fire ....

Fish ....

Fish-hook ....

Five

Flesh of any animal
Flipper of a seal, fore

„ „ liind .
Foetus of a seal, or walrus
Foggy, it is ...
Food

Foot of man, or otlier animaK

Foot-print ....
Foreliead ....

Fork, a

Four

Fox

Fresh (not salt) .
Frost-bite ....
Frost-bitten, it is
Frozen, it is (as meat)
Full, he is

Garters for boots .

VOC.\Bl LARY OF ESQUIMAUX

I

1 Uwa

Noke-wa.
Shoolook. Plur.Shuo-

Uwa.
Ariig-na.
Oo-ee-beit.
Arree-yak.
Tik-kiek.
Tik-kee-e-rak.
Kei-tuk-lie-rak.
Mikkee-lie-rak.
Irkitkoa.
Ikkooma.
Ekkalook.
Ekkaloo-
Kakliokia.
Ted-lee-ma.
Neerkee.
Talla-ioo-ee.
Sikkoo-ee.
1 b-lSe-6w.
Tuk-siuk-poke.
Ta-m66-a.
• Itti-keik.
Itti-kut-ka.
Ittl-gei.
Tdo-nia.
Ka-ow-ga.
Kap-poo-loot.
Sitta-mat.
Terree-anee-aiidij.
Tei-seuk.
Kir-kee.
Kir-keet-poke.
Kir-kee-woke.
Akeio-toke-poke .

Nabloo-le6-ta.

Give . . .

Gloves

Go away (very commanding)

,, to the huts
Go ... .

„ shaU I ?
Gone far away, he is

Good, it or he is

Grandmother

Grass

Graze, it does (as a deer)

Great many

Green

Grey

Grow, it does (as a plant)

Growl lie does

Gull, glaucous

„ silvery .

,, Sabine .
Gums of a man
Gun, a . .

Hair, liuman .

„ of fur
Hand, a

Hare .
Harness for dogs

He

Head . .

Hear, he does
Heart

Pilletay.

Adee-eidlet.

Ei-liarit.

Eiliarit iglob-moot.

Annee. Attee.

Anneel-yiinga ?

Ow-dlak-poke.

Mamuk-poke.

Mamuk-mut.

In-h^-ta.

Ee-week.

Neeree-lek-poke.

Oonook-toot.

Oonook-poot.

Toong-ook.

Kei-er-i-a.

Now-oke.

Kattee-mak-poke.

Now-idioke.

Now-ya.

Erkeet-yuggee-aiioo.

It-keet-ka.

Hee-ek-k6ke-le?-gu.

Nu-ti-ak-ka.

Nu-yak-ka.
. Jlitko.
f I-yute-kii.
1 Addee-yut-ka.
. Oo-ka-lik.

An-noo.

Oma.

Oo-na.

Ne-a-koke.

Ne-a-kO-a.

To-chia-wat.

Omut.

WORDS AND SEXTEXCES.

563

Here

Heavy, it is . . . Oko-ma-it-poke.

Heel Kiin-mee-ga.

■ Minee.
Mei-ya.
M6\nig-a.
• OO-a.
Higli, tall, or large, he or it is, Ang-e-woke.

„ the land is . . Noon-ang-e-woke.
High, it is (applied to inani- r King-eet-poke.
mate objects orJy • • I Pook-too-woke.
High (as the sun) . Pow-na.

Hole, a Poo-too-a.

„ the circular, in a canoe Pa-kiut.
f Nei-seak.

Hood of a jacket, or a cap

„ he puts on his
„ he puts off his

Hop, he does

Horns of reia-deer

Hot, or wann

House-mate .

How ? . . .

Ho«" many ?

1 Nei-ke-a-ga.
Nei-seak-poke.
Nei-se-ek-poke.
Namiee-yak-poke.

Nag-ge-o.
. Ok-ko.
- Iglog-a-teega.
Kanno ?
r Kap-see ?
(. Kap-see-nee ?

How do you do ? .

Answer always made to
the above (literal sense
uncertain) . . .
Hummock of ice . .

Hungry, he is

Husband

Hut, or house

he is at the

Jacket, upper

Kaiinu-ik-pissee ?

Kanno-ing-ilta-goot.
Ma-nee-lia.
Nee-lik-poke.
Ka-lek-poke.
f Oo-ee-ga.
Oo-ing-a.
Oo-ee-ma.

igloo.

Igloo-mik-poke .
Cappee-tegga.

Jacket, under

r Atteega.
I Attee-ge-ga.
he puts on lus Attee-ge-woke.

Sikkoo.

Sikkoo-mee.

Picca-l^-yak.

Eert-kei-lee.

Kang-ek-loo.

Ice . .
„ upon tlie

Ice-berg .

Indians .

Inlet, a

Instrument of bone for dis-
covering seals under ice . Keip-kut-tuk.

Instrument used by women

for making holes . . . Ee-il-le-ii.
f Innia-look.

Intestines of any animal

Joint of ditto

Iron .

Iron-stone

Ivory

Just now (uicd for past
and future, also for
" wait") . . .

Just I

L Innia-loo.
Nab-goo-ang-a.
Sow-ik.

Kal-loog-nuk.
Too-wa.

Oo-it-tia.
■ A-meel-ya.

r A-meel-ya
{ It-ko-mee.

Kidney Tiik-to

Kill, he does .... T6-ki55-poke.

Knee Sit-ko-a.

Knife, an Esquimaux man's Panna.

„ other .... Pillia-wow-yak.

„ a clasp .... Okoo-tak-toke.

,, a woman's . . . Oo-loo.
Knot, a, he ties . Kei-luk-poke.

„ he unties . E-j-u-nug-poke.

Nelloo-ooanga.
Xelloo-ooanga na-iJ.

Know, I do not

Lamp of stone

Kood-le-(56k.
4 c 2

564

VOCABUL.\RY OF ESQUIMAUX

Lamp-trimmer (sometimes
of asbestos) .... Tat-ko.

Lip, lower

f Ka-kloo-ga.
I Kii-kloo-ak.

Lamp-black

. . Pa-iTo.

Listen, he does

. Na-liik-poke.

Land, or country (also a -

Little

. Mikkee.

plant) .

. Noona.

„ lie or it is

Mikkeet-poke.

Lapland finch

. Kerniuk-taiioo.

Liver of an animal

. Tiiig-6-a.

Laugh, he does

• Igla-poke.

I/oiig time ago

. Al-ia-nee.

Lay a thing down, he does E-lee-wa.

Look, he does

. Kei-niuk-j)oke.

Lead (metal)

. Ak-kil-le-rook.

Looking-glass

. Tak-hak-toot.

Leather, dressed .

. Kee-uk-tok.

Louse

. Koo-niuk.

Leg of a man, below tlie

knee

. . Kan-na-ia.

Make faces, he does

. Ikko-yuk-poke.

„ „ above ditto

Male of any animal

. Ang-oot.

or thigh

. Koke-to-kak.

Mark, a . . .

. In-nik.

Leg of a quadruped, below

the knee . . . . Nee-yoong-a.

Marmot, a

r Ikkiek.
I Sik-sik.

Lend, he does

. Atoke-poke.

Marrow .

. . Pattek.

Lie ... .

. Shag-loo.

Marrow-spoon

. Pattek-neiik.

„ you tell a

. Shag-loo-ik-i>Jotik.

Melt, it does .

. Koo.ssiuk-poke.

Lick, he does

. Allobk-toke.

Mica . . .

. Kei-ljlia-kO-a.

Lick it (imper.) .

. Allou-pa.

Milk . . .

. Im-mook.

, Ko-a-yow-tit.
. Tee-row-yat.
. Oka-yute.

Mitten .

. Po6-a-l(3ok.

Lichen, of three kinds

Moon, tlie

. An-ninga.

,, her name .

. Tat-kuk.

Light (not dark) it is

r Ka-o-mo-woke.
l Ka-o-mJik-poke.

„ is full .

„ is in lier quarte

. Nak-koke-poke.
. Kood-le-roke-poke

Light (not heavy) it is

Okit-tu-nuk.

„ shhies .

. Kow-mal-luk-poke

Lightning

. Kadloome-Ikkoijma.

Morning . .

. 06-blak.

Lights of an animal

. Akkeia-goa.

Moss ...

Man-nek.

Like this, or in this ma

(■ Immun-na.
nner <

[ Im-mun-nay.

Mother .

„ (as spoken by i

. A-ma-ma.
ifant.s) A-na-na.

„ it is .

. Immun-ittioke.

Mountain

. King-nak.

Lime-stone .

Kakote-tung-u-a.

Mouse

. Ow-in-yuk.

Line of thong

r AUek.
1 Akliiuak.

Mouth
Musk-ox

. Kan-nee-fa.
. Oomingmuk.

Line platted, of sinew

. Pellei-a.

Lip, upper

. Kakkee-we-a-ga.

Nail of finger, or toe

. Kookee.

WORDS AND SENTENCES.

565

Nail of ivory, for stopping
tlie wounds in seals, ^-r. .

Name

„ what is your ? .
„ what is his ?

Narwhal ....

Neck, or Throat .

Too-pjo-ta.

Atka. Dual, Attik.

Kee-wit ?

Kee-wow-na ?

Keina-lo6-a.

Toke-loo-ga.

Needle Mitkote.

Needle-case .
Nephew, or Niece
Nest, a bird's
Net over the lamp
Night ....

Nine

No

Negative, used with verbs
No more

Nod, he does . .

North

Attcrak.

Oyii-oga.

Oo-bloo-it.

Innetat.

Oo-niJo-ak.

Sltta-mat.

Mlkkee-luk-ka-mu6t.

Nak-ka.
. Na-o.

Ilia,
f Tug-wa.
L Tei-wah.

f Poong-ak-poke.
(. Ang-?k-poke.
Kan-nung-nak.
to the .... Kan-nung-na-inee.
the wiud blov.-sfrom the Kan-nung-niik-poke.
Akkood-lounawotik .
f Kei-nak.

North-east
Nose

Nostril
Now

Oil, or blubber

Old, he is

One ....

Open the door, he does

Ornamental liand for the head

of Esquimaux men . . .Muk-keed-vii-tik.

1. King-ara.
Pang-a.
Mang-a.

0-ku-a.

It-to7)t-koo-ak-poke.
At-tuu"-seuk.
Mak-pek-poke.

Ornament of brass or copper,

worn on the forehead by

Esquimaux women . . Kow-woot.
Overset, it does . . . King-noo-woke.
Owl Ook-pee-guak.

Paddle, a . . .
„ a canoe, he does

Pimple

Pin, a

Plant, a .

Plat, I do

Plover, golden

Pluck off, he does

Plug, cork, or stopper
used for islands lying in
the middle of channels) Khemig.

Plug, or Stop up, he does . Khemig-pa

Pocket, or Bag . . . Ikperiuk.

Poppy {Papavcr Nudicaulc) 0-suke.

Pa-oo-tik.

Kei-yak-to-poke.

Kang-i-ing-mang-a.

Too-poo-tow-yak.

Noona.

Pelleray-oonga.

Toudlee-arioo.

E-re-tak-poke.

(also

Pot for cooking
Pot-stone

Pull, he does

„ one's hair, he does

Push, he does

Pj'rites, iron .

0ot-k%-seek.
Oot-koo-seek-seak.
I" Nu-huke-poke.
[ Nou-kit-poke.
. Nu-yak-to-poke.
r Nee-pak-poke.
I A-yow-iik-poke.
. Inneuk.

Quartz, or any stone like it Too-noo-yak.

Rain, it does
Raven

Raw (as meat)
Red, it is
Rib, small

Mak-kojk-poke.

Toc-16o-ak.

Mik-ke-uk.

A-55-pa-I6i3k-poke.

Na-tat-ko-a.

566

VOCABULARY OF ESQUIMAUX

Rib, large

Riglit, that is

Ring, for the finger

Ring, it does (as metal)

Rise, it does (as the tide)
River, or Stream
Roll, it does .
Rough, it is .
Round, it is
Rub, he does
Ruff for the ueck
Run, he does
Run, it does (water) .

,, ,, ,, last .

„ „ „ slowly

Rust, it does

■{'

Tiiolemak.

' Ti-rauii-na.

, Ti-mun.

Ikkut-komeo-taria.

r Hu-a-nuk-pa-took-

poke.

Oo-ling-o6-oke.

. Koo.

. Aksea-ka-a-woke.

. Maiineeliut.

. Ailg-ma-lo-ik-poke.

. Al-lar-tuk-poke.

. Nak-see-anga.

Akpa-yuke-poke.

Koo-ook-poke.

+

Suka-woke.

. Su-keit-poke.

. Okook-poke.

Salt, or Salt-water, also the

Sea .... Tarreoke.

Sand Seokat.

Sand-piper . . . Slggee-aree-arioo.

,, Swiss . . . TeHJlee-firioo.
Saw, a Kibloo.

„ he does .... Oo-lijo-ak-poke.
Saxifraga Oppositifolia

(plant) . . . Kakeed-lang-nut.
Scissars, a pair of Kiblee-6w-tik.

Scraper, for cleaning skins Seak-koot.
Scratch, he does . . Koo-mik-poke.

Seal, large (Phoca Barbata) Oguke.

„ small ( ,, Hispida) Neitiek.

,, middle-sized . . Kairolik.

„ young of the . . Ibleeow.
Sealing excursion, he is gone r Neitiek-poke.

on I Ma-iite-poke.

Seal-hole

Sew, she does

Shade for the eyes
Shave, he does
Shell of a snail

Agloo.
C Argwenrak-towa.

Madk-roke.
I Tikkeenioot.
C Mik-tiek-poke.
[ Merk-siek-poke.

Ittee-yaga.

Oo-mi-ak-poke.

+

Seu-te-ro5k.

Shine, it does (as the moon) Kow-mal-luk-poke.

Ship, or Boat

„ at, or onboard the
Shoe

Shoulder

Shrimp .
Shut the door, he
Sick, he is
Sigh he does .
Silver, or Tin
Sinew
Sit down
Sister .

„ in-law .
Six . . .
Sing, he does

Skin . .

does

Ooniiak.

Oom^ameS.

Ittee-ge-ga.

Too-ee-ga.

Ne-ga-bl6-a.

Pamee-uo-lS.

Sikkee-woke.

Annee-ak-poke.

Annek-seak-poke.

Im-root.

E-wal-loo.

Ingit-poot.

Kattang-ooteeNeiya.

OkSft-ai-ra.

Argwenrak.

Imniek-poke.
f Ameg.
1 Amia.

Ka-6w.

Kei-seek.

Mak-tuk.

„ of walrus

„ of oguke

„ of whale
Skin-vessel, placed under a

lamp Ai-nag-we-u.

Skin-vessels, small bucket- f Kei-ning-rak.

shai}ed L Kat-tak.

Skins of deer, made into a

blanket .... Keipik.

WORDS AND SENTENCES.

.567

Skip a rope, he does

Sky

Sledge, a

„ he draws a .
Sleep, he does
Slide down, it does
Sling for stones .
Small

Smell, he does

Smoke. Also Fog

it does .

Smooth .
Snare for birds
Sneeze, you do
Snore, he does
Snow

,, it does .
Snow-drift

„ there is some

Snow-goose .
Snow-bunting

Son .

„ she bears a

Sore, it is

Sorrel
Soup
South .

„ to the
South-west
Spade for snow
Spear for small seal

KallSe-wuk-tak-toke

Arnow-yak-toke.

Keiluk.

See-la.

Ka-moo-tik.

Kamook-see-erra-poke

Seenik-poke.

Sittoo-woke.

lUew.

Mikkee.
r Nei-woke.
I Nei-wa.

Lssiek.
f Issiek-poke.
(. Pe-u-6ke-poke.

Manneera.

Nee-yak.

Tageo-ixwtik.

Kamixj-e-woke.

Appoo.

Kan-ne-uk-poke.

Nattee-roo-ik.

Nattee-roo-ik-poke.

Kang-ook.

Kopenno-acca-u.
r Eeining-a.
l Eef-nee-ra.

Eernee-woke.

{A-ang-mut.
A-a-poke.
Koug-o-lek.
Kayo.

Ping-img-nak.
Ping-ung-na-niee.
Oo-agnartt.
Poo-alle-ray.
Oo-nak.

Spear for large seal . Aklee-ak, orAkleega.

,, „ walrus and whale Katteelik.

Ippoo.
Kakkee-wei.

„ „ deer .
„ ,, salmon

Spit, he does
Spittle

Spoon

Spirit

Spring .
Square, it is .
Squint, he does
Stab, he does
Star .

Star-fish .

Kei-se-uk-poke.
Noo-a-ga.

{Ilia-oot.
AUoo.
C Toorngow.
1 Toorng-a.
Open-ia.
Kik-parrik-poke.
Nak-koo-woke.
Kappee-woke.
Oo-bloo-Hak.

r Addee-yuggSI-yu-e-
L yet.

Stand up . . Nekko-lgliee.

Steal, he does . . . Tiglik-poke.

Stone Oo-yar-ra.

„ for sharpening a knife Ar-ree-yak.

Straps used by women for

. carrying their children . Kakeo-mowtik.

Strike, he does . . . Toke-pa.

String of a bow . . . No-ak-ta.

(■ Amama-lak-poke.
Suck at the breast, he does <

L Millu-kiik-poke.

Suckle a child, she does Ama-mdok-poke.

Sun, the Nei-ya.

„ its name . . . Suk-ke-niik.

,, rises .... Ne-we-woke.

„ sets .... Xip-pe-woke.

Summer 0\v-yak.

„ in the .... Ow-ya-mee.

Swallow-pipe of an animal Iggee-ang-a.

Swan Ko-guke.

Sweat, he does . . . Ow-m"idia-poke.

56S

VOCABULAUV OF ESQUIMAUX

Swim, he does
Surprised, he is

luimaroke-poke.

Nalliike-poke.

Naimerak-poke.

Tall, he is . . Anai-e-woke.

r Okad-luk-puke.
Talk, he does , . . <

L Okak-poke.

Tail of a quadruped . . Paraee-yoong-a.

Tail of a whale, seal, ^-c. Seak-peek.

Take, (also used for adopt) Teego.

Tattooing .... Ka-kee-na.

Tear, lie does . . . AUlk-poke.

Ten Eerkit-koke.

Tent Too-pek.

Tent-pole .... Kau-na.

Thanks Koyenna.

r Oo-na.
That i

[ Tam-na.

{Ta-ma-nee.
Ta-mei-ya.

f Okkoa.

Thev <

I Kat-ko-a.

Thief TigHkloke.

Thimble Tikkiek.

r Koo-Hinee-woke.
Thin, he is . . • • \ Sead-poke.

L Sead-mut.
Those Mak-k5-a.

Thread a needle, she does . Noo-woT'-woke.

Throat Toop-koo-ee-ul-yuk.

Throw a spear, he does . Akle-ak-poke.

„ a stone „ . . Me-lo-?i-ak-poke.

Throwing-stick . . . Noke-shak.

Three Ping-a-hiike.

Third Ping-a-hu-at.

Tiiumb Koo-bloo-ga.

Thunder, it does . . . Kad-liik-poke.

Too, And, or

Also .

. Loo.

To-day .

. Oo-bloj-mee.

Toe, great

Put-oo-go.

„ seeoiid

. Tikkce-e-rak

„ third
„ fourth

. Kei-tuk-klierak e .:
. Mikkee-lierak I «

„ little

. Ir-klt-ko-a. j -

To-niorro\v

. Ak-ka-go6.

The day after to-morro\\'

f Akkagoo-oong-a-lee.
a-goo.
Akkagoo-oong-a-lee-

'• a-nee.

Tongue Okkfira.

Tootli Ke-ii-teet-ka.

Touch, he does . . . Ak-tuke-pa.

Tickle, he does . , , Koo-ee-nugge-wak.

Trap, a Pood-lut.

Tremble, he does . . . Pang-a-lik-poke.

Tree, a Na-pak-to.

Triangular, it is . . . Ni^oluS-aj'rik-poke.

Trim a lamp, she does , Tatkiuk-poke.

Turnstone (l)ird) . . . TalHg-wee-aiioo.

r Madleroke.

Two -; -

I Ardlek.

Uncle ....
Unclench his fist, he docs

Undress, you do . , .

,, he does

Unplug, he does
Upside down, it is

. Ang-a.

. Issee-weet-poke.

r Makta-pootik.

L Marta-pootik.

r Mattak-poke.

I. Teide-oke-poke.
Noo-s!'.ook-pa.
. Kood-yung-a-woke.

Vaccinum Uliginosum (plant) Okow-yet.
Valley, or Low-land . . Nak-seak.
Very, or Extremely . . Lu-kow-nee.

WORDS AND SENTENCES.

569

Wait. (See " Just now")
Walk, he does

n .1, last ,

„ „ slowly .
Walrus

„ lie is gone to kill .

Warm

Wart, a

Wash, he does

Water

„ in or on the . .
Water-fall ....
We, or Our . . . .
Weed, sea (tangle)

,, ,, another kind .
Well, he is . . . .
West

„ to the . . , .

„ wind blows from the
• Wet, it is . . . ,

Whale

,, bone . . . .
„ blubber, or oil .

What

What is that ? . . .
When? ....

Where?

„ speaking of a distant
place
Whet a knife, he does
Whine, or Ciy, he does
Whip, a

,, he does . . . .
Whisper, he does

Oo-it-tia.
Pe-huke-poke.
Otuk-tak-poke.
Pe-hu-ei-ak-poke.
Ei-u-ek.
Ei-ii-ek-poke.
6ke-ko.
Oong-nuS-a.
Eermik-poke.
Immek.
Im-mek-mee.
Kog-lo-nuk.
Oo-a-gotit.
Kitku-a.
Min-nu.
Nappa-woke.
Oo-ag-nuk.
Oo-ag-na-mee.
Oo-ag-na-moot.
Oo-ag-niik-poke.
Kow-ee-uk-poke.
Agga-wek.
Heoke-kiik.
Ok-u-5.
Su-na.
Su-mee.
• Su-mig.
Suna Oona ?
Kakkogo ?
Kang-a ?
Nem-moot ?

■ Nem-moS-mee ?
Af-fe-ak-poke.
Kei-ya-woke.
Ippee-ra-o-tuk.
Ippee-ra-i'-oke-pokc.
lisee-be-yuke-poke.

Wliistle, he does . . . Oo-in-ya-to-poke.

White, or any light colour,

it is . . . . Kow-dlook-poke.

r Ke-na ?

Who? J

I Pe-na ?

AV^hoisthat? . . . KenaOona?

Whose ? Ke-a ?

r Nool-lee-a.

Wife

Willow, flower of, used as

tinder
Wind . . .

„ blows fresh

,, blows hard
Wind-pipe
Window
Wink, he does
Winter .
Wolf . .
Wolverene ? .
Woman ; or Female gene-
rally .
Wood

„ grows ....
Woold, he does

Wrist . .

. Nool-lSe-ang-a.

Hu-pob-tik.

A-no-ee.

Pek-siek-jx)ke.

Anno-kliik-poke.

Toch-166-a.

Ig-gul-lak.

Sikkoo-niuk-poke.

Okeoke.

Amaioke.

Kablee-arioo-

. Afng-na.
Kei-yu.

Kei-yu-kak-poke.
Nim-me-uk-poke.

{Al-ydn'-tee-ga.
Adee-yow-te-ga.
Tittee-rak-poke.
Eiteow-poke.
Toong-ook-poke.
Ap.
Ik-pOke-yuk.

Write, or Draw, he does
Yawn, he does
Yellow, it is . .

Yes

Yesterday

„ The day before (used
also for some time ago) Ik-pok-kee-a-neS.
■ Ig-weet.
■weet.

„ (plural) .... lUip-see.
Young, he is . . . . Mak-koke-poke.

4 D

You, (singular)

III-

570

ESQUIMAUX

NAMES OF PLACES.

Southampton Island

Chestertirld Iidet

Land to tlie southward of ditto

Wager River

Beach Poiut

Ueinilse Bay, and the land about it

Haviland Bay

Island off ditto

Bushnan Island

Vansittart Island

Georgina Island

Gore Bay

Cape Martineaii, and land about it

Lyon Inlet, and all the country about it

Hoppner Inlet

Norman Creek

Sherer Creek, and the land about it

Ross Bay

Winter Island

Crawford Island

The Island off Cape Wilson .

Barrow River

Coxe Islands, the largest of thera

Orraond Island

" The land of Sead-ler-me<)5."

Ikkee-rei-seuk.

Noo-wook.

Oot-koo-leek-sa-ltk.

Tei-yag-nak.

Ei-wil-lik.

How-wiit-tak-pat-te-iik;

Oo-glee-ru-ok:

Ikkaloo-llguok;

Na-guke-to.

Ow-littee-week

Ittee-re-66k;

Noo-ood-ii-ok.

Mrdluke-se-ta.

Tal-lcWt:

Neeb-wa-wik.

King-miduok.

Karreak,

Ne-yu-ning Eit-du-a

Too-nood-luk.

Ow-littee-week.

Seag-gasse-6-wik

Khe-mig.

Khe-mig.

ESQUIMAUX NAMES OF PLACES.

57]

Quilliiim Creek

The Land about Cape Matthew Smith

Bouverie Islands

Tern Island

Analierst Island

Liddon Island

Cockbui-n Island. Also some otliers

^Vhyte Inlet

Islands off Aiitridge Bay

}

both called

Kang("k-]<156.
Khiad-lagliioo.

Ooloolisiarnen.

* w M
Se-o-\vak

Seag-gli3r-ru-ok

Keiyiik-tarruoke.
E we^-ta-oke- toke.
Appee-tier-lCg-leek.

THE END.

4 D 2

Page

lin'

143

8

157

14

177

9

2S2

8

402

8

430

9

434

3

488

20

492

7

49S

ni

543

7

544

in

540

la

ERRATA.

for " difference," read " dilfidence."

for " bay but; the," read " bay; but the."

for " pa r," read " pair.'"

omit ■' the."

for " this her," read " her and."

from bottom, omit one " that."

do. after " on which," insert " we."

for " late," read " lately."'

from bottom, before *' the,'" add '^ off."
note t, for " nations," road " natives."

for " orm," read " form."

from bottom, for " hermorragc," read " hemorrhage."
last line, between " before," and " because," insert, " it."

LONDON:
PRINTED BY W. CLOWES.

NoTthumbcTlaDd'Coun-

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