Journal of the Third Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage Part 2

In order to obtain oil for another winter's consumption before the s.h.i.+ps could be released from the ice, and our travelling parties having seen a number of black whales in the open water to the northward, two boats from each s.h.i.+p were, with considerable labour, transported four miles along sh.o.r.e in that direction, to be in readiness for killing a whale and boiling the oil on the beach, whenever the open water should approach sufficiently near. They took their station near a remarkable peninsular piece of land on the south side of the entrance to Jackson's Inlet, which had on the former voyage been taken for an island. Notwithstanding these preparations, however, it was vexatious to find that on the 9th of July the water was still three miles distant from the boats, and at least seven from Port Bowen. On the 12th, the ice in our neighbourhood began to detach itself, and the boats under the command of Lieutenants Sherer and Ross being launched on the following day, succeeded almost immediately in killing a small whale of "five feet bone," exactly answering our purpose. Almost at the same time, and as it turned out very opportunely, the ice at the mouth of our harbour detached itself at an old crack, and drifted off, leaving only about one mile and a quarter between us and the sea. Half of this distance being occupied by the gravelled ca.n.a.l, which was dissolved quite through the ice in many parts and had become very thin in all, every officer and man in both s.h.i.+ps were set to work without delay to commence a fresh ca.n.a.l from the open water, to communicate with the other. This work proved heavier than we expected, the ice being generally from five to eight feet, and in many places from ten to eleven, in thickness. It was continued, however, with the greatest cheerfulness and alacrity from seven in the morning till seven in the evening daily, the dinner being prepared on the ice and eaten under the lee of a studding sail erected as a tent.

On the afternoon of the 19th a very welcome stop was put to our operations by the separation of the floe entirely across the harbour, and about one-third from the s.h.i.+ps to where we were at work. All hands being instantly recalled by signal, were on their return set to work to get the s.h.i.+ps into the gravelled ca.n.a.l, and to saw away what still remained in it to prevent our warping to sea. This work, with only half an hour's intermission for the men's supper, was continued till half-past six the following morning, when we succeeded in getting clear. The weather being calm, two hours were occupied in towing the s.h.i.+ps to sea, and thus the officers and men were employed at very laborious work for twenty-six hours, during which time there were, on one occasion, fifteen of them overboard at once; and, indeed, several individuals met with the same accident three times. It was impossible, however, to regret the necessity of these comparatively trifling exertions, especially as it was now evident that to have sawed our way out, without any ca.n.a.l, would have required at least a fortnight of heavy and fatiguing labour.

CHAPTER V.

Sail over towards the Western Coast of Prince Regent's Inlet-Stopped by the Ice-Reach the Sh.o.r.e about Cape Seppings-Favourable Progress along the Land-Fresh and repeated Obstructions from Ice-Both s.h.i.+ps driven on Sh.o.r.e-Fury seriously damaged-Unsuccessful Search for a Harbour for heaving her down to repair.

_July_ 20.-On standing out to sea, we sailed with a light southerly wind towards the western sh.o.r.e of Prince Regent's Inlet, which it was my first wish to gain, on account of the evident advantage to be derived from coasting the southern part of that portion of land called in the chart "North Somerset," as far as it might lead to the westward; which, from our former knowledge, we had reason to suppose it would do as far at least as the longitude of 95, in the parallel of about 72. After sailing about eight miles, we were stopped by a body of close ice lying between us and a s.p.a.ce of open water beyond. By way of occupying the time in further examination of the state of the ice, we then bore up with a light northerly wind, and ran to the south-eastward to see if there was any clear water between the ice and the land in that direction; but found that there was no opening between them to the southward of the flat-topped hill laid down in the chart, and now called Mount Sherer.

Indeed, I believe that at this time the ice had not yet detached itself from the land to the southward of that station. On standing back, we were shortly after enveloped in one of the thick fogs which had, for several weeks past, been observed almost daily hanging over some part of the sea in the offing, though we had scarcely experienced any in Port Bowen until the water became open at the mouth of the harbour.

On the clearing up of the fog on the 21st, we could perceive no opening of the ice leading towards the western land; nor any appearance of the smallest channel to the southward along the eastern sh.o.r.e. I was determined, therefore, to try at once a little farther to the northward, the present state of the ice appearing completely to accord with that observed in 1819, its breadth increasing as we advanced from Prince Leopold's Islands to the southward. As, therefore, I felt confident of being able to push along the sh.o.r.e if we should once gain it, I was anxious to effect the latter object in any part rather than incur the risk of hampering the s.h.i.+ps by a vain, or, at least, a doubtful attempt to force them through a body of close ice several miles wide, for the sake of a few leagues of southing, which would soon be regained by coasting.

Light winds detained us very much, but being at length favoured by a breeze, we carried all sail to the north-west, the ice very gradually leading us towards the Leopold Isles. Having arrived off the northernmost on the morning of the 22nd, it was vexatious, however curious, to observe the exact coincidence of the present position of the ice with that which it occupied a little later in the year 1819. The whole body of it seemed to cling to the western sh.o.r.e, as if held there by some strong attraction, forbidding, for the present, any access to it.

We now stood off and on, in the hope that a southerly breeze, which had just sprung up, might serve to open us a channel. In the evening the wind gradually freshened, and before midnight had increased to a strong gale, which blew with considerable violence for ten hours, obliging us to haul off from the ice and to keep in smooth water under the eastern land until it abated; after which not a moment was lost in again standing over to the westward. After running all night, with light and variable winds, through loose and scattered ice, we suddenly found ourselves, on the clearing up of a thick fog, through which we had been sailing on the morning of the 24th, within one-third of a mile of Cape Seppings, the land just appearing above the fog in time to save us from danger, the soundings being thirty-eight fathoms, on a rocky bottom. The _Fury_ being apprised by guns of our situation, both s.h.i.+ps were hauled off the land, and the fog soon after dispersing, we had the satisfaction to perceive that the late gale had blown the ice off the land, leaving us a fine navigable channel from one to two miles wide, as far as we could see from the mast-head along the sh.o.r.e. We were able to avail ourselves of this but slowly, however, in consequence of a light southerly breeze still blowing against us.

We had now an opportunity of discovering that a long neck of very low land runs out from the southernmost of the Leopold Islands, and another from the sh.o.r.e to the southward of Cape Clarence. These two had every appearance of joining, so as to make a peninsula, instead of an island, of that portion of land which, on account of our distance preventing our seeing the low beach, had in 1819 been considered under the latter character. It is, however, still somewhat doubtful, and the Leopold Isles, therefore, still retain their original designation on the chart.

The land here, when closely viewed, a.s.sumes a very striking and magnificent character, the strata of limestone, which are numerous and quite horizontally disposed, being much more regular than on the eastern sh.o.r.e of Prince Regent's Inlet, and retaining nearly their whole perpendicular height of six or seven hundred feet, close to the sea. The south-eastern promontory of the southernmost island is particularly picturesque and beautiful, the heaps of loose _debris_ lying here and there up and down the sides of the cliff giving it the appearance of some huge and impregnable fortress, with immense b.u.t.tresses of masonry supporting the walls. Near Cape Seppings, and some distance beyond it to the southward, we noticed a narrow stratum of some very white substance, the nature of which we could not at this time conjecture. I may here remark that the whole of Barrow's Strait, as far as we could see to the N.N.E. of the islands, was entirely free from ice; and from whatever circ.u.mstance it may proceed, I do not think that this part of the Polar Sea is at any season very much enc.u.mbered with it.

It was the general feeling, at this period, among us, that the voyage had but now commenced. The labours of a bad summer, and the tedium of a long winter, were forgotten in a moment when we found ourselves upon ground not hitherto explored, and with every apparent prospect before us of making as rapid a progress as the nature of this navigation will permit towards the final accomplishment of our object.

Early on the morning of the 25th, we pa.s.sed the opening in the land delineated in the former chart of this coast, in lat.i.tude 73 34', which we now found to be a bay about three miles deep, but apparently open to the sea. I named it after my friend, Hastings Elwin, Esq., of Bristol, as a token of grateful esteem for that gentleman. The wind falling very light, so that the s.h.i.+ps made no progress, I took the opportunity of landing in the fore-noon, accompanied by a party of the officers, and was soon after joined by Captain Hoppner. We found the formation to consist wholly of lime, and now discovered the nature of the narrow white stratum observed the day before from the offing, and which proved to be gypsum, mostly of the earthy kind, and some of it of a very pure white. A part of the rock near our landing-place contained a quant.i.ty of it in the state of selenite in beautiful transparent laminae of a large size. The abundance of gypsum hereabouts explained also the extreme whiteness of the water near the whole of this part of the coast, which had always been observed in approaching it, and which had at first excited unnecessary apprehensions as to the soundings along the sh.o.r.e. This colour is more particularly seen near the mouths of the streams, many of which are quite of a dirty milk colour, and tinge the sea to the distance of more than a mile, without any alteration in the depth, except a gradual diminution in going in. The vegetation in this place was, as usual, extremely scanty, though much more luxuriant than on any of the land near our winter quarters, and no animals were seen. The lat.i.tude of our landing-place was 73 27' 23?, the longitude by chronometers 90 50' 34.6?, and the variation of the magnetic needle 125 34' 42? westerly. From half-past nine A.M. till a quarter past noon the tide fell two feet three inches; and as it was nearly stationary at the latter time, it was probably near low water.

A breeze enabling us again to make some progress, and an open channel still favouring us of nearly the same breadth as before, we pa.s.sed during the night a second bay, about the same size as the other, and also appearing open to the sea; it lies in lat.i.tude (by account from the preceding and following noon) 73 19' 30?, and its width is one mile and a half. It was called Batty Bay, after my friend Captain Robert Batty, of the Grenadier Guards. We now perceived that the ice closed completely in with the land a short distance beyond us, and having made all the way we could, were obliged to stand off and on during the day in a channel not three-quarters of a mile wide. This channel being still more contracted towards the evening, we were obliged to make fast to some grounded land ice upon the beach in four fathoms water, there to await some change in our favour. We here observed traces of our old friends the Esquimaux, there being several of their circles of stones, though not of recent date, close to the sea. We also found a more abundant vegetation than before, and several plants familiar to us on the former voyages, but not yet procured on this, were now added to our collections.

The geological character of the land was nearly the same as before, but we found here some gypsum of the fibrous kind, occurring in a single stratum about an inch and a half wide. About a mile to the north of us was a curious cascade or spout of water, issuing from a chasm in the rock, and falling more than two hundred feet perpendicular. Our gentlemen, who visited the spot, described it as rendered the more picturesque by innumerable kittiwakes having their nests among the rocks, and constantly flying about the stream. The lat.i.tude was 73 06' 17?, the longitude by chronometers 91 19' 52.3?, the dip of the magnetic needle 88 02.1', and the variation 128 23' 17? westerly.

The ice opening in the afternoon of the 27th, we cast off and run four or five miles with a northerly breeze. This wind, however, always had the effect of making the ice close the sh.o.r.e, while a southerly breeze as uniformly opened it, so that on this coast, as on several others that I have known, a contrary wind-however great the paradox may seem-proved, on the whole, the most favourable for making progress. This circ.u.mstance is simply to be attributed to the greater abundance of open water in the parts we have left behind (in the present instance the open sea of Barrow's Strait) than those towards which we are going. We were once more obliged to make fast, therefore, to some grounded ice close to the beach, rather than run any risk of hampering the s.h.i.+ps, and rendering them unable to take advantage of a change in our favour.

A light southerly breeze on the morning of the 28th gradually cleared the sh.o.r.e, and a fresh wind from the N.W. then immediately succeeded. We instantly took advantage of this circ.u.mstance, and casting off at six A.M. ran eight or nine miles without obstruction, when we were stopped by the ice, which, in a closely packed and impenetrable body, stretched close into the sh.o.r.e as far as the eye could reach from the crow's nest.

Being anxious to gain every foot of distance that we could, and perceiving some grounded ice which appeared favourable for making fast to, just at a point where the clear water terminated, the s.h.i.+ps were run to the utmost extent of it, and a boat prepared from each to examine the depth of water at the intended anchoring place. Just as I was about to leave the _Hecla_ for that purpose, the ice was observed to be in rapid motion towards the sh.o.r.e. The _Fury_ was immediately hauled in by some grounded ma.s.ses, and placed to the best advantage; but the _Hecla_ being more advanced was immediately beset in spite of every exertion, and after breaking two of the largest ice-anchors in endeavouring to heave in to the sh.o.r.e, was obliged to drift with the ice, several ma.s.ses of which had fortunately interposed themselves between us and the land. The ice slackening around us a little in the evening, we were enabled, with considerable labour, to get to some grounded ma.s.ses, where we lay much exposed, as the _Fury_ also did. In this situation, our lat.i.tude being 72 51' 51?, we saw a comparatively low point of land three or four leagues to the southward, which proved to be near that which terminated our view of this coast in 1819.

On the 29th, the ice being slack for a short distance, we s.h.i.+fted the _Hecla_ half a mile to the northward, into a less insecure berth. I then walked to a broad valley facing the sea near us, where a considerable stream discharged itself, and where, in pa.s.sing in the s.h.i.+ps, a large fish had been observed to jump out of the water. In hopes of finding salmon here, we tried for some time with several hand-nets, but nothing was caught or seen. In this place were a number of the Esquimaux stone circles, apparently of very old date, being quite overgrown with gra.s.s, moss, and other plants. In the neighbourhood of these habitations the vegetation was much more luxuriant than anything of the kind we had seen before during this voyage. The state of this year's plants was now very striking, compared with those of the last, and afforded strong evidence, if any had been wanting, of the difference between the two seasons. I was particularly struck with the appearance of some moss collected by Mr.

Hooper, who pointed out to me upon the same specimen the last year's miserable seeds just peeping above the leaves, while those of the present summer had already shot three-quarters of an inch beyond them. Another circ.u.mstance which we noticed about this time, and still more so as the season advanced, was the rapid progress which the warmth had already made in dissolving the last year's snow, this being always easily known by its dingy colour, and its admixture with the soil. Of the past winter's snow not a particle could be seen at the close of July on any part of this coast. These facts, together with the beautiful weather we had enjoyed for many weeks past, all tended to show that we were now favoured with an unusually fine summer. We found in this place, in the dry bed of an old stream, innumerable fossils in the limestone, princ.i.p.ally sh.e.l.ls and madrepore. On a hill abreast of the _Hecla_, and at an elevation of not less than three or four hundred feet above the sea, one particular spot was discovered in which the same kind of sh.e.l.ls first found in Barrow's Strait in 1819 occurred in very great abundance and perfection, wholly detached from the lime in which for the most part they were found embedded in other places on this coast. Indeed, it was quite astonis.h.i.+ng, in looking at the numberless fossil animal remains occurring in many of the stones, to consider the countless myriads of sh.e.l.l fish and marine insects which must once have existed on this sh.o.r.e. The cliffs next the sea, which here rise to a perpendicular height of between four and five hundred feet, were continually breaking down at this season, and adding, by falls of large ma.s.ses of stone, to the slope of _debris_ lying at their foot. The s.h.i.+ps lay so close to the sh.o.r.e as to be almost within the range of some of these tumbling ma.s.ses, there being at high water scarcely beach enough for a person to walk along the sh.o.r.e.

The time of high water, near the opposition of the moon this night, was between half-past eleven and midnight, being nearly the same as at Port Bowen at full and change.

The ice opening for a mile and a half along sh.o.r.e on the 30th, we s.h.i.+fted the _Hecla's_ berth about that distance to the southward, chiefly to be enabled to see more distinctly round a point which before obstructed our view, though our situation, as regarded the security of the s.h.i.+p, was much altered for the worse. The _Fury_ remained where she was, there being no second berth even so good as the bad one where she was now lying. In the afternoon it blew a hard gale, with constant rain, from the northward, the clouds indicating an easterly wind in other parts.

This wind, which was always the troublesome one to us, soon brought the ice closer and closer, till it pressed with very considerable violence on both s.h.i.+ps, though the most upon the _Fury_, which lay in a very exposed situation. The _Hecla_ received no damage but the breaking of two or three hawsers, and a part of her bulwark torn away by the strain upon them. In the course of the night we had reason to suppose, by the _Fury's_ heeling, that she was either on sh.o.r.e, or still heavily pressed by the ice from without. Early on the morning of the 31st, as soon as a communication could be effected, Captain Hoppner sent to inform me that the _Fury_ had been forced on the ground, where she still lay; but that she would probably be hove off without much difficulty at high water, provided the external ice did not prevent it. I also learned from Captain Hoppner that a part of one of the propelling wheels had been destroyed, the chock through which its axis pa.s.sed being forced in considerably, and the palm broken off one of the bower anchors. Most of this damage, however, was either of no very material importance, or could easily be repaired. A large party of hands from the _Hecla_ being sent round to the _Fury_ towards high water, she came off the ground with very little strain, so that, upon the whole, considering the situation in which the s.h.i.+ps were lying, we thought ourselves fortunate in having incurred no very serious injury. The _Fury_ was s.h.i.+fted a few yards into the best place that could be found, and the wind again blowing strong from the northward, the ice remained close about us. A s.h.i.+ft of wind to the southward in the afternoon at length began gradually to slacken it, but it was not till six A.M. on the 1st of August that there appeared a prospect of making any progress. There was, at this time, a great deal of water to the southward, but between us and the channel there lay one narrow and not very close stream of ice touching the sh.o.r.e. A s.h.i.+ft of wind to the northward determined me at once to take advantage of it, as nothing but a free wind seemed requisite to enable us to reach this promising channel. The signal to that effect was immediately made, but while the sails were setting, the ice, which had at first been about three-quarters of a mile distant from us, was observed to be closing the sh.o.r.e. The s.h.i.+ps were cast with all expedition, in hopes of gaining the broader channel before the ice had time to shut us up. So rapid, however, was the latter in this its sudden movement, that we had but just got the s.h.i.+ps' heads the right way, when the ice came bodily in upon us, being doubtless set in motion by a very sudden freshening of the wind almost to a gale in the course of a few minutes. The s.h.i.+ps were now almost instantly beset, and in such a manner as to be literally helpless and unmanageable. In such cases, it must be confessed that the exertions made by heaving at hawsers or otherwise are of little more service than in the occupation they furnish to the men's minds under circ.u.mstances of difficulty; for when the ice is fairly acting against the s.h.i.+p, ten times the strength and ingenuity could in reality avail nothing.

The sails were, however, kept set, and as the body of ice was setting to the southward withal, we went with it some little distance in that direction. The _Hecla_ after thus driving, and now and then forcing her way through the ice, in all about three-quarters of a mile, quite close to the sh.o.r.e, at length struck the ground forcibly several times in the s.p.a.ce of a hundred yards, and being then brought up by it remained immovable, the depth of water under her keel abaft being sixteen feet, or about a foot less than she drew. The _Fury_ continuing to drive was now irresistibly carried past us, and we escaped, only by a few feet, the damage invariably occasioned by s.h.i.+ps coming in contact under such circ.u.mstances. She had, however, scarcely pa.s.sed us a hundred yards when it was evident, by the ice pressing her in, as well as along the sh.o.r.e, that she must soon be stopped like the _Hecla_; and having gone about two hundred yards farther she was observed to receive a severe pressure from a large floe-piece forcing her directly against a grounded ma.s.s of ice upon the beach. After setting to the southward for an hour or two longer the ice became stationary, no open water being anywhere visible from the mast-head, and the pressure on the s.h.i.+ps remaining undiminished during the day. Just as I had ascertained the utter impossibility of moving the _Hecla_ a single foot, and that she must lie quite aground fore and aft as soon as the tide fell, I received a note from Captain Hoppner informing me that the _Fury_ had been so severely "nipped" and strained as to leak a good deal, apparently about four inches an hour; that she was still heavily pressed both upon the ground and against the large ma.s.s of ice within her; that the rudder was at present very awkwardly situated; and that one boat had been much damaged. As the tide fell the _Fury's_ stern, which was aground, was lifted several feet, and the _Hecla_ at low water having sewed five feet forward and two abaft, we presented altogether no very pleasing or comfortable spectacle. However, about high water, the ice very opportunely slacking, the _Hecla_ was hove off with great ease, and warped to a floe in the offing to which we made fast at midnight. The _Fury_ was not long after us in coming off the ground, when I was in hopes of finding that any twist or strain, by which her leaks might have been occasioned, would, in some measure, have closed when she was relieved from pressure and once more fairly afloat. My disappointment and mortification, therefore, may in some measure be imagined, at being informed by telegraph, about two A.M. on the 2nd, that the water was gaining on two pumps, and that a part of the doubling had floated up. The _Hecla_ having in the mean time been carried two or three miles to the southward, by the ice which was once more driving in that direction, I directed Captain Hoppner by signal to endeavour to reach the best security in-sh.o.r.e which the present slackness of the ice might permit, until it was possible for the _Hecla_ to rejoin him.

Presently after perceiving from the mast-head something like a small harbour nearly abreast of us, every effort was made to get once more towards the sh.o.r.e. In this the ice happily favoured us, and after making sail and one or two tacks we got in with the land, when I left the s.h.i.+p in a boat to sound the place and search for shelter. I soon had the mortification to find that the harbour which had appeared to present itself so opportunely, had not more than six or seven feet water in any part of it, the whole of its defences being composed of the stones and soil washed down by a stream which here emptied itself into the sea.

From this place, indeed, where the land gradually became much lower in advancing to the southward, the whole nature of the soundings entirely altered, the water gradually shoaling in approaching the beach, so that the s.h.i.+ps could scarcely come nearer, in most parts, than a quarter of a mile. At this distance the whole sh.o.r.e was more or less lined with grounded ma.s.ses of ice; but after examining the soundings within more than twenty of them, in the s.p.a.ce of about a mile, I could only find two that would allow the s.h.i.+ps to float at low water, and that by some care in placing and keeping them there. Having fixed a flag on each berg, the usual signal for the s.h.i.+ps taking their stations, I rowed on board the _Fury_, and found four pumps constantly going to keep the s.h.i.+p free, and Captain Hoppner, his officers and men, almost exhausted with the incessant labour of the last eight-and-forty hours. The instant the s.h.i.+ps were made fast, Captain Hoppner and myself set out in a boat to survey the sh.o.r.e still farther south, there being a narrow lane of water about a mile in that direction; for it had now become too evident, however unwilling we might have been at first to admit the conclusion, that the _Fury_ could proceed no farther without repairs, and that the nature of those repairs would in all probability involve the disagreeable, I may say the ruinous, necessity of heaving the s.h.i.+p down.

After rowing about three-quarters of a mile we considered ourselves fortunate in arriving at a bolder part of the beach, where three grounded ma.s.ses of ice, having from three to four fathoms water at low tide within them, were so disposed as to afford, with the a.s.sistance of art, something like shelter. Wild and insecure as, under other circ.u.mstances, such a place would have been thought for the purpose of heaving a s.h.i.+p down, we had no alternative, and therefore as little occasion as we had time for deliberation. Returning to the s.h.i.+ps, we were setting the sails in order to run to the appointed place, when the ice closed in and prevented our moving, and in a short time there was once more no open water to be seen. We were, therefore, under the necessity of remaining in our present berths, where the smallest external pressure must inevitably force us ash.o.r.e, neither s.h.i.+p having more than two feet of water to spare. One watch of the _Hecla's_ crew were sent round to a.s.sist at the _Fury's_ pumps, which required one-third of her s.h.i.+p's company to be constantly employed at them.

The ice coming in with considerable violence on the night of the 2nd, once more forced the _Fury_ on sh.o.r.e, so that at low water she sewed two feet and a half. Nothing but the number and strength of the _Hecla's_ hawsers prevented her sharing the same fate, for the pressure was just as much as seven of these of six inches and two stream-cables would bear.

The _Fury_ floated in the morning, and was enabled to haul off a little, but there was no opening of the ice to allow us to move to our intended station. The more leisure we obtained to consider the state of the _Fury_, the more apparent became the absolute, however unfortunate, necessity of heaving her down. Four pumps were required to be at work without intermission to keep her free, and this in perfectly smooth water, showing that she was, in fact, so materially injured as to be very far from seaworthy. One-third of her working men were constantly employed, as before remarked, in this laborious operation, and some of their hands had become so sore from the constant friction of the ropes, that they could hardly handle them any longer without the use of mittens, a.s.sisted by the unlaying of the ropes to make them soft. When, in addition to these circ.u.mstances, the wet state of the decks and the little room left, as well as the reduced strength for working the s.h.i.+p or heaving at hawsers among the ice, be considered, I believe that every seaman will admit the impracticability of pursuing this critical navigation till the _Fury_ had been examined and repaired. As, therefore, not a moment could be lost we took advantage of a small lane of water deep enough for boats, which kept open within the grounded ma.s.ses along the sh.o.r.e, to convey to the _Hecla_ some of the _Fury's_ dry provisions, and to land a quant.i.ty of heavy ironwork and other stores not perishable; for the moment this measure was determined on I was anxious, almost at any risk, to commence the lightening of the s.h.i.+p as far as our present insecurity and our distance from the sh.o.r.e would permit.

The wind blowing fresh from the northward, which always increased our difficulties on this coast, the ice pressed so violently upon the s.h.i.+ps as almost to force them adrift during the night, employing our people, now sufficiently hara.s.sed by their work during the day, for two or three hours in still further increasing our security by additional hawsers. We continued landing stores from the _Fury_ on the 4th, and at night a bower cable was pa.s.sed round one of the grounded ma.s.ses alongside of her; for if either s.h.i.+p had once got adrift, it is difficult to say what might have been the consequence.

At two A.M. on the 5th, the ice began to slacken near the s.h.i.+ps, and as soon as a boat could be rowed along sh.o.r.e to the southward, I set out, accompanied by a second from the _Fury_, for the purpose of examining the state of our intended harbour since the recent pressure, and to endeavour to prepare for the reception of the s.h.i.+ps by clearing out the loose ice.

On my arrival there, the distance being about a mile, I found that one of the three bergs had s.h.i.+fted its place so materially by the late movements of the ice, as not only to alter the disposition of these ma.s.ses, on which our whole dependence rested, very much for the worse, but also to destroy all confidence in their stability upon the ground. Landing upon one of the bergs to show the appointed signal for the s.h.i.+ps to come, I perceived, about half a mile beyond us to the southward, a low point forming a little bay, with a great deal of heavy grounded ice lying off it. I immediately rowed to this, in hopes of finding something like a harbour for our purpose, but on my arrival there, had once more the mortification to find that there were not above six feet of water at low tide in any part of it, and within the grounded ice not more than twelve.

Having a.s.sured myself that no security or shelter was here to be found, I immediately returned to the former place, which the _Hecla_ was just reaching. The _Fury_ was detained some time by a quant.i.ty of loose ice which had wedged itself in, in such a manner as to leave her no room to move outwards; but she arrived about seven o'clock, when both s.h.i.+ps were made fast in the best berths we could find, but they were still excluded from their intended place by the quant.i.ty of ice which had fixed itself there. Within twenty minutes after our arrival, the whole body of ice again came in, entirely closing up the sh.o.r.e, so that our moving proved most opportune.

CHAPTER VI.

Formation of a Basin for heaving the Fury down-Landing of the Fury's Stores, and other preparations-The s.h.i.+ps secured within the Basin-Impediments from the pressure of the Ice-Fury hove down-Securities of the Basin destroyed by a Gale of Wind-Preparations to tow the Fury out-Hecla re-equipped, and obliged to put to Sea-Fury again driven on Sh.o.r.e-Rejoin the Fury; and find it necessary finally to abandon her.

As there was now no longer room for floating the ice out of our proposed basin, all hands were immediately employed in preparing the intended securities against the incursions of the ice. These consisted of anchors carried to the beach, having bower-cables attached to them, pa.s.sing quite round the grounded ma.s.ses, and thus enclosing a small s.p.a.ce of just sufficient size to admit both s.h.i.+ps. The cables we proposed floating by means of the two hand-masts and some empty casks lashed to them as buoys, with the intention of thus making them receive the pressure of the ice a foot or two below the surface of the water. By uncommon exertions on the part of the officers and men, this laborious work was completed before night as far as was practicable until the loose ice should set out; and all the tents were set up on the beach for the reception of the _Fury's_ stores.

The ice remaining quite close on the 6th, every individual in both s.h.i.+ps, with the exception of those at the pumps, was employed in landing provisions from the _Fury_, together with the spars, boats, and everything from off her upper deck. The ice coming in, in the afternoon, with a degree of pressure which usually attended a northerly wind on this coast, twisted the _Fury's_ rudder so forcibly against a ma.s.s of ice lying under her stern that it was for some hours in great danger of being damaged, and was indeed only saved by the efforts of Captain Hoppner and his officers, who, without breaking off the men from their other occupations, themselves worked at the ice-saw. On the following day, the ice remaining as before, the work was continued without intermission, and a great quant.i.ty of things landed. The two carpenters (Messrs. Pulfer and Fiddis) took the _Fury's_ boats in hand themselves, their men being required as part of our physical strength in clearing the s.h.i.+p. The armourer was also set to work on the beach in forging bolts for the martingales of the outriggers. In short, every living creature among us was somehow or other employed, not even excepting our dogs, which were set to drag up the stores on the beach; so that our little dockyard soon exhibited the most animated scene imaginable. The quickest method of landing casks and other things not too weighty, was that adopted by Captain Hoppner, and consisted of a hawser secured to the s.h.i.+p's main mast-head, and set up as tight as possible to the anchor on the beach; the casks being hooked to a block traversing on this as a jack-stay, were made to run down it with great velocity. By this means more than two were got on sh.o.r.e for every one landed by the boats, the latter, however, being constantly employed in addition. The _Fury_ was thus so much lightened in the course of the day that two pumps were now nearly sufficient to keep her free, and this number continued requisite until she was hove down. Her spirit-room was now entirely clear, and, on examination, the water was found to be rus.h.i.+ng in through two or three holes that happened to be in the ceiling, and which were immediately plugged up. Indeed; it was now very evident that nothing but the tightness of the Fury's diagonal ceiling had so long kept her afloat, and that any s.h.i.+p not thus fortified within could not possibly have been kept free by the pumps.

At night, just as the people were going to rest, the ice began to move to the southward, and soon after came in towards the sh.o.r.e, again endangering the _Fury's_ rudder, and pressing her over on her side to so alarming a degree, as to warn us that it would not be safe to lighten her much more in her present insecure situation. One of our bergs also s.h.i.+fted its position by this pressure, so as to weaken our confidence in the pier-heads of our intended basin; and a long "tongue" of one of them forcing itself under the _Hecla's_ forefoot, while the drift-ice was also pressing her forcibly from astern, she once more sewed three or four feet forward at low water, and continued to do so, notwithstanding repeated endeavours to haul her off, for four successive tides the ice remaining so close and so much doubled under the s.h.i.+p, as to render it impossible to move her a single inch. Notwithstanding the state of the ice, however, we did not remain idle on the 8th, all hands being employed in unrigging the _Fury_, and landing all her spars, sails, booms, boats, and other top-weight.

The ice still continuing very close on the 9th, all hands were employed in attempting, by saws and axes, to clear the _Hecla_, which still grounded on the tongue of ice every tide. After four hours' labour, they succeeded in making four or five feet of room astern, when the s.h.i.+p suddenly slid down off the tongue with considerable force, and became once more afloat. We then got on sh.o.r.e the _Hecla's_ cables and hawsers for the accommodation of the _Fury's_ men in our tiers during the heaving down, struck our top-masts which would be required as sh.o.r.es and outriggers, and, in short, continued to occupy every individual in some preparation or other. These being entirely completed at an early hour in the afternoon, we ventured to go on with the landing of the coals and provisions from the _Fury_, preferring to run the risk which would thus be incurred, to the loss of even a few hours in the accomplishment of our present object. As it very opportunely happened, however, the external ice slackened to the distance of about a hundred yards outside of us on the morning of the 10th, enabling us, by a most tedious and laborious operation, to clear the ice out of our basin piece by piece. The difficulty of this apparently simple process consisted in the heavy pressure having repeatedly doubled one ma.s.s under another-a position in which it requires great power to move them-and also by the corners locking in with the sides of the bergs. Our next business was to tighten the cables sufficiently by means of purchases, and to finish the floating of them in the manner and for the purpose before described. After this had been completed, the s.h.i.+ps had only a few feet in length, and nothing in breadth to spare; but we had now great hopes of going on with our work with increased confidence and security. The _Fury_, which was placed inside, had something less than eighteen feet at low water; the _Hecla_ lay in four fathoms, the bottom being strewed with large and small fragments of limestone.

While thus employed in securing the s.h.i.+ps, the smoothness of the water enabled us to see in some degree the nature of the _Fury's_ damage; and it may be conceived how much pain it occasioned us plainly to discover that both the stern-post and forefoot were broken and turned up on one side with the pressure. We also could perceive as far as we were able to see along the main-keel, that it was much torn, and we had therefore reason to conclude that the damage would altogether prove very serious.

We also discovered that several feet of the _Hecla's_ false keel were torn away abreast of the fore-chains, in consequence of her grounding forward so frequently.

The s.h.i.+ps being now as well secured as our means permitted from the immediate danger of ice, the clearing of the _Fury_ went on during the 11th with increased confidence, though greater alacrity was impossible, for nothing could exceed the spirit and zealous activity of every individual, and as things had turned out, the ice had not obliged us to wait a moment, except at the actual times of its pressure. Being favoured with fine weather, we continued our work very quickly, so that on the 12th every cask was landed and also the powder; and the spare sails and clothing put on board the _Hecla_. On the 13th we found that a ma.s.s of heavy ice, which had been aground within the _Fury_, had now floated off alongside of her at high water, still further contracting our already narrow basin, and leaving the s.h.i.+p no room for turning round. At the next high water, therefore, we got a purchase on it and hove it out of the way, so that at night it drifted off altogether. The coals and preserved meats were the princ.i.p.al things now remaining on board the _Fury_, and these we continued landing by every method we could devise as the most expeditious. The tide rose so considerably at night, new moon occurring within an hour of high water, that we were much afraid of our bergs floating: they remained firm, however, even though the ice came in with so much force as to break one of our hand-masts, a fir spar of twelve inches diameter. As the high tides and the lightening of the _Fury_ now gave us sufficient depth of water for uns.h.i.+pping the rudders, we did so, and laid them upon the small berg astern of us, for fear of their being damaged by any pressure of the ice.

Early on the morning of the 14th, the ice slackening a little in our neighbourhood, we took advantage of it, though the people were much f.a.gged, to tighten the cables, which had stretched and yielded considerably by the late pressure. It was well that we did so; for in the course of this day we were several times interrupted in our work by the ice coming with a tremendous strain on the north cables, the wind blowing strong from the N.N.W., and the whole "pack" outside of us setting rapidly to the southward. Indeed, notwithstanding the recent tightening and readjustment of the cables, the bight was pressed in so much as to force the _Fury_ against the berg astern of her twice in the course of the day. Mr. Waller, who was in the hold the second time that this occurred, reported that the coals about the keelson were moved by it, imparting the sensation of a part of the s.h.i.+p's bottom falling down; and one of the men at work there was so strongly impressed with that belief that he thought it high time to make a spring for the hatchway.

From this circ.u.mstance it seemed more than probable that the main keel had received some serious damage near the middle of the s.h.i.+p.

From this trial of the efficacy of our means of security, it was plain that the _Fury_ could not possibly be hove down under circ.u.mstances of such frequent and imminent risk; I therefore directed a fourth anchor, with two additional cables, to be carried out, with the hope of breaking some of the force of the ice by its offering a more oblique resistance than the other, and thus by degrees turning the direction of the pressure from the s.h.i.+ps. We had scarcely completed this new defence, when the largest floe we had seen since leaving Port Bowen came sweeping along the sh.o.r.e, having a motion to the southward of not less than a mile and a half an hour; and a projecting point of it just grazing our outer berg, threatened to overturn it, and would certainly have dislodged it from its situation but for the cable recently attached to it. A second similar occurrence took place with a smaller ma.s.s of ice about midnight, and near the top of an unusually high spring tide, which seemed ready to float away every security from us. For three hours about the time of this high water, our situation was a most critical one, for had the bergs, or indeed any one of them, been carried away or broken, both s.h.i.+ps must inevitably have been driven on sh.o.r.e by the very next ma.s.s of ice that should come in. Happily, however, they did not suffer any further material disturbance, and the main body keeping at a short distance from the land until the tide had fallen, the bergs seemed to be once more firmly resting on the ground. The only mischief, therefore, occasioned by this disturbance was the slackening of our cables by the alteration in the positions of the several grounded ma.s.ses, and the consequent necessity of employing more time, which nothing but absolute necessity could induce us to bestow in adjusting and tightening the whole of them afresh.

The wind veering to the W.N.W. on the morning of the 15th, and still continuing to blow strong, the ice was forced three or four miles off the land in the course of a few hours, leaving us a quiet day for continuing our work, but exciting no very pleasing sensations when we considered what progress we might have been making had we been at liberty to pursue our object. The land was, indeed, so clear of ice to the southward that Dr. Neill, who walked a considerable distance in that direction, could see nothing but an open channel in-sh.o.r.e to the utmost extent of his view. We took advantage of this open water to send the launch for the _Fury's_ ironwork left at the former station; for though the few men thus employed could very ill be spared, we were obliged to arrange everything with reference to the ultimate saving of time; and it would have occupied both s.h.i.+ps' companies more than a whole day to carry the things round by land.

The _Fury_ being completely cleared at an early hour on the 16th, we were all busily employed in "winding" the s.h.i.+p, and in preparing the outriggers, sh.o.r.es, purchases, and additional rigging. Though we purposely selected the time of high water for turning the s.h.i.+p round, we had scarcely a foot of s.p.a.ce to spare for doing it, and indeed, as it was, her forefoot touched the ground, and loosened the broken part of the wood so much as to enable us to pull it up with ropes, when we found the fragments to consist of the whole of the "gripe" and most of the "cut.w.a.ter." The strong breeze continuing, and the sea rising as the open water increased in extent, our bergs were sadly washed and wasted; every hour producing a sensible and serious diminution in their bulk. As, however, the main body of ice still kept off, we were in hopes, now that our preparations were so near completed, we should have been enabled in a few hours to see the extent of the damage, and repair it sufficiently to allow us to proceed. In the evening we received the _Fury's_ crew on board the _Hecla_, every arrangement and regulation having been previously made for their personal comfort, and for the preservation of cleanliness, ventilation, and dry warmth throughout the s.h.i.+p. The officers of the _Fury_, by their own choice, pitched a tent on sh.o.r.e for messing and sleeping in, as our accommodation for two sets of officers was necessarily confined. On the 17th, when every preparation was completed, the cables were found again so slack, by the wasting of the bergs in consequence of the continued sea, and possibly also in part by the ma.s.ses having moved somewhat in-sh.o.r.e, that we were obliged to occupy several hours in putting them to rights, as we should soon require all our strength at the purchases. One berg had also, at the last low water, fallen over on its side in consequence of its substance being undermined by the sea, and the cable surrounding it was thus forced so low under water as no longer to afford protection from the ice should it again come in. In tightening the cables, we found it to have the effect of bringing the bergs in towards the sh.o.r.e, still further contracting our narrow basin; but anything was better than suffering them to go adrift. This work being finished at ten P.M. the people were allowed three hours' rest only, it being necessary to heave the s.h.i.+p down at or near high water, as there was not sufficient depth to allow her to take her distance at any other time of tide. Every preparation being made, at three A.M. on the 18th, we began to heave her down on the larboard side, but when the purchases were nearly a-block, we found that the strops under the _Hecla'a_ bottom, as well as some of the _Fury's_ sh.o.r.efasts, had stretched or yielded so much, that they could not bring the keel out of water within three or four feet. We immediately eased her up again, and readjusted everything as requisite, hauling her farther in-sh.o.r.e than before by keeping a considerable heel upon her, so as to make less depth of water necessary; and we were then in the act of once more heaving her down, when a snowstorm came on and blew with such violence off the land, as to raise a considerable sea. The s.h.i.+ps had now so much motion as to strain the gear very much, and even to make the lower masts of the _Fury_ bend in spite of the sh.o.r.es: we were, therefore, most unwillingly compelled to desist until the sea should go down, keeping everything ready to recommence the instant we could possibly do so with safety. The officers and men were now literally so hara.s.sed and fatigued as to be scarcely capable of further exertion without some rest; and on this and one or two other occasions, I noticed more than a single instance of stupor amounting to a certain degree of failure in intellect, rendering the individual so affected quite unable at first to comprehend the meaning of an order, though still as willing as ever to obey it. It was therefore perhaps a fortunate necessity which produced the intermission of labour which the strength of every individual seemed to require.

The gale rather increasing than otherwise during the whole day and night of the 18th, had on the following morning, when the wind and sea still continued unabated, so destroyed the bergs on which our sole dependence was placed, that they no longer remained aground at low water; the cables had again become slack about them, and the basin we had taken so much pains in forming had now lost all its defences, at least during a portion of every tide. It will be plain, too, if I have succeeded in giving a distinct description of our situation, that, independently of the security of the s.h.i.+ps, there was now nothing left to seaward by which the _Hecla_ could be held out in that direction while heaving the _Fury_ down, so that our preparations in this way were no longer available.

After a night of most anxious consideration and consultation with Captain Hoppner, who was now my messmate in the _Hecla_, it appeared but too plain, that, should the ice again come in, neither s.h.i.+p could any longer be secured from driving on sh.o.r.e. It was therefore determined instantly to prepare the _Hecla_ for sea, making her thoroughly effective in every respect; so that we might at least push her out into comparative safety among the ice, when it closed again, taking every person on board her, securing the _Fury_ in the best manner we could, and returning to her the instant we were able to do so, to endeavour to get her out, and to carry her to some place of security for heaving down. If, after the _Hecla_ was ready, time should still be allowed us, it was proposed immediately to put into the _Fury_ all that was requisite, or at least as much as she could safely carry, and towing her out into the ice, to try the effect of "foddering" the leaks by sails under those parts of her keel which we knew to be damaged, until some more effectual means could be resorted to.

Having communicated to the a.s.sembled officers and s.h.i.+ps' companies my views and intentions, and moreover given them to understand that I hoped to see the _Hecla's_ top-gallant-yards across before we slept, we commenced our work; and such was the hearty goodwill and indefatigable energy with which it was carried on, that by midnight the whole was accomplished, and a bower-anchor and cable carried out in the offing, for the double purpose of hauling out the _Hecla_ when requisite, and as some security to the _Fury_, if we were obliged to leave her. The people were once more quite exhausted by these exertions, especially those belonging to the _Fury_, who had never thoroughly recovered their first fatigues.

The ice being barely in sight, we were enabled to enjoy seven hours of undisturbed rest; but the wind becoming light, and afterwards s.h.i.+fting to the N.N.E., we had reason to expect the ice would soon close the sh.o.r.e, and were, therefore, most anxious to continue our work.

On the 20th, therefore, the reloading of the _Fury_ commenced with recruited strength and spirits, such articles being in the first place selected for putting on board as were essentially requisite for her re-equipment; for it was my full determination, could we succeed in completing this, not to wait even for rigging a topmast, or getting a lower yard up, in the event of the ice coming in, but to tow her out among the ice, and there put everything sufficiently to rights for carrying her to some place of security. At the same time, the end of the sea-cable was taken on board the _Fury_, by way of offering some resistance to the ice, which was now more plainly seen, though still about five miles distant, A few hands were also spared, consisting chiefly of two or three convalescents, and some of the officers, to thrum a sail for putting under the _Fury's_ keel; for we were very anxious to relieve the men at the pumps, which constantly required the labour of eight to twelve hands to keep her free. In the course of the day, several heavy ma.s.ses of ice came drifting by with a breeze from the N.E., which is here about two points upon the land, and made a considerable swell. One ma.s.s came in contact with our bergs, which, though only held by the cables, brought it up in time to prevent mischief. By a long and hard day's labour, the people not going to rest till two o'clock on the morning of the 21st, we got about fifty tons' weight of coals and provisions on board the _Fury_, which, in case of necessity, we considered sufficient to give her stability. While we were thus employed, the ice, though evidently inclined to come in, did not approach us much; and it may be conceived with what anxiety we longed to be allowed one more day's labour, on which the ultimate saving of the s.h.i.+p might almost be considered as depending. Having hauled the s.h.i.+ps out a little from the sh.o.r.e and prepared the _Hecla_ for casting by a spring at a moment's notice, all the people except those at the pumps were sent to rest, which, however, they had not enjoyed for two hours, when at four A.M. on the 21st, another heavy ma.s.s coming violently in contact with the bergs and cables, threatened to sweep away every remaining security. Our situation, with this additional strain, the ma.s.s which had disturbed us fixing itself upon the weather-cable, and an increasing wind and swell setting considerably on the sh.o.r.e, became more and more precarious; and indeed, under circ.u.mstances as critical as can well be imagined, nothing but the urgency and importance of the object we had in view-that of saving the _Fury_ if she was to be saved-could have prevented my making sail, and keeping the _Hecla_ under way till matters mended. More hawsers were run out, however, and enabled us still to hold on; and after six hours of disturbed rest, all hands were again set to work to get the _Fury's_ anchors, cables, rudder, and spars on board, these things being absolutely necessary for her equipment, should we be able to get her out.

At two P.M. the crews were called on board to dinner, which they had not finished when several not very large ma.s.ses of ice drove along the sh.o.r.e near us at a quick rate, and two or three successively coming in violent contact either with the _Hecla_ or the bergs to which she was attached, convinced me that very little additional pressure would tear everything away, and drive both s.h.i.+ps on sh.o.r.e. I saw that the moment had arrived when the _Hecla_ could no longer be kept in her present situation with the smallest chance of safety, and therefore immediately got under sail, dispatching Captain Hoppner with every individual, except a few for working the s.h.i.+p, to continue getting the things on board the _Fury_, while the _Hecla_ stood off and on. It was a quarter-past three P.M.

when we cast off, the wind then blowing fresh from the north-east, or about two points upon the land, which caused some surf on the beach.

Captain Hoppner had scarcely been an hour on board the _Fury_, and was busily engaged in getting the anchors and cables on board, when we observed some large pieces of not very heavy ice closing in with the land near her; and at twenty minutes past four P.M., being an hour and five minutes after the _Hecla_ had cast off, I was informed by signal that the _Fury_ was on sh.o.r.e. Making a tack in-sh.o.r.e, but not being able, even under a press of canvas, to get very near her, owing to a strong southerly current which prevailed within a mile or two of the land, I perceived that she had been apparently driven up the beach by two or three of the grounded ma.s.ses forcing her onwards before them, and these, as well as the s.h.i.+p, seemed now so firmly aground as entirely to block her in on the seaward side. As the navigating of the _Hecla_ with only ten men on board required constant attention and care, I could not at this time with propriety leave the s.h.i.+p to go on board the _Fury_. This, however, I the less regretted as Captain Hoppner was thoroughly acquainted with all my views and intentions, and I felt confident that, under his direction, nothing would be left undone to endeavour to save the s.h.i.+p. I, therefore, directed him by telegraph, "if he thought nothing could be done at present, to return on board with all hands until the wind changed;" for this alone, as far as I could see the state of the _Fury_, seemed to offer the smallest chance of clearing the sh.o.r.e, so as to enable us to proceed with our work, or to attempt hauling the s.h.i.+p off the ground. About seven P.M. Captain Hoppner returned to the _Hecla_, accompanied by all hands, except an officer with a party at the pumps, reporting to me that the _Fury_ had been forced aground by the ice pressing on the ma.s.ses lying near her, and bringing home, if not breaking, the seaward anchor, so that the s.h.i.+p was soon found to have sewed from two to three feet fore and aft.

With the s.h.i.+p thus situated, and ma.s.ses of heavy ice constantly coming in, it was Captain Hoppner's decided opinion, as well as that of Lieutenants Austin and Ross, that to have laid out another anchor to seaward would have only been to expose it to the same damage as there was reason to suppose had been incurred with the other, without the most distant hope of doing any service; especially as the s.h.i.+p had been driven on sh.o.r.e, by a most unfortunate coincidence, just as the tide was beginning to fall. Indeed, in the present state of the _Fury_, nothing short of chopping and sawing up a part of the ice under her stern could by any possibility have effected her release, even if she had been already afloat. Under such circ.u.mstances, hopeless as for the time every seaman will admit them to have been, Captain Hoppner judiciously determined to return for the present, as directed by my telegraphic communication; but being anxious to keep the s.h.i.+p free from water as long as possible, he left an officer and a small party of men to continue working at the pumps so long as a communication could be kept up between the _Hecla_ and the sh.o.r.e. Every moment, however, decreased the practicability of doing this; and finding, soon after Captain Hoppner's return, that the current swept the _Hecla_ a long way to the southward while hoisting up the boats, and that more ice was drifting in towards the sh.o.r.e, I was under the painful necessity of recalling the party at the pumps, rather than incur the risk, now an inevitable one, of parting company with them altogether. Accordingly Mr. Bird, with the last of the people, came on board at eight o'clock in the evening, having left eighteen inches of water in the well, and four pumps being requisite to keep her free. In three hours after Mr. Bird's return, more than half a mile of closely-packed ice intervened between the _Fury_ and the open water in which we were beating, and before the morning this barrier had increased to four or five miles in breadth.

We carried a press of canvas all night, with a fresh breeze from the north, to enable us to keep abreast of the _Fury_, which, on account of the strong southerly current, we could only do by beating at some distance from the land. The breadth of the ice in-sh.o.r.e continued increasing during the day, but we could see no end to the water in which we were beating, either to the southward or eastward. Advantage was taken of the little leisure now allowed us, to let the people mend and wash their clothes, which they had scarcely had a moment to do for the last three weeks. We also completed the thrumming of a second sail for putting under the _Fury's_ keel whenever we should be enabled to haul her off the sh.o.r.e. It fell quite calm in the evening, when the breadth of the ice in-sh.o.r.e had increased to six or seven miles. We did not during the day perceive any current setting to the southward, but in the course of the night we were drifted four or five leagues to the south-westward, in which situation we had a distinct view of a large extent of land, which had before been seen for the first time by some of our gentlemen who walked from where the _Fury_ lay. This land trends very much to the westward, a little beyond the Fury Point, the name by which I have distinguished that headland near which we had attempted to heave the _Fury_ down, and which is very near the southern part of this coast, seen in the year 1819. It then sweeps round into a large bay, formed by a long, low beach several miles in extent, afterwards joining higher land, and running in a south-easterly direction to a point which terminated our view of it in that quarter, and which bore from us S. 58 W. distant six or seven leagues. This headland I named Cape Garry, after my worthy friend Nicholas Garry, Esq., one of the most active members of the Hudson's Bay Company, and a gentleman most warmly interested in everything connected with northern discovery. The whole of the bay (which I named after my much esteemed friend, Francis Cresswell, Esq.), as well as the land to the southward, was free from ice for several miles, and to the southward and eastward scarcely any was to be seen, while a dark water-sky indicated a perfectly navigable sea in that direction; but between us and the Fury there was a compact body of ice eight or nine miles in breadth. Had we now been at liberty to take advantage of the favourable prospect before us, I have little doubt we should without much difficulty have made considerable progress.