SIR JAMES ROSS'S HOUSE.

253

ropes, iron-gear, blankets, stoves, &c., &c. were scattered about, inside, in singular proximity. Outside, and nearer the beach, piles of soup and bouilli canisters, and other preserved meats were heaped up alongside of a great number of casks, containing all sorts of articles for a lengthy scale of victualling on shore. Further on, were bags of coke and coals, and then the steam launch, a fine noblelooking boat, in which one would hardly be afraid to venture anywhere. She was so placed as to be ready, without very much difficulty, for launching, and the materials belonging to her were lying alongside, some of them half-covered with pieces of ice driven up from the sea. I directed one or two to be moved higher up; but it was soon seen that we ourselves could lose no longer time, as the ice was evidently closing fast in upon the harbour in a more compact form than when we entered. Accordingly, I gave orders at once to be off, and in a few more seconds bade, as we then thought, adieu to Whaler Point.

The passage by which we had entered was closed, and we had to pull along the great body of ice stretching across in a semicircular form, to find an opening whereby we might get out. Inside the harbour, numerous detached pieces were moving about in a rather too lively manner to be agreeable in close quarters. The belt, which was to seaward of us, pre

sented very much the form of a bank of large rugged ice and dirty snow, newly thrown up as a dam to prevent egress. As this bank heaved and fell to the rise of the swell, it was anything but pleasing to contemplate, knowing that we must try to find a passage through it. Twice did we pull its entire length without finding the least appearance of an opening. As it was growing later than I had expected, it being now past six o'clock, and fearing that the commander would be anxious about us, I consulted a moment with Wilson, and then gave orders to try and force through it in the slackest part. There was, however, hardly any slack part, and we had therefore to take it where it appeared the narrowest across. Accordingly, in we went, the boat being pushed through the "brash and drift ice," much in the same way as a fly may be seen occasionally trying to wade across a saucer of refined sugar, sufficiently wetted with water to make it a substance thick enough for a piece of crust to stand upright in. This is about the nearest kind of similitude I can give to the nature of the stuff we had to go through; with, however, the addition of numerous large blocks of ice within the rest, thrown into frightful motion by the heavy swell. For an hour did we labour-every one of us hard-at this tedious work. Several times did it seem that we must give

HEAVY LABOUR THROUGH THE ICE.

255

up; the men and myself were exhausted; each, also, was wet through, over his knees and to his waist, by frequently having to jump upon a passing floe, and pull the boat by hand clear of another. At last we got into a part where it was more slack, and, finally, cleared the whole mass, and were alongside the vessel at about eight A. M. I reported what I had done, and was then informed that the strange sail we had seen was the "Assistance," who had merely run up to the "Prince Albert" within hail, and having ascertained that we were examining the place, stood away again to the north shore of Barrow's Straits. At ten o'clock, after I had partaken of breakfast, and attended to the chronometers, &c., I lay down and was soon asleep, having been up since seven the preceding morning.

At two P.M. I was on deck again, and found the vessel had made but little progress, it being calm nearly the whole time. A breeze soon afterwards sprung up in our favour, and we passed along the coast to the southward, in Prince Regent's Inlet. We were, at last, fairly on a portion of the ground which had been allotted to us, in particular, as the scene of our labours and researches; and it was with no little anxiety that I kept a good look-out to see the state of the ice ahead, and also to examine the coast as we went along. I was delighted beyond measure to find, this day, that no barrier as yet ap

peared to block our way or to stay our progress. The weather, however, was too thick to see far ahead; and some ice along the coast seemed to bode not so favourable a result as was wished for. Elwin Bay, as we passed it, was blocked at its mouth, and the ice seemed to trend more off the land, and get broader as we neared Batty Bay. Still there was great hope that we should now, very soon, get to our winter-quarters, in either Brentford or Cresswell Bays. Success hitherto in coming thus far had made us sanguine, and the breeze helping us-should the sea remain clear-we might be at anchor, probably, on the following afternoon. It was yet early in the season, and I reflected within myself that, perhaps, something in the way of search might yet be done, according to the scheme originally intended for us, and the instructions we received, ere winter set in upon us; and I was much gratified to see the willingness, nay, eagerness with which the men, one and all, looked forward to the service which was to follow our taking up a winter position in Brentford Bay, or some other harbour.

But I need not enter into any detail about our plans, as these, unfortunately, were not carried out, in consequence of the vessel not getting to Brentford Bay; though I began to prepare myself for the service by putting up such things as I should want, and making the necessary arrangements.

COAST.

HEAVY BARRIER OF ICE.

PORT LEOPOLD MEANS EMPLOYED

PERCHA BOAT ALONG THE
AGAIN.
TO CARRY AND DRAG THE BOAT ACROSS IT.

TOWARDS evening, with a very light wind, we were passing along at some distance from the edge of the ice of Batty Bay, which was, just as in the other two places, closed against us. I was sitting in the after-cabin, talking to the commander, and reading, when, suddenly, I heard a cry on deck, from some of the men, that a gun had been fired on shore close to the bay. Capt. Forsyth, on coming up, gave orders to run closer in, and to clear away the howitzer, and fire it. I immediately took the best glass in my hand, and went aloft, most anxiously and narrowly examining the land, without perceiving the slightest signs of anything to denote either life, or even vegetation. Directly the report of our own gun had died away, I strained my ear to try and catch any answering signal; but not the faintest sound of anything

S