Narrative of a Second Expedition to the Shores of the Polar Sea Part 7

The coast here was about fifteen feet high; and from the top of the bank a level plain extended to the base of the mountains, which, though very swampy, was covered with verdure. At this place we first found boulder stones, which were deeply seated in the gravel of the beach. They consisted of greenstone, sandstone, and limestone; the first mentioned being the largest, and the last the most numerous. Having seen several fish leaping in the river, a net was set across its mouth, though without success, owing to the meshes being too large. Two men were despatched to examine the state of the ice; and on their return from a walk of several miles, they reported that, with the exception of a small spot close to the beach, it was quite compact. They had observed, about two miles from the encampment, stumps of drift wood fixed in the ground at certain distances, extending from the coast across the plain towards the Rocky Mountains, in the direction of two piles of stones, which were erected on the top of the latter. We were at a loss to conjecture what motive the Esquimaux could have had for taking so much trouble, unless these posts were intended to serve as decoys for the rein-deer. The party a.s.sembled at divine service in the evening, as had been our practice every Sunday.

[Sidenote: Monday, 24th.] On the morning of the 24th we were able to make a further advance of two miles and three quarters, by forcing the boats between the ma.s.ses of ice, as far as the debouche of another rivulet, in lat.i.tude 69 degrees 36-1/2 minutes N., and longitude 140 degrees 19-1/2 minutes W. Under any other circ.u.mstance than that of being beset by ice, the beautifully calm and clear weather we then had would have been delightful; but as our hope of being released rested solely on a strong wind, we never ceased to long for its occurrence. A breeze would have been, at any rate, beneficial in driving away the musquitoes, which were so numerous as to prevent any enjoyment of the open air, and to keep us confined to a tent filled with smoke, the only remedy against their annoyance.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 25th.] We were still detained the two following days, and the only things we saw were a grey wolf, some seals, and some ducks. More tedious hours than those pa.s.sed by us in the present situation, cannot well be imagined. After the astronomical observations had been obtained and worked, the survey brought up, a sketch made of the encampment, and specimens of the plants and stones in the vicinity collected, there was, literally, nothing to do. The anxiety which was inseparable from such an enterprize as ours, at such an advanced period of the season, left but little disposition to read, even if there had been a greater choice of books in our travelling library, and still less composure to invent amus.e.m.e.nt. Even had the musquitoes been less tormenting, the swampiness of the ground, in which we sank ankle deep at every step, deprived us of the pleasure of walking. A visit to the Rocky Mountains was often talked of, but they were now at a distance of two days' journey, and we dared not to be absent from the boats so long, lest the ice, in its fickle movements, should open for a short time.

Notwithstanding the closeness of the ice, we perceived a regular rise and fall of the water, though it amounted only to seven inches, except on the night of the 24th, when the rise was two feet; but the direction of the flood was not yet ascertained. We found a greater proportion of birch-wood, mixed with the drift timber to the westward of the Babbage than we had done before; between the Mackenzie and that river it had been so scarce, that we had to draw upon our store of bark to light the fires. Some lunar observations were obtained in the afternoon of the 25th, and their results a.s.sured us that the chronometers were going steadily. At midnight we were visited by a strong S.W. breeze, accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning. This weather was succeeded by calm, and a fog that continued throughout the next day, and confined our view to a few yards. Temperature from 41 degrees to 43 degrees.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 26th.] On the atmosphere becoming clear about nine in the evening of the 26th, we discovered a lane of water, and immediately embarking, we pulled, for an hour, without experiencing much interruption from the ice. A fresh breeze then sprung up from the N.W., which brought with it a very dense fog, and likewise caused the ice to close so fast upon us, that we were compelled to hasten to the sh.o.r.e. We had just landed, when the channel was completely closed. We encamped on the western side of a river about two hundred yards broad, which, at the request of Lieutenant Back, was named after Mr. Backhouse, one of the under Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs. It appeared that the water that flowed from this channel had caused the opening by which we had travelled from our last resting-place; for beyond it, the ice was closely packed.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 27th.] Some heavy rain fell in the night, and the morning of the 27th was foggy; but the sun, about noon, having dispersed the fog, we discovered an open channel about half a mile from the sh.o.r.e.

No time was lost in pus.h.i.+ng the boats into it. By following its course to the end, and breaking our way through some streams of ice, we were brought, at the end of eight miles, to the mouth of a wide river that flows from the British range of mountains. This being the most westerly river in the British dominions on this coast, and near the line of demarcation between Great Britain and Russia, I named it the Clarence, in honour of His Royal Highness the Lord High Admiral. Under a pile of drift timber which we erected on the most elevated point of the coast near its mouth, was deposited a tin box, containing a royal silver medal, with an account of the proceedings of the Expedition; and the union flag was hoisted under three hearty cheers, the only salute that we could afford. This ceremony did not detain us longer than half an hour; when we launched into a larger s.p.a.ce of open water than we had seen since the 9th of the month. This circ.u.mstance, together with the appearance of several seals, and the water becoming more salt, created a hope that we should soon enter upon a brisker navigation. But this too sanguine expectation was dispelled in little more than an hour, by a close and heavy field of ice, which obliged us to pull to the sh.o.r.e. The tent was pitched under a steep bank of mud, in lat.i.tude 69 degrees 38 minutes N.; longitude 140 degrees 46 minutes W. The soundings this day varied from two to ten fathoms; and the temperature of the air from 37 degrees to 45 degrees. [Sidenote: Friday, 28th.] The ice having opened near the beach by noon of the 28th, so as to admit the boats, we embarked, to try if we could not advance by thrusting the ma.s.ses aside with poles. After spending several hours in this labour, and gaining only two miles, further exertion became ineffectual, owing to the ice being closely packed, and many of the pieces from fifteen to twenty feet high, lying aground. We had however, gained by the removal the comforts of dry ground, and good water, which had been wanting at the last encampment. Among the drift timber on the beach was a pine tree, seven feet and a quarter in girth, by thirty-six long. We had previously seen several, little inferior in size. The temperature this day varied from 39 degrees to 48 degrees. We had observed, for the preceding fortnight, that the musquitoes a.s.sailed us as soon as the temperature rose to 45 degrees, and that they retired quickly on its descending below that height.

[Sidenote: Sat.u.r.day, 29th.] The morning of the 29th opened with heavy rain and fog; the precursors of a strong gale from E.N.E., which brought back the ice we had already pa.s.sed, and closely packed it along the beach, but we could not perceive that the wind had the slightest effect on the main body at a distance from the sh.o.r.e. This was a very cold, comfortless day, the temperature between 38 degrees and 42 degrees.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 30th.] On the following morning a brilliant sun contributed with the gale to the dispersion of the mist which had, for some days past, overhung the Rocky Mountains, and we had the gratification of seeing, for the first time, the whole length of the British Chain of Mountains, which are more peaked and irregular in their outline, and more picturesque than those of the Buckland Range. The following observations were obtained here:--Lat.i.tude 69 degrees 38 minutes N.; longitude 140 degrees 51 minutes W.; variation 45 degrees 43 minutes E.; dip 83 degrees 27 minutes. In exploring the bed of a rivulet we found several pieces of quartz, containing pyrites of a very bright colour, which so much attracted the attention of the crews, that they spent several hours in examining every stone, expecting to have their labour rewarded by the discovery of some precious metal.

The gale having abated in the evening, we quickly loaded the boats, and pulled them into a lane of water that we had observed about half a mile from the sh.o.r.e. This, however, extended only a short way to the west, and at the end of a mile and a half inclined towards the beach, the ice beyond it being closely packed. Before the boats could be brought to the land, they received several heavy blows in pa.s.sing through narrow channels, and over tongues of grounded ice. I walked to the extreme point that we had in view from the tent, and was rejoiced by the sight of a large s.p.a.ce of water in the direction of our course; but up to the point the ice was still compact, and heavy. On my way I pa.s.sed another Esquimaux village, where there were marks of recent visitors.

We witnessed the setting of the sun at eleven P.M.; an unwelcome sight, which the gloomy weather had, till then, spared us; for it forced upon our minds the conviction that the favourable season for our operations was fast pa.s.sing away, though we had, as yet, made so little progress.

This was not the only uncomfortable circ.u.mstance that attended us this evening. Our friend Augustus was seized with a s.h.i.+vering fit, in consequence of having imprudently rushed, when in full perspiration, into a lake of cold water, to drag out a rein-deer which he had killed.

He was unable to walk on coming out of the water, and the consequence would have been more serious had it not been for the kindness of his companion, Wilson, who deprived himself of his flannels and waistcoat to clothe him. On their arrival at the tent, Augustus was put between blankets, and provided with warm chocolate, and the only inconvenience that he felt next morning was pain in his limbs.

[Sidenote: Monday, 31st.] We had several showers of rain during the night, with a steady S.W. breeze, and in the morning of the 31st were delighted by perceiving the ice loosening and driving off the land. We were afloat in a few minutes, and enjoyed the novelty of pulling through an uninterrupted channel as far as Point Demarcation, which has been so named from its being situated in longitude 141 degrees W., the boundary between the British and Russian dominions on the northern coast of America. This point seems to be much resorted to by the Esquimaux, as we found here many winter houses, and four large stages. On the latter were deposited several bundles of seal and deer skins, and several pair of snow-shoes. The snow-shoes were netted with cords of deer-skin, and were shaped like those used by the Indians near the Mackenzie. A favourable breeze now sprang up; and having ascertained, by mounting one of the Esquimaux stages, that there was still a channel of open water between a low island and the main sh.o.r.e, we set sail to follow its course. At the end of three miles we found the water gradually to decrease from three fathoms to as many feet, and shortly afterwards the boats repeatedly took the ground. In this situation we were enveloped by a thick fog, which limited our view to a few yards. We, therefore, dragged the boats to the land, until we could see our way; this did not happen before ten in the evening, when it was discovered from the summit of an eminence, about two miles distant, that though the channel was of some extent, it was very shallow, and seemed to be barred by ice to the westward. We also ascertained that it was bounded to the seaward by a long reef. The night proved very stormy, and we were but scantily supplied with drift wood.

[Sidenote: August 1st.] Though the morning of the 1st of August commenced with a heavy gale from E.N.E., and very foggy weather, we proceeded to the reef, after much fatigue in dragging the boats over the flats, under the supposition that our best chance of getting forward would be by pa.s.sing on the outside of it. But there finding heavy ice lying aground, and so closely packed as to preclude the possibility of putting the boats into the water, it was determined to examine the channel by walking along the sh.o.r.e of the reef. An outlet to the sea was discovered, but the channel was so flat that gulls were, in most parts, wading across; and there was, therefore, no other course than to await the separation of the ice from the reef. On the dispersion of the fog in the afternoon, we perceived that some of the ma.s.ses of ice were from twenty to thirty feet high; and we derived little comfort from beholding, from the top of one of them, an unbroken surface of ice to seaward.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 2nd.] The gale blew without the least abatement throughout the night, and until noon of the 2nd, when it terminated in a violent gust, which overthrew the tents. The field of ice was broken in the offing, and the pieces put in motion; and in the evening there appeared a large s.p.a.ce of open water, but we could not take advantage of these favourable circ.u.mstances, in consequence of the ice still closely besetting the reef. We remarked large heaps of gravel, fifteen feet above the surface of the reef, on the largest iceberg, which must have been caused by the pressure of the ice; and from the top of this berg we had the satisfaction of discovering that a large herd of rein-deer were marching in line towards the opposite side of the channel. Our party was instantly on the alert, and the best hunters were sent in the Reliance in chase of them. The boat grounded about midway across, and the eager sportsmen jumped overboard and hastened to the sh.o.r.e; but such was their want of skill, that only three fawns were killed, out of a herd of three or four hundred. The supply, however, was sufficient for our present use, and the circ.u.mstances of the chase afforded amusing conversation for the evening. The astronomical observations place our encampment in lat.i.tude 69 degrees 43 minutes N.; longitude 141 degrees 30 minutes W.

The temperature this day varied from 40 degrees to 42 degrees.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 3rd.] On the morning of the 3rd a strong breeze set in from the east, which we were rejoiced to find caused a higher flood in the channel than we had yet seen, and the hope of effecting a pa.s.sage by its course was revived; as the ice was still fast to the reef, and likely to continue so, it was considered better to occupy ourselves in dragging the boats through the mud, than to continue longer in this irksome spot, where the wood was already scarce, and the water indifferent. The boats, therefore, proceeded with four men in each, while the rest of the crew walked along the sh.o.r.e, and rendered a.s.sistance wherever it was necessary, to drag them over the shallow parts. After four hours' labour, we reached the eastern part of the bay, which I have had the pleasure of naming after my friend Captain Beaufort, R.N., and which was then covered with ice. We had also the happiness of finding a channel that led to seaward, which enabled us to get on the outside of the reef; but as we pushed as close as we could to the border of the packed ice, our situation, for the next four hours, was attended with no little anxiety. The appearance of the clouds bespoke the return of fog, and we were sailing with a strong breeze through narrow channels, between heavy pieces of drift ice, on the outside of a chain of reefs that stretched across Beaufort Bay, which we knew could not be approached within a mile, owing to the shallowness of the water.

Beyond Point Humphrys, the water being deep close to the coast, we travelled in more security, though the ice was less open than before. We halted to sup on a gravel reef that extends from the main sh.o.r.e to Point Griffin, having run twenty-eight miles, the greatest distance we had made on one day since our departure from the Mackenzie.

A black whale, and several seals, having been seen just before we landed, the water now decidedly salt, and the ice driving with great rapidity to the westward, were circ.u.mstances that we hailed with heartfelt joy; as affording the prospect of getting speedily forward, and in the evening we lost sight of Mount Conybeare, which had been visible since the 9th of July. There were several huts on the reef, and one large tent, capable of holding forty persons, which appeared to have been lately occupied, besides eighteen sledges, that we supposed to have been left by the men who had gone from Herschel Island, to exchange their furs with the western Esquimaux. Among the baggage we found a spoon, made out of the musk ox horn, like those used by the Canadian voyagers. At six this evening we pa.s.sed the termination of the British Chain of Mountains, and had now arrived opposite the commencement of another range, which I named after the late Count Romanzoff, Chancellor of the Russian Empire, as a tribute of respect to the memory of that distinguished patron and promoter of discovery and science.

Having taken the precaution of supplying ourselves with fresh water, we quitted the reef, to proceed on our voyage under sail, but shortly afterwards arrived at very heavy ice, apparently packed. We found, however, a narrow pa.s.sage, and by forcing the boats through it, reached a more open channel, where the oars could be used. This extended along a reef, so that we could pursue our course with safety, being ready to land in the event of the ice drifting upon us. [Sidenote: Friday, 4th.]

The sun set this evening at half past ten P.M.; and the temperature of the air during its disappearance was 38 degrees. Between the reefs and the low main land the water was entirely free from ice. After pa.s.sing Point Sir Henry Martin, we were tempted, by the appearance of a bay, to steer within the reefs, as we could then use the sails, and make a more direct course than by winding among the ice. The water proved so shallow that the boats took the ground, at the distance of three miles from the sh.o.r.e, which caused us to alter our plan, and follow the line of drift ice near the border of the pack. The breeze died away; and in proceeding under oars beyond Point Manning, we descried a collection of tents planted on a low island, with many oomiaks, kaiyacks, and dogs around them. The Esquimaux being fast asleep, Augustus was desired to hail them, and after two or three loud calls, a female appeared in a state of nudity; after a few seconds she called out to her husband, who awoke at the first sound of her voice, and shouting out that strangers were close at hand, the whole s.p.a.ce between the tents and the water was, in a few minutes, covered with armed, though naked, people. Their consternation on being thus suddenly roused by strangers, of whose existence they had never heard, can be better imagined than described. We drew near the sh.o.r.e, to let Augustus inform them who we were, and of the purpose of our visit, which produced a burst of acclamation, and an immediate invitation to land. This we declined doing, having counted fifty-four grown persons, and knowing that we had not the means of furnis.h.i.+ng such a number with the articles they might crave. Besides, it was evident, from their hurried manner, that they were in a state of high excitement, and might then, perhaps, have been disposed to seize upon everything within their grasp. Four of the kaiyacks being launched, after we had receded to a proper distance from the island, we allowed them to come alongside; and presents were given to the men. We then learned that these were the people who had conveyed the furs, &c., from Herschel Island, and that the exchange with the Esquimaux had been made at the place where they were encamped, only a few days before. They intended to commence their return this day to Herschel Island, where the iron and beads would be distributed among their relations, according to the furs, &c. they had supplied. The Esquimaux saluted us at parting with many vociferations of _teyma_, and we continued our journey for five miles; at the end of which, the wind setting in strongly against us, we landed at the western part of Barter Island, to refresh the crew. We then found that a rapid tide was running to the eastward, and at eleven the water had risen one foot, from the time of our landing. The tents were scarcely pitched before we saw two kaiyacks coming towards us from the westward, and the man in the headmost accepted, without hesitation, our invitation to land. His companion was asleep, and his canoe was driving with the wind and tide; but when awaked by the voice of Augustus, he also came. These were young men returning from hunting to the tents that we had pa.s.sed; and being much fatigued, they made but a short stay. The only information collected from them was, that the coast before us was similar to that along which we had been travelling, and that the ice was broken from the sh.o.r.e. The lat.i.tude 70 degrees 5 minutes N.; longitude 143 degrees 55 minutes W.; variation 45 degrees 36 minutes E.; were observed.

As soon as the lat.i.tude had been obtained, we embarked, favoured by wind and tide, to cross the bay, which has been named in honour of the Marquess Camden. The water was of a seagreen colour, perfectly salt, and from three to five fathoms deep; the temperature 35 degrees at the surface, that of the air, 43 degrees. The day was very clear, and exposed to our view the outline of the Romanzoff chain of Mountains, whose lofty peaks were covered with snow. At the end of ten miles we observed four tents planted on a reef, and several women standing about them, who made many signs for us to land, but the surf was rolling too heavily on the beach. As we proceeded, their husbands were perceived on the main sh.o.r.e, in pursuit of a large herd of rein-deer, which they seemed to be surrounding so as to drive the deer into the water, where they would probably spear them to more advantage.

Continuing along the sh.o.r.e beyond the reef at the distance of two miles from the land, the boats touched the ground several times, which made us conclude we were steering into a bay, though its outline could not be seen. The wind changed at the time to the north, blew strong, and raised a heavy swell, which induced us to haul out to seaward, and we soon afterwards discovered an island, which we just reached under sail. From its summit we perceived a chain of low reefs, extending from its northern point for several miles to the westward, on which the wind was then blowing, and bringing down the drift ice. We were, therefore, compelled to halt, and await more moderate weather. This island, like the projecting points of the main sh.o.r.e, is a mere deposit of earthly mud, covered with verdure, about twenty or twenty-five feet high. There was another island adjoining, which seemed to be a collection of boulder stones; from whence it was named.

The ice appeared closely packed to the seaward; nearer to the island were icebergs aground, and within these, streams of loose pieces driving towards the reefs. In the hurry of embarkation from Barter Island, one of the crew of the Reliance left his gun and ammunition, which we regretted the more, from being apprehensive that an accident might happen to the natives. The circ.u.mstance was not known before the boats were a great distance from the island, or we should have put back to have recovered it.

A very thick fog came on in the evening. This weather, however, did not prevent our receiving a visit from two of the natives about midnight, who told Augustus that, having scented the smoke of a fire from the opposite side of the bay, they had come to ascertain who had made it.

They were armed with bows and arrows, and advanced towards the tent without any alarm. We found that they had been hunting, with several other men, at the foot of the Romanzoff Mountains, and that they were now going to rejoin their friends at Barter Island, with the fruits of a successful chase. Their knowledge of the coast terminated at this place, which is as far to the westward as any of the party from Herschel Island travel.

The western Esquimaux had parted from them seven nights before, but they supposed that they had not made much progress, as their oomiaks were heavily laden. Those people had informed them that the coast to the westward was low, and fronted by reefs, like that we had already pa.s.sed; the water also was very shallow; they therefore recommended that we should keep on the outside of every reef. Our visitors had no sooner received their presents than they raised a loud cry, which was intended to bring their friends. On the dispersion of the fog at the time, we discovered an oomiak, filled with people paddling, and some other men wading towards us. [Sidenote: Sat.u.r.day, 5th.] It being calm, and the swell having abated, we did not wait for their arrival, but embarked at one in the morning of the 5th, and pursued our course to the westward, keeping on the outside of the reefs. The water, however, was very shallow, even at the distance of two miles, and we were much teased by the boats repeatedly touching the ground. This was particularly the case when we arrived opposite to the large river, which was named in honour of the late Mr. Canning, where we found the water perfectly fresh, three miles from the land. The ice being more loose abreast of this river, we pulled out to seaward into deep water. The land was then hidden from our view by the haze, though not more than four miles distant, and our course was directed by the ma.s.ses of ice lying aground; but at the end of three miles, our further progress was stopped at six A.M., by the ice being closely packed on the outer border of a reef, in lat.i.tude 70 degrees 7 minutes N.; longitude 145 degrees 27 minutes W.

We perceived, on landing, by the driving of the loose pieces of ice, that the tide was running strongly to the eastward, through the channel we had pa.s.sed along, and that it continued to do so, until ten this morning, during which time the water was falling. It changed at ten, and the water rose one foot before one P.M. This observation would indicate the flood to come from the eastward, though contrary to what was remarked at Barter Island the day before; but in a sea so closely beset with ice, no accurate observations as to the direction of the tide could be obtained.

The Rocky Mountains either terminated abreast of our present situation, or receded so far to the southward as to be imperceptible from the coast a few miles beyond this reef. The ice being somewhat loosened by the flood tide, we embarked at one P.M., to force the boats through the narrow channels, and in the course of two hours reached Point Brownlow, where we landed, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the ice could be avoided by pa.s.sing into the bay that then opened to our view, trending to the south. We perceived that this bay was in every part flat, and strewed with stones; and that the only prospect of getting forward was by entering the ice again, and pus.h.i.+ng to an island about two miles further to the west, which we reached after receiving several heavy blows in pa.s.sing through the loose ice at the entrance of the strait, between the central reef and the island, where the pieces were much tossed by the tide.

The view from the south-east part of the island led us, at first, to suppose that we might proceed by keeping close to its south sh.o.r.e; but in making the attempt, the boats repeatedly took the ground, and we were obliged to seek a pa.s.sage by the north side of the island. At the end of a mile in that direction we were stopped by the ice being unbroken from the sh.o.r.e, and closely packed to seaward. Since the day after our departure from the Mackenzie, when we first came to the ice, we had not witnessed a more unfavourable prospect than that before us. No water was to be seen, either from the tents, or from the different points of the island which we visited, for the purpose of examining into the state of the ice. We were now scantily supplied with fuel; the drift timber being covered by the ice high up the bank, except just where the boat had landed.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 6th.] In the evening a gale came on from the east, and blew throughout the following day: we vainly hoped this would produce some favourable change; and the water froze in the kettle on the night of the 5th. The position of the encampment was ascertained by observation to be, lat.i.tude 70 degrees 11 minutes N.; longitude 145 degrees 50 minutes W.; variation 42 degrees 56 minutes E.; so that notwithstanding the obstructions we had met, an advance of two degrees of longitude had been made in the two preceding days.

This island received the name of Flaxman, in honour of the late eminent sculptor. It is about four miles long and two broad, and rises, at its highest elevation, about fifty feet. In one of the ravines, where a portion of the bank had been carried away by the disruption of the ice, we perceived that the stratum of loose earth was not more than eighteen inches thick, the lower bed being frozen mud; yet this small quant.i.ty of soil, though very swampy, nourished gra.s.ses, several of the arctic plants, and some few willows, that were about three inches high. Several boulder stones were scattered on its beach, and also in the channel that separates it from the main sh.o.r.e.

[Sidenote: Monday, 7th.] An easterly wind gave place to a calm on the morning of the 7th: and as this change, though it produced no effect in loosening the ice to the north, caused more water to flow into the channel between the island and the main, we succeeded with little difficulty in crossing the flats that had before impeded us. Beyond this bar the water gradually deepened to three fathoms; and a favourable breeze springing up, we set the sail, and steered for the outer point of land in sight. We continued in smooth water until we reached Point Thompson, when, having lost the shelter of the ice which was aground on a tongue of gravel projecting from Flaxman Island, we became exposed to an unpleasant swell.

The Lion was very leaky, in consequence of the blows she had received from the ice; but as we could keep her free by baling, we did not lose the favourable moment by stopping to repair her. Our course was continued past Point Bullen, until we came to an island lying three miles from the sh.o.r.e, which proved to be connected with the main land by a reef. Dazzled by the glare of the sun in our eyes, the surf, which was breaking on this reef, was mistaken for a ripple of the tide; and although the sails were lowered, as a measure of precaution, we were so near before the mistake was discovered, that the strength of the wind drove the Lion aground, by which accident she took in much water. The exertions of the crew soon got her afloat, and both boats were pulled to windward of the island. The sails were then set, but as the wind had by this time increased to a strong gale, they were close reefed. We stood along the coast, looking for a favourable landing place, that we might obtain shelter from an approaching storm which the appearance of the sky indicated, and to repair the damage which the Lion had sustained. At length, some posts that had been erected by the Esquimaux on a point, denoted an approachable part of the coast, and we effected a landing after lightening the boats, by carrying part of the cargo two hundred yards through the water. The main sh.o.r.e to the westward of Flaxman Island is so low that it is not visible at the distance of three miles, with the exception of three small hummocks, which look like islands.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 8th.] The carpenter had finished the repairs of the boat by midnight, and we were prepared to go forward, but were prevented from moving by a very thick fog, which continued throughout the night, and till eleven on the morning of the 8th. The storm continued violent throughout the day, but the fog cleared away for the s.p.a.ce of two hours, and enabled us to perceive that the ice, which in the preceding evening had been at a considerable distance from the land, was now tossing about, in large ma.s.ses, close to the border of the shallow water. We were also enabled, during the interval of clear weather, to ascertain, by astronomical observations, the lat.i.tude 70 degrees 16 minutes 27 seconds N.; longitude 147 degrees 38 minutes W.; and variation 43 degrees 15 minutes E.

The hunters were sent out in pursuit of some deer that were seen, and Augustus killed one. They ascertained, during the chase, that we were on an island, separated from the main sh.o.r.e by a channel, fordable at low water. At this encampment we remarked the first instance of regularity in the tide. It was low water at half past nine on the evening of the 7th, and high water at half past two the following morning; the rise being sixteen inches. An equally regular tide was observed on the 8th, but we could not ascertain the direction of the flood. [Sidenote: Wednesday, 9th.] After sunset the squalls became extremely violent; and until three in the afternoon of the 9th, the fog was so dense that every object more distant than forty yards, was hidden. After that period, a partial clearness of the atmosphere discovered to us the waves more high than the day before, and beating heavily against the weather beach of the island. We rejoiced, however, at seeing a large stream of ice to windward, supposing that its presence there would cause the swell to go down, and that we should be able to proceed as soon as the wind should fall. We employed ourselves in observing the dip with Meyer's and the common needles, as well as the magnetic force. The mean dip was 82 degrees 26 minutes. The temperature of the air this day varied from 38 degrees to 45 degrees. High water took place at fifteen minutes after three P.M., the rise being two feet. The water did not fall so low as yesterday, owing to the wind blowing more across the mouth of the bay.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 10th.] On the 10th, the continuance of the gale, and of the fog more opaque, if possible, than before, and more wet, were not only productive of irksome detention, but they prevented us from taking exercise; our walks being confined to a s.p.a.ce between the marks which the Esquimaux had put up on two projecting points, whither we went at every glimpse of clearness, to examine into the state of the waves.

We witnessed with regret, in these short rambles, the havoc which this dreary weather made amongst the flowers. Many that had been blooming on our arrival, were now lying prostrate and withered. These symptoms of decay could not fail painfully to remind us that the term of our operations was fast approaching; and often, at this time, did every one express a wish that we had some decked vessel, in which the provision could be secured from the injury of salt water, and the crew sheltered when they required rest, that we might quit this shallow coast, and steer at once towards Icy Cape. We designated this dreary place by the name of Foggy Island. As an instance of the illusion occasioned by the fog, I may mention that our hunters sallied forth, on more than one occasion, to fire at what they supposed to be deer, on the bank about one hundred yards from the tents, which, to their surprise, took wing, and proved to be cranes and geese.

[Sidenote: Friday, 11th.] The wind changed from east to west in the course of the night, and at eight in the morning of the 11th, the fog dispersed sufficiently to allow of our seeing a point bearing N.W. by W., about three miles and a half distant which we supposed to be an island. We, therefore, hastened to embark; but before the boats could be dragged so far from the sh.o.r.e that they would float, the fog returned.

The wind, however, being light, we resolved to proceed, and steer by compa.s.s, to the land that had been seen. Soon after quitting the beach we met with shoals, which forced us to alter the course more to the north; and having made the distance at which we estimated the point to be, and being ignorant which way the coast trended beyond it, we rested for some time upon the oars, in the hope that the fog would clear away, even for a short time, to enable us to shape our course anew; but in vain; all our movements in the bay being impeded by the flats that surrounded us, we were compelled to return to Foggy Island. Scarcely had the men made a fire to dry their clothes, which were thoroughly wet from wading over the flats, than the fog again dispersing, we pushed off once more. On this occasion we arrived abreast of the point whilst the weather continued clear, but found a reef, over which the waves washed, stretching to the north-west, beyond the extent of our view. Just as we began to proceed along the reef, the recurrence of the fog rendered it necessary for us to seek for shelter on the sh.o.r.e; and as we were heartily tired of our late encampment, we endeavoured to find another, but the shoals prevented our reaching any landing-place. We, therefore, retraced our course, though with much reluctance, to Foggy Island, which the men declared to be an enchanted island. Though our wanderings this day did not exceed seven miles, the crews were employed upwards of two hours in dragging the boats through the mud, when the temperature of the water was at 40 degrees, and that of the air 41 degrees. They endured this fatigue with the greatest cheerfulness, though it was evident they suffered very much from the cold; and in the evening we witnessed the ill effects of this kind of labour by finding their legs much swelled and inflamed. The fear of their becoming ill from a frequent repet.i.tion of such operations made me resolve not to attempt the pa.s.sage of these flats again till the weather should be so clear that we might ascertain their extent, and see in what way they might be pa.s.sed with less risk.

Fog is, of all others, the most hazardous state of the atmosphere for navigation in an icy sea, especially when it is accompanied by strong breezes, but particularly so for boats where the sh.o.r.e is unapproachable. If caught by a gale, a heavy swell, or drifting ice, the result must be their wreck, or the throwing the provisions overboard to lighten them, so as to proceed into shoal water. Many large pieces of ice were seen on the borders of the shallow water; and from the lowness of the temperature, we concluded that the main body was at no great distance. We had also pa.s.sed through a stream of perfectly fresh water, which we supposed was poured out from a large river in the intermediate vicinity, but the fog prevented our seeing its outlet. [Sidenote: Sat.u.r.day, 12th.] The atmosphere was equally foggy throughout the night, and all the 12th, although the wind had changed to the east, and blew a strong breeze. Winds from this quarter had been extremely prevalent since the preceding April: but on our former visit to the Polar Sea, they had been of rare occurrence, and confined to the spring months, which we pa.s.sed at Fort Enterprize. The obstinate continuance of fog forms another material difference between this season and the same period of 1821. We were only detained three times in navigating along the coast that year to the east of the Coppermine River; but on this voyage hardly a day pa.s.sed after our departure from the Mackenzie that the atmosphere was not, at some time, so foggy as to hide every object more distant than four or five miles. The day that I visited Mount Conybeare, and that spent on Flaxman Island, form the only exceptions to this remark. A question, therefore, suggests itself:--Whence arises this difference? which, I presume, can be best answered by reference to the greater acc.u.mulation of ice on this coast, and to the low and very swampy nature of the land. There is a constant exhalation of moisture from the ice and swamps during the summer months, which is, perhaps, prevented from being carried off by the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains, and, therefore, becomes condensed into a fog. The coast to the eastward of the Coppermine River is high and dry, and far less enc.u.mbered with ice.

Some deer appearing near the encampment, a party was despatched in pursuit of them; but having been previously fired at by Augustus, they proved too wary. The exertions of the men were, however, rewarded by the capture of some geese and ducks. The whole of the vegetation had now a.s.sumed the autumnal tint.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 13th.] There was not the least abatement in the wind, or change in the murky atmosphere, throughout the 13th. The party a.s.sembled at divine service, and afterwards amused themselves as they could in their tents, which were now so saturated with wet as to be very comfortless abodes; and in order to keep ourselves tolerably warm we were obliged to cover the feet with blankets; our protracted stay having caused such a great expenditure of the drift-wood, that we found it necessary to be frugal in its use, and only to light the fire when we wanted to cook the meals. The nights, too, we regretted to find, were lengthening very fast; so that from ten P.M. to two A.M., there was too little light for proceeding in any unknown tract.

[Sidenote: Monday, 14th.] The wind this day was moderate, but the fog was more dense, and very wet. Tired, however, of the confinement of the tent, most of the party wandered out in search of amus.e.m.e.nt, though we could not see one hundred yards; and some partridges, ducks, and geese, were shot.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 15th.] The fog was dispersed at seven in the morning of the 15th, by a north-east gale, which created too great a surf on the beach for us to launch the boats, and the fog returned in the evening.

The temperature fell to 35 degrees, and in the course of the night ice was formed on the small pools near the encampment. Augustus set off in the afternoon to cross over to the main sh.o.r.e for the purpose of hunting, and to see whether there were any traces of the western Esquimaux, but he found none, and only saw three rein-deer.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 16th.] The weather again became clear, after the sun rose, on the 16th, and we embarked as soon as the flowing of the tide enabled us to launch the boats, all in the highest spirits at the prospect of escaping from this detestable island. We took advantage of the fair wind, set the sails, and steered to the westward parallel to the coast. We had never more than from three to six feet water, for the first seven miles, until we had pa.s.sed round the reef that projects from the point we had so often attempted to reach, and which was named Point Anxiety.

Between Point Anxiety and Point Chandos, which is eight miles further to the westward, the land was occasionally seen; but after rounding the latter point we lost sight of it, and steered to the westward across the mouth of Yarborough Inlet, the soundings varying from five feet to five fathoms. The fog returned, and the wind freshening, soon created such a swell upon the flats, that it became necessary to haul further from the land; but the drift ice beginning to close around us, we could no longer proceed with safety, and, therefore, endeavoured to find a landing-place. An attempt was made at Point Herald, and another on the western point of Prudhoe bay, but both were frustrated by the shoalness of the water, and the height of the surf. The increasing violence of the gale, however, and density of the fog, rendering it absolutely necessary for us to obtain some shelter, we stood out to seaward, with the view of making fast to a large piece of ice. In our way we fell among gravelly reefs, and arriving at the same time suddenly in smooth water, we effected a landing on one of them. A temporary dispersion of the fog showed that we were surrounded with banks nearly on a level with the water, and protected to seaward by a large body of ice lying aground. The patch of gravel on which we were encamped, was about five hundred yards in circ.u.mference, dest.i.tute of water, and with no more drift wood than a few willow branches, sufficient to make one fire.

CHAPTER V.

Commence Return to the Mackenzie--Delayed again at Foggy Island--Ice packed on the Reefs near Beaufort Bay, and on the Coast about Clarence River--Pa.s.s the Channels near Herschel Island in a Gale and Fog--A sudden Gale--Escape an Attack which the Mountain Indians meditated--Enter the Mackenzie--Peel River--Arrival at Fort Franklin.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 16th.] The period had now arrived when it was inc.u.mbent on me to consider, whether the prospect of our attaining the object of the voyage was sufficiently encouraging to warrant the exposure of the party to daily increasing risk, by continuing on. We were now only half way from the Mackenzie River to Icy Cape; and the chance of reaching the latter, depended on the nature of the coast that was yet unexplored, and the portion of the summer which yet remained for our operations.

I knew, from the descriptions of Cook and Burney, that the sh.o.r.e about Icy Cape resembled that we had already pa.s.sed, in being flat, and difficult of approach; while the general trending of the coast from the Mackenzie to the west-north-west, nearly in the direction of Icy Cape, combined with the information we had collected from the Esquimaux, led me to conclude that no material change would be found in the intermediate portion.

The preceding narrative shows the difficulties of navigating such a coast, even during the finest part of the summer; if, indeed, any portion of a season which had been marked by a constant succession of fogs and gales could be called fine. No opportunity of advancing had been let slip, after the time of our arrival in the Arctic Sea; and the unwearied zeal and exertion of the crews had been required, for an entire month, to explore the ten degrees of longitude between Herschel Island and our present situation, I had, therefore, no reason to suppose that the ten remaining degrees could be navigated in much less time. The ice, it is true, was more broken up, and the sea around our present encampment was clear; but we had lately seen how readily the drift ice was packed upon the shoals by every breeze of wind blowing towards the land. The summer, bad as it had been, was now nearly at an end, and on this point I had the experience of the former voyage for a guide. At Point Turn-again, two degrees to the south of our present situation, the comparatively warm summer of 1821 was terminated on the 17th of August, by severe storms of wind and snow; and in the s.p.a.ce of a fortnight afterwards, winter set in with all its severity. Last year, too, on the 18th and following days of the same month, we had a heavy gale at the mouth of the Mackenzie; and appearances did not indicate that the present season would prove more favourable. The mean temperature of the atmosphere had decreased rapidly since the sun had begun to sink below the horizon, and the thermometer had not lately shown a higher temperature than 37 degrees. Ice, of considerable thickness, formed in the night, and the number of the flocks of geese which were hourly seen pursuing their course to the westward, showed that their autumnal flight had commenced.

While a hope remained of reaching Behring Straits, I looked upon the hazard to which we had, on several occasions, been exposed, of s.h.i.+pwreck on the flats, or on the ice, as inseparable from a voyage of the nature of that which we had undertaken; and if such an accident had occurred, I should have hoped, with a sufficient portion of the summer before me, to conduct my party in safety back to the Mackenzie. But the loss of the boats when we should have been far advanced, and at the end of the season, would have been fatal. The deer hasten from the coast as soon as the snow falls; no Esquimaux had been lately seen, nor any winter-houses, to denote that this part of the coast was much frequented; and if we did meet them under adverse circ.u.mstances, we could not, with safety, trust to their a.s.sistance for a supply of provision; nor do I believe that, if willing, even they would have been able to support our party for any length of time.