1852.] LAND ON TABLE ISLAND. 117 



circumstances, was not certainly without risk ; but who 

 knows of any other work here even in our brown-paper 

 boat ! Our safer course was, no doubt, by the floe ; but 

 no floe was at hand to aid us. Cutting the matter very 

 short, we launched, toiled hard, experienced a nasty, 

 toppling sea, but eventually got up to Table Island, 

 fetching about ten miles to leeward of our intended 

 port. Nevertheless we were grateful to reach the shore, 

 and made the most of it; but heavy "pancake ice" in- 

 tervened between us and our haven. I required but one 

 glance of the eye from our ice-mate, Bond, never behind 

 in corn-age at this work : I knew that he did not object. 

 In we went, and, by dint of labour, spooning, rolling, 

 and eventually getting a line to the ice aground, slept 

 on shore that night ! Very much delighted indeed were 

 all of us, and if the 'Hamilton' could blush but she 

 was painted yellow she must have felt very uneasy at 

 her praises, so very broadly expressed. One Irishman 

 declared that he would either buy her, or have just such 

 another built, and make his fortune on some lake in 

 Ireland. " Well done, little Hamilton ! " often burst 

 from my lips ; and many a good cruise yet do I expect 

 her to bear me through, before she be laid up in Green- 

 wich. Here we are then, nolens volcns, cast ashore on 

 Table Island. This particular spot attracted my atten- 

 tion from the summit of Exmouth Island, and I had in- 

 structed Commander Richards to examine it, and place 

 marks. I fully expected to be able to haul our boat 

 over into a magnificent harbour, formed by the low land 

 encircling nearly the western head ; but the neck, which 

 at ten miles appeared but a thread, was now found to be 



