MOVEMENTS OF WESTERN DIVISION. 345 



cate the ' Pioneer.' Commander Richards was the bearer 

 of complete reports, as far as time would permit, from 

 the western division ; the originals were to be forwarded 

 to Beechey Island, and included just the contents of 

 Commander Richards's letter up to arrival there. 



June 8. This letter of Captain Kellett informs me 

 " that Mr. De Bray, auxiliary to Commander M'Clintock, 

 arrived ou the 18th, having left him, with seventy days' 

 provision, on the 2nd of May, in 76 8' N., longitude 

 11645'W. To the northward, all the way to Cape 

 Fisher, he could see land, apparently islands, forty miles 

 off: these he will search on his journey home. Unfor- 

 tunately, Mr. De Bray lost a man (John Coombs, stoker) ; 

 he died from disease of the heart. Commander M'Clin- 

 tock speaks in high terms of Mr. De Bray ; he says he 

 could not have had a better second. 



" Mr. Nares, auxiliary to Lieutenant Mecham, arrived 

 on the 1st of June ; he had a disabled Marine with him : 

 he left Lieutenant Mecham on the 3rd of May ; latitude 

 75 35' N., longitude 118 W. ; having crossed from 

 Melville Island to Prince Patrick's group or land, what- 

 ever it may be. This name I have given to it, as it was 

 landed on and taken possession of on his Royal High- 

 ness's birthday. All these parties will be back by the 

 7th of July. 



" Commander Richards's coming here has been most 

 fortunate ; he will take direct to you all information re- 

 lative to this part of the Expedition, and will also finish 

 the Byam Martin Channel, the search of which I have 

 birn unable to undertake, for want of means. My in- 

 tended movements are as follows : 1st. Should ' Inves- 



