1852.] COMMENCE SLEDGE TRAVELLING. 91 



our first protection, and the ledge off the intermediate 

 rounding angle our perfect guard. 



With a rapidity not at all understood, we became sud- 

 denly frozen in, and at a period too when previous navi- 

 gators would have led us to believe that the ice might 

 "break up" for the season. What impressed me with 

 the conviction that the present occurrence was decisive 

 against further motion, I cannot conceive, nor did I wait 

 to inquire. I had seen enough to instruct me that de- 

 cision only would enable me to save the remaining part 

 of the season, and, if properly employed, would make a 

 great extent of the northern land, estimated as forty miles 

 distant, British territory. 



August 20. About midnight on the 19-20th, the 

 'Assistance' ceased her travels for the season. On the 

 23rd, at 7.30 A.M., three sledges and one boat moved 

 out fully equipped, from the ' Assistance.' The Hamilton 

 boat and Londesborough sledge the Captain, and Mr. 

 Louey, master. Second sledge Commander Richards, 

 and Mr. Grove, mate. Third sledge Lieutenant Os- 

 boru and Dr. Lyall. The party consisted of twenty- 

 seven persons, and carried twenty-one days' provision. 



A short space was navigable, to which the other boats 

 aided us, but quitted on reaching the outer floe under 

 three hearty cheers. At starting, the ' Hamilton' alone 

 was available for crossing the lanes of water, but this so 

 much retarded us that Commander Richards returned for 

 one of the whale-boats. We had then advanced about 

 three miles. On one occasion we enlisted the services 

 of a piece of loose ice, on which a sledge and crew com- 

 plete were, by our united sounding-lines, warped across 



