1852.] REACH HUNGRY ISLAND. 137 



neither kill, nor get them if killed, I thought we might- 

 stand a better chance hereafter by not now coming to 

 hostilities. 



Our party was now divided, Commander Richards 

 being directed to seek the outer point of the next 

 large island, and shaping my own course to its inner 

 point, hoping thereby to save time and labour. Our 

 sledge broke in and wetted some articles, but we reached 

 our destination without further accident. The latter 

 part of the journey was attended with considerable 

 anxiety, owing to the rotten state of the ice. Com- 

 mander Richards had a cold bath ; and even when we 

 had reached within a few yards of our destination, land- 

 ing was doubtful, and only effected under great caution, 

 taking some of the light weights first, over the new bay 

 ice, by the dog-sledge. Having encamped, I ascended 

 the highest hill, which commanded a great range, and 

 obtained my observations. The temperature fell to 8, 

 and our prospects were at present propitious, with every 

 probability of the ice strengthening. It is, perhaps, ven- 

 turing almost too much upon English ideas of tempera- 

 ture, but it is no more strange than true, that, with this 

 temperature, 24 below the freezing-point, some of us 

 were wishing it, at least for a period, lower ! Our pre- 

 sumption, possibly, was to be punished. 



Before morning on the 24th September we had it at 

 20, with a strong breeze from east, and much snow- 

 drift. I began to feel great, anxiety about Commander 

 Richards and his party, having given him instructions 

 to proceed on to the projecting point of the next island, 

 if his work was executed in time. Mr. Loney was de- 



