278 RETURN TO CAPE DISRAELI. \_May, 



joined ' Dauntless,' and proceeded on to Cape Disraeli. 

 Our old friend, the wolf, now rejoined, but the charm 

 was broken ; the tabu no longer existed : he had better 

 keep out of range : I had lost all confidence in his 

 " trusty" and honest intentions ; he was henceforth a 

 victim to science, if taken, and might eventually figure 

 in one of our national museums : I find Parry did not 

 obtain one. 



About six A.M. on the 25th we took possession of our 

 old quarters under Cape Disraeli : bears, both old and 

 young, had been searching ; but it is strange that they 

 did not devour our fat pork, bacon rinds, etc., which 

 were still apparent and untouched. I resolved now to 

 search this southern channel, and therefore sent the crew 

 of the ' Dauntless' to rebuild, on a larger scale, our upper 

 mark on this cape : I considered it yet possible that 

 some sharp turning easterly might again throw us into 

 some connection with another channel leading to Jones's 

 Strait. My own preconceived opinion, in August, 1822, 

 relative to the vapour or apparent smoke seen from the 

 deck, and reported from the crow's-nest " as fog rising 

 from water behind the range of mountains," now recurred 

 to me. It was clear to my mind that there was abundant 

 water to produce any quantity of such vapours ; and our 

 position here being but twenty-eight miles and three- 

 quarters north of my position on Point Hogarth, and, 

 deducting eighteen miles for the interval of land, there 

 was yet abundant scope for any channel taking an east- 

 erly course. 



On the 26th, at seven P.M., we started on this explo- 

 ration, under sail ; a fresh snow-storm breeze sent us 



