307 



CHAPTER XIV. 



First symptom of Winter. Alarming-Discovery. Suspicions awakened. 

 Escape from a Nip. Recent fragment of a Ship. Drift-wood. 

 Party for Beechey Island. Despatch of Lieutenant Osborn. Want 



of Steam-power. Unsafe position. Aid sent to Lieutenant Osborn. 

 Inland Lakes. Fishing. A Spar found. Trunk of a Tree. 



Disturbance of the Ice. Fragments of a Ship. 



September 3. AT midnight there was not sufficient light 

 to read the deck thermometer without a candle, and 

 quite dark in my cabin. We are now to the northward 

 of Eden Point in Baring Bay, and in eighteen fathoms 

 water. A bear was noticed between Cape Osborn and 

 the ship, but he most cautiously avoided any nearer ap- 

 proach, or within any distance to warrant pursuit. As 

 the ' Pioneer ' was completely cut off, our efforts were 

 now incessant, taking advantage of every motion of the 

 ice which enabled us to get into the in-shore water, ho- 

 ping to secure to the grounded ice, and thus prevent 

 being swept back. 



On the morning of the 4th I sent Lieutenant Cheyne, 

 with a gig and one watch, to aid the ' Pioneer,' whose 

 services we very much needed, the open lanes rendering- 

 constant warping tedious, and I had the satisfaction of 



