1853.] ARRIVAL OF MR. SHELLABEER, 9 



I daily expected the arrival of Commander Pullen, in 

 order to arrange with him respecting the final winter 

 and spring proceedings. He had already made one at- 

 tempt, but, bad weather threatening, had put back, as 

 the open water led him to suspect that the western ice 

 might break up, and permit the ' Intrepid' or ' Resolute' 

 to reach Beechey Island. 



On the 30th however Mr. Shellabeer, Second Master, 

 arrived with some few parcels and service letters, inform- 

 ing me that Commander Pullen expected to be able to 

 quit on the 1st of October. I had already given Com- 

 mander Richards intimation that, so soon as all was safe, 

 I should despatch him, with two sledges, to make the 

 necessary arrangements, if Commander Pullen did not 

 come in person ; from him also I expected to obtain a 

 more complete idea as to the requisite force intended to 

 be pushed over in the ensuing spring, in order to relieve 

 and extricate, if necessary, the men of the Western Di- 

 vision. This arrival however relieved us of one sledge. 

 Lieutenant Cheyne and Mr. Ricards would return by 

 this convoy; the former to attend to tidal and meteorolo- 

 gical observations, under Commander Pullen. The first 

 sledge left on the evening of the 1st of October, under 

 the command of Mr. Grove, to bring back the assistant- 

 surgeon for ' Pioneer.' Mr. Shellabeer, with Dr. Ricards, 

 would wait for my letters until the morning of the 2nd, 

 and overtake the others before night. I still had my 

 misgivings of the weather, and more than once thought 

 of advancing a boat. Mr. Shellabeer had also reported, 

 "strong gusts down the valleys," and "open water ex- 

 tending from Cape Osborn to Union Bay." It was for- 



