354 FIRST GRINNELL EXPEDITION 



after remaining seven or eight days, they abandoned the 

 attempt to enter. On the right and left of the entrance 

 were dark rocks, in the centre the frozen waters, and 

 beyond, a range of hills. There was much smooth ice 

 within the inlet, and, while the vessels lay anchored to 

 the " field," officers and crew exercised and amused 

 themselves by skating. On the left of the inlet they 

 discovered a cairn (a heap of stones with a cavity), 

 eight or ten feet in height, which was erected by Capt. 

 Ommaney, of the English expedition then in the polar 

 waters. Within it he had placed two letters, for " whom 

 it might concern. " Commander De Haven also depos- 

 ited a letter there. It is believed to be the only post- 

 office in the world free for the use of all nations. The 

 rocks here presented vast fissures made by the frost ; 

 and at the foot of the cliff on the right that powerful 

 agent had cast down vast heaps of debris. 



From Barlow's Inlet the American expedition moved 

 slowly westward, battling with the ice every rood of 

 the way, until they reached Griffin's Island, at about 

 96 west longitude from Greenwich. This was attained 

 on the llth of September, and was the extreme westing 

 made by the expedition. All beyond seemed impene- 

 trable ice ; and, despairing of making any further dis- 

 coveries before the winter should set in, they resolved 

 to return home. Turning eastward, they hoped to reach 

 Davis's Straits by the southern route, before the cold 

 and darkness came on ; but they were doomed to disap- 

 pointment. Near the entrance to Wellington Channel 

 thej became completely locked in by hummock-ice, and 

 SOOL found themselves drifting with an irresistible tide 

 up that channel toward the pole. 



Now began the most perilous adventures of the navi- 

 gators The summer day was drawing to a close ; the 

 diurnal visits of the pale sun were rapidly shortening, 



