WINTER IN THE BAY OF MERCY. 429 



whole depth of the ravine was about two hundred feet. 

 The ground around the wood or trees was formed of 

 sand and shingle ; some of the wood was petrified, the 

 remainder very rotten, and worthless even for burning. " 



At a subsequent period, Lieutenant Mechara met 

 with a similar kind of fossil forest in Prince Patrick 

 Island, nearly one hundred and twenty miles farther 

 north. 



This phenomenon gives rise to speculation as to some 

 period in the world's history when the absence of ice 

 and a milder climate allowed forest-trees to grow in a 

 region where now the ground willow and dwarf birch 

 have to struggle for existence. 



On the 1st of September, 1851, winter appeared to 

 have overtaken the Investigator in her forlorn position ; 

 but on the 18th the wind veered, and the ice went off 

 from the coast, carrying the ship with it, drifting her to 

 the northward. On the 19th, having got free of the ice 

 which clung to her sides, the ship got into a lane of 

 water stretching eastward; and, on the 22d, rounding 

 Cape Austin, fairly entered into Melville Strait At 

 length, on the 24th, they found themselves in a iarge 

 bay at the western extremity of Banks's Land, and, 

 seeing that it was impossible to round its north-eastern 

 horn, M'Clure made up his mind to winter where he 

 was ; and, in token of his gratitude for his many provi- 

 dential escapes, he appropriately called the place " The 

 Bay of Mercy." That night they were firmly frozen in. 



It was now certain that they would have to spend 

 another winter in the ice. With slight exceptions, the 

 arrangements made were much the same as those of the 

 previous winter. The allowance of food was reduced, 

 to meet the contingency of an escape from the ice not 

 being effected the following year ; but this inconvenience 

 was, to some extent, obviated by its being discovered 



