464 INGLEFIELD'S VOYAGE. 



slowly down the channel. The ice in Barrow's Strait 

 broke up at the same time, and by the 22d the floe of 

 Wellington Channel was open for fifteen miles north of 

 the strait. A belt of ice, only twenty miles in extent, 

 and that much cracked, was all that remained betvreen 

 the ships and the waters communicating- with the 

 Atlantic ; yet it was determined to abandon the vessels, 

 and, on the 26th of August, 1854, both the Assistance 

 and Pioneer were deserted, and the crews made their 

 way to Beechey Island. 



Kellett and M'Clure, with the men under their com- 

 mand, were there awaiting them. The searching parties 

 had come in during the summer, and, on the 12th of 

 June, Lieutenant Mecham had brought from Princess 

 Royal Island news of the Enterprise, the first that had 

 been heard from her since 1851. He had found records 

 left by Collinson, as late as August, 1852, in which the 

 latter announced his intention to follow the channel 

 between Wollaston and Prince Albert's Land. Kellett 

 was in favor of remaining and sending parties to his 

 relief; but Belcher was bent on going home. All the 

 officers and men of thg Assistance, Pioneer, Resolute, 

 Intrepid, and Investigator, accordingly got on board 

 the North Star, and had just made sail when the Phoenix 

 and Talbot, under Inglefield, hove in sight, rounding 

 Cape Riley. A distribution of the crews was made 

 among the three vessels. On the 6th of September they 

 reached Disco, and on the 28th of September, 1854, 

 were all safely landed in England. 



The outward voyage of Inglefield on this occasion 

 Beems to have had its full share of dangers. After 

 safely crossing the Atlantic in his steamer, the Phosnix, 

 accompanied by the sailing vessel Talbot, he proceeded 

 up Baffin's Bay, speaking some whalers by the way, 

 and touching at Lievely for coal, which is abundant in 



