DISASTROUS SEPARATION. 367 



after a tortuous course, in reaching Elwin Bay, which 

 they found quite closed up. Batty Bay and Fury Beach 

 were next visited, where they met with similar disap- 

 pointment, and where they also perceived that the ice 

 between which and the shore they had been sailing 

 was setting down upon them ; so they were obliged to 

 beat a hasty retreat, in order to escape being crushed 

 to pieces. It was now obviously fruitless to attempt 

 the western side of the inlet under present circum- 

 stances ; so they put about and ran for Port Bowen, on 

 the eastern shore, which was comparatively free from 

 ice. Here they found traces of the party which wintered 

 at this spot with Sir Edward Parry, in 1825. 



To winter here, while all their intended work lay on 

 the other shore of the inlet, was quite out of the ques- 

 tion ; so it was resolved at all hazards to attempt- a 

 landing again. Accordingly, on the 9th of September, 

 they recrossed the strait, and succeeded in approaching 

 close enough to the shore to render an attempt to land 

 somewhat feasible. The gutta-percha boat was there- 

 fore got out, and Kennedy, with four of his men, jumped 

 into her and rowed for the beach. This they reached 

 without difficulty, by means of a narrow lane of open 

 water which was opportunely discovered. On ascend- 

 ing the cliffs of Cape Seppings, Kennedy found, to his 

 joy, that the harbor of Port Leopold was quite free from 

 ice, and, if the ship could maintain her position for a few 

 hours longer, he had no doubt of being able to effect an 

 entrance. On descending to the beach, however, he 

 found, to his consternation, that the passage by which 

 they had entered was blocked up. The boat had not 

 been fastened to the beach, but to a large piece of ice, 

 which, with the whole body of the pack, was drifting 

 down the inlet, carrying boat, ship, and men, along 

 with it. To make matters worse, night was coming on, 



