BELCHER'S EXPEDITION. 461 



which we could see, only required an extension of sixty 

 miles to lead to the cairn erected by Captain Austin's 

 party. The roughness of the frozen pack now com- 

 pelled us to take to the land, and we advanced easily 

 five or six miles, when a further stop to our prog- 

 ress was opposed in the shape of an abrupt glacier, 

 and the mortifying discovery that its base was washed 

 by the sea, while the off-lying pack was rotten and 

 tumbling asunder. 



" Not easily daunted, it was determined to try an 

 overland route, and avoid this unfortunate hole, as we 

 then thought it. Provisions, etc., were strapped on, arid 

 we soon started to view what we had to contend with 

 before deciding on our ultimate mode of action. The 

 hills continued increasing in height as we advanced, 

 until they reached fifteen hundred feet. We then 

 descended and took up another position at nearly the 

 same height as the last bluff, when we encamped for 

 the night. All our hopes were crushed ! Between us 

 and the distant bluff the open sea prevailed on the 

 20th of May ! The horizon was streaked with open 

 'sailing-ice/ and all communication cut off for sledges. 

 The bluff', distant sixteen miles, was clearly the turn- 

 ing-point into Jones's Channel ; no land was visible 

 beyond it." 



More than once their hopes were raised, during the 

 return-journey, by the discovery of the remains of 

 structures that had evidently been made by human 

 hands, yet not, apparently, by those of Esquimaux. 

 " Our progress was tantalizing, and attended with deep 

 interest and excitement. In the first place, I discov- 

 ered, on the brow of a mountain about eight hundred 

 feet above the sea, what appeared to be a recent and 

 a very workmanlike structure. This was a dome, or 

 rather a double cone, or ice-house, built of very heavy 



