506 DK KANE'S EXPEDITION. 



ing plenty. This was the crowning excursion of the 

 expedition, and the results present rich matter for spec- 

 ulation to those who believe in an open polar sea beyond 

 the region of embayed and strangulated ice-floes. 



Instead of the Bay of Baffin forming a cul de sac, as 

 the old tradition of the whalers conceived, it leads to a 

 strait (Smith's Strait), which passes on into a channel 

 (Kennedy Channel), that apparently expands into an 

 open polar sea, abounding with life, some three hundred 

 miles further to the north than the head of Baffin's Bay. 

 The shores of this channel, terminating in the Cape 

 Constitution of Mr. Morton, in latitude 81 22', on the 

 eastern side, and in Sir Edward Parry's peak, about 

 latitude 82 17', on the western side, had now been 

 delineated and mapped through an extent of nine hun- 

 dred and oixty miles, at a cost of two thousand miles of 

 travel on foot and in sledges. Mr. Morton commenced 

 his return on the 25th of June, and reached the ship on 

 the 10th of July, staggering by the side of the limping 

 dogs, one of which was riding as a passenger upon the 

 sledge. 



The summer of 1854 was now wearing on, and yet no 

 prospects presented themselves of the ice breaking up, 

 so as to liberate the brig. Under these circumstances, 

 Dr. Kane determined upon making an attempt to com- 

 municate with Sir Edward Belcher's squadron at 

 Beechey Island. For this purpose a boat was fitted out, 

 called the Forlorn Hope, and was carried across the 

 heavy ice-floe to be launched in open water. On their 

 way to the southward they fell in with an island, upon 

 which they killed a number of eider-ducks, and procured 

 a large supply of eggs. On the 19th of July they made 

 Cape Alexander, and were enabled to determine that 

 the narrowest part of Smith's Strait is not, as has been 

 considered, between Cape Isabella and Cape Alexander, 



