OF THE POLAR SEA 



415 



desponding, and the meagre supper of tripe de roche was little cal- 

 culated to elevate their spirits. They now threatened to throw 

 away their bundles, and quit us, which rash act they would pro- 

 bably have done, if they had known what track to pursue. 



September 21. — We set out at seven this morning in dark foggy 

 weather, and changed our course two points to the westward. The 

 party were very feeble, and the men much dispirited; we made 

 slow progress, having to march over a hilly and very rugged 

 country. 



Just before noon the sun beamed through the haze for the first 

 time for six days, and we obtained an observation in latitude 65° 7' 06" 

 N., which was six miles to the southward of that part of Point Lake 

 to which our course was directed. By this observation we disco- 

 vered that we had kept to the eastward of the proper course, which 

 may be attributed partly to the difficulty of preserving a straight 

 line through an unknown country, unassisted by celestial observa- 

 tions, and in such thick weather, that our view was often limited 

 to a few hundred yards ; but chiefly to our total ignorance of the 

 amount of the variation of the compass. 



We altered the course immediately to west-south-west, and fired 

 guns to apprize the hunters who were out of our view, and ignorant 

 of our having done so. After walking about two miles we put up 

 to collect the stragglers. Two partridges were killed, and these, 

 with some tripe de roche, furnished our supper. Notwithstanding 

 a full explanation was given to the men of the reasons for altering 

 the course, and they were assured that the observation had enabled 

 us to discover our exact distance from Fort Enterprise, they could 

 not divest themselves of the idea of our having lost our way, and a 

 gloom was spread over every countenance. At this encampment 

 Dr. Kichardson was obliged to deposit his specimens of plants and 

 minerals, collected on the sea-coast, being unable to carry them any 

 farther. The way made to-day was five miles and a quarter. 



