290 FOUR YEARS IN THE WHITE NORTH [April 



joined the Discovery. Both ships left "Discovery Bay" on the 20th 

 day of August and proceeded south. 

 All well. 



We are homeward bound with very little ice in sight. We shall 

 call at Disco, but not at Littleton Island or Port Foulke. 



G. S. Nares, 



Captain R.N. 

 Commanding Arctic Expedition. 



In the afternoon I returned to tlie locality for a further 

 examination, taking my Eskimo boys with me. Nothing 

 could escape their sharp eyes. Within a few minutes 

 following our arrival E-took-a-shoo dug out of the snow 

 a tin wrapped in heavy sail-cloth containing two letters 

 for Captain Nares and one for Captain Stephenson. 



Pandora, August 24-th viidnight 1876* 

 Dear Captain Nares: — 



On our previous visit here — Aug. 6th, 1876 — we were blown off 

 by a gale and drift ice, and have ever since that date been attempt- 

 ing to regain the cape; a solid pack of drift ice extending from Cape 

 Dunsterville on the west shore to Cairn Point on the east shore 

 preventing our reaching within 10 miles of Cape Isabella. 



I have tried to get northward, but have not been able to reach 

 beyond Cape Paterson on this side, or Latitude 78° 45' on the east 

 side. 



On August 6th our landing party were unable to examine the pack- 

 ages, and we were thus in doubt as to whether they were your dis- 

 patches or some of your provisions, and hence my attempts to 

 regain the cape. 



Failing in our repeated attempts to regain the cape, and seeing 

 no prospect of our doing so tliis season, I landed the bulk of your 

 letters and dispatches on the lower point N. N. E. (mag.) from your 

 cairn on Littleton Island and where I hope they will be even more 

 accessible to you than on tliis cape. 



After a heavy southerly gale yesterday, we have succeeded in 

 gettmg through the S. W. pack, and if I succeed in getting back 

 mto clear water, I proceed homewards at the end of this month, 

 having cruised here all the navigable season in the event of your 

 sending a boat party to Littleton Island. 



