144 BE EC HEY ISLAND DEPOT. Chap. X. 



gale long ago, for much ice had accumulated immediately 

 inside it. Most of the biscuit in bags was damaged, but 

 everything else was in perfect order. Upon the north and 

 west sides of the house, where a wall had been constructed, 

 there was a vast accumulation of ice, in which the lower 

 tier of casks between the two was embedded, and its 

 surface thawed into pools. Neither casks nor walls should 

 have been allowed to stand near the house. The southern 

 and eastern sides were clear and perfectly dry. The ' Mary ' 

 decked boat, and two 30-foot lifeboats, were in excellent 

 order, and their paint appeared fresh; but oars and bare 

 wood were bleached white. 



The gutta-percha boat was useless when left here, and 

 remains in the same state. Two small sledge travelling 

 boats were damaged ; one of them had been blown over 

 and over along the beach until finally arrested by the other. 

 The bears and foxes do not appear to have touched any- 

 thing. I have taken on board all letters left here for 

 Franklin's or Collinson's expeditions, and also a 20-foot 

 sledge-boat for our own travelling purposes. 



Last night we steamed very close round Cape Hurd in a 

 dense fog, and crept along the land as our only guide : we 

 were thus led into Rigby Bay, and discovered a shoal off 

 its entrance by grounding upon it. After a quarter of an 

 hour we floated off unhurt. 



In lowering a boat to pursue a bear, Robert Hampton 

 fell overboard ; fortunately he could swim, and was very 

 soon picked up, but the intense cold of the water had almost 

 paralyzed his limbs. The bear was shot and taken on 

 board. 



Sunday, 15///, 9 p.m. — -Our coaling was completed yesterday, 

 and the ship brought over and anchored off the house in 

 Erebus Bay. A small proportion of provisions and winter 

 clothing has been embarked to complete our deficiencies ; 



