274 VOYAGE TO THE 



CHAP, by a nearer view of the flag, which was clearly distln- 

 ■ , guished to be the ensign of our own boat, hoisted with 

 Sept. the union downwards, indicative of distress. The 

 *^^^* boats were immediately sent to the relief of the suf- 

 ferers, with provisions and blankets, concluding, as we 

 saw only part of the crew stirring about, and others 

 lying down within a small fence erected round the 

 flag-stafF, that they were ill, or had received hurts. 



On the return of the first boat our conjectures as to 

 the fate of the barge were confirmed ; but with this 

 difference, that instead of having been lost upon the 

 coast to the northward, she had met her fate in Kotze- 

 bue Sound, and we had the mortification to find that 

 three of the crew had perished with her. Thus, at the 

 very time that we were consoling ourselves, in the 

 event of our misfortunes of the preceding day termi- 

 nating; disastrouslv, that we should receive relief from 

 our boat, her crew were anticipating assistance from us. 

 From the report of Lieutenant Belcher, who com- 

 manded the barge, it appears that after quitting Cha- 

 misso Island on the 12th ultimo, he proceeded along 

 the northern shore of the Sound, and landed upon 

 Cape Krusenstern, where he waited a short time, and 

 not seeing the ship, the weather being very thick, he 

 stood on for Cape Thomson, where he came to an 

 anchor, and replenished his stock of water. He met 

 some natives on shore who informed him that the 

 ship had passed to the northward (which was not 

 true), and he therefore pursued his course ; but finding 

 the weather thick, and the wind blowing strong from 

 the S.E,, he brought to under the lee of Point Hope, 

 and examined the bay formed between it and Cape 

 Lisburn, where he discovered a small cove, which af- 

 forded him a convenient anchorage in two fathoms, 



