177^. RICHARD PICKEkSGILL. 321 



Baffin s Bay, Lieutenant PiCKERSGiLt was 

 directed to proceed to Davis's Strait in his Ma- 

 jesty's armed brig the Lion^ for the protection of 

 the British whale fishers, and, tliat being accom- 

 phshed, to continue up the strait into Baffin's Bay, 

 and explore the coasts thereof, taking care to 

 leave it in time to secure his return to Enoland in 

 the fall of the year; with injunctions to employ 

 the Master, Mr. Lane, in surveying, making charts, 

 and taking views of the several bays, harbours, &:c. 

 and in making such notations thereon as might be 

 useful to geography and navigation.*" Pickersgill 

 was not instructed to attempt the passage; the 

 object of sending him into Baffin's Bay being 

 merely to obtain such information as might be 

 useful the following year to the vessel which was 

 intended to be sent out to look for Captain Cook, 

 about the time he might be expected to approach 

 the eastern side of America in the event of success. 

 The Lion left Deptford on the 25th May, 1776; 

 struck soundings on a bank at 320 to 330 fathoms, 

 on the 2.9th June, in latitude 57° N., longitude 24"* 

 24' W. which he supposed might be the remains of 

 Buss Island seen by one of Sir Martin Frobisher's 

 fleet ; and, on the 7th July, saw Cape Farewell, 

 near which, on the following day, he was set fast 

 in a field of ice, " the land at the same time 

 forming one of the most romantic scenes that can 



* MS. Instructions, 14th May, 177^. 

 VOL. I. Y 



