350 VOYAGE TO THE 



I was also desired to place a small party in occu- 

 pation of Chamisso Island during the absence of the 

 1826. ship ; but this spot proved to be so different from 

 what we imagined, being accessible in almost every 

 quarter, instead of having only one landing place, 

 that a small party would have been of no use if the 

 natives were inclined to be hostile, and the numeri- 

 cal strength of the crew did not admit of a large de- 

 tachment being spared from her. But in order that 

 Captain Franklin should not want provision in the 

 event of his missing the ship along the coast, and 

 arriving at the island in her absence, a tight barrel 

 of flour was buried upon Puffin Rock, which ap- 

 peared to be the most unfrequented spot in the 

 vicinity, and directions for finding it were deposited 

 in a bottle at Chamisso Island, together with such 

 other information as he might require, and the place 

 where it was deposited was pointed out by writing 

 upon the cliffs with white paint. It was further 

 arranged, that a party should proceed over land in a 

 northerly direction, in the hope of falling in with 

 Captain Franklin,, as it was possible the shore of the 

 Polar Sea might lie more to the southward than the 

 general trending of that part of its coast which had 

 been explored led us to expect. But as the ship 

 was likely to be absent several weeks, and we were 

 unacquainted with the disposition of the people or 

 with the country, further than that from its swampy 

 nature, it seemed to present almost insurmountable 

 difficulties to the journey, I deferred the departure 

 of the party, and afterwards wholly abandoned the 

 project, as the coast was found to extend so far to 

 the northward as to render it quite useless. 



As I wished to avail myself of the latitude afford- 



