460 VOYAGE TO THE 



C xn P ' sence °f almost a11 his shipmates, and a stone pro- 

 ^y^ perly inscribed put up to mark the spot ; but the 

 i°26. earth was replaced over the grave as evenly as possi- 

 ble, in order that no appearance of excavation might 

 remain to attract the attention of the natives. 



We had hitherto remained in the sound, in the 

 expectation of being able to wait till the end of 

 October, the date named in my instructions ; but 

 the great change that had recently occurred in the 

 atmosphere, the departure of all the Esquimaux for 

 their winter habitations, the migration of the birds, 

 the frozen state of the lakes, and the gradual cool- 

 ing down of the sea, were symptoms of approaching 

 winter too apparent to be disregarded, and made it 

 evident that the time was not far distant when it 

 would be necessary to quit the anchorage, to avoid 

 being shut up by the young ice. On every account 

 I was anxious to remain until the above-mentioned 

 period ; but as my instructions were peremptory in 

 desirino- me not to incur the risk of wintering, it was 

 incumbent upon me seriously to consider how late 

 the ship could remain without encountering that risk. 

 By quitting the rendezvous earlier than had been 

 agreed upon, the lives of Captain Franklin's party 

 might be involved ; by remaining too long, those of 

 my own ship's company would be placed in immi- 

 nent hazard, as but five weeks' provision at full 

 allowance remained in the ship, and the nearest place 

 where we could replenish them was upwards of 2000 

 miles distant. Thus circumstanced, I was desirous 

 of having the advice of the officers of the ship be- 

 fore I made up my own mind, and accordingly ad- 

 dressed an official letter to them, requesting they 

 would take every circumstance into their considera- 



