92 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. IV. 



were seen to the westward of Barrow's Strait. The 

 length of the night, when darkness prevailed in seas 

 such as this, was little suited for prosecuting disco- 

 veries; yet as September is considered the most 

 valuable month of the year, on account of the 

 sea being then more free from ice than at any 

 other time, Parry states his strong conviction that 

 the ultimate accomplishment of the object must 

 depend, in a great measure, on the further progress 

 to be made this season, and, therefore, he determined 

 to extend their operations to the latest possible period. 



He soon, however, perceived that the season was 

 at an end. On the 9th of September the floes of 

 ice were observed to be sensibly approaching the 

 shore, and matters grew worse till the 12th, when 

 the ships were actually beset and in a perilous situ- 

 ation. There was no possibility of moving them ; 

 a party, therefore, was sent on shore to collect coal, 

 which had been discovered not far off. 



Another party, consisting of Mr. Fife, Greenland 

 mate, and six men of the Griper, having been sent 

 on shore, a heavy snow-storm came on, in which 

 they lost their way ; not appearing when night ap- 

 proached, other parties were sent out in search of 

 them — no less than four ; and it was not till three 

 cold days and more severe nights had passed away, 

 that they all got on board, most of them exhausted 

 by cold and fatigue, and severely frost-bitten in their 

 toes and fingers. A tempestuous night of six or 

 seven hours of darkness, accompanied with stormy 



