Chap. IV. PARRY'S FIRST VOYAGE. 115 



timber, the most sound and flexible iron, and 

 the most judicious construction of the fabrics, 

 could possibly have withstood these frequent rubs 

 to which they were exposed. Persevering, how- 

 ever, in this beach- sailing, generally within half 

 a mile of it, till they arrived very nearly to the 

 westernmost point of the island, the Commander 

 believing there was little hope of making further 

 progress to the westward, and having experienced 

 during the first half of the navigable season such a 

 continued series of vexations, disappointments, and 

 delays, accompanied by such a constant state of 

 danger to the ships, felt it now to be no longer 

 justifiable to persevere in a fruitless attempt to get 

 to the westward. 



On consulting the officers of both ships, they 

 agreed with him that any further attempt to pro- 

 ceed to the westward in that parallel would be al- 

 together fruitless ; they also agreed in the plan he 

 proposed of running back to the eastward along the 

 edge of the ice, to look out for any opening that 

 might lead them to the American continent, and 

 failing to find any such, to return to England. On 

 the 26th of August, therefore, they turned the ships' 

 heads to the eastward, and on the morning of the 

 27th had passed the eastern end of Melville Island, 

 in an open channel not less than ten miles wide, all 

 hands heartily rejoicing to take leave for ever of 

 this island. We are told, however, in a note, 



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