1 52 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. VI. 



was shut in by a low shore, which it was concluded 

 could be no other than " the low shingly beach like 

 Dungeness," of Middleton. 



He found it necessary, therefore, to retrace his 

 steps, and to encounter once more the Frozen Strait 

 with its rocks and islets, its irregular tides and 

 hummocks of floating ice; and, what was perhaps 

 worse than all, dark foggy weather, with compasses 

 that had almost lost their action. He soon, however, 

 got into water nearly free from ice, which allowed 

 him to proceed westerly, but entirely by the lead 

 for five or six hours, when, on the weather clearing 

 np, he found himself almost entirely surrounded by 

 land, " having unconsciously entered Repulse Bay, 

 in which not a piece of ice was to be seen that could 

 obstruct us in its thorough examination." 



This full examination was certainly given to it ; 

 and whatever doubts might hitherto have been enter- 

 tained respecting its communication with the Polar 

 Sea, Commander Parry and his party, by their com- 

 plete investigation of the whole of its shores, have 

 set that question entirely at rest. The boats entered 

 every little creek and corner, " and thus was the 

 question settled as to the continuity of land round 

 Repulse Bay, and the doubts and conjectures which 

 had so long been entertained respecting it set at 

 rest for ever." Parry takes the opportunity, more- 

 over, of doing ample justice to that injured and 

 persecuted navigator, Captain Middleton. " The 

 whole account," he says, " that he has given of this 



