42 CAPTAIN m'CLURE's DESPATCHES. 



whom another year might prove exceedingly trying, as well as to re- 

 tain the most eifective men in the event of being detained another 

 winter. On the 15th the travellers went upon full allowance of pro- 

 visions, which I have little doubt will, before they are required to 

 start, get them in good condition. 



21st. — The weather has been beautiful diu'ing the last week; the 

 temperature, which until the 16th continued almost daily to fall to 

 — 56°, on the 17th rose to — 27°, the following day to — 14°, and on 

 the l9th to + 3°, wdiich sudden and delightful change, after the 

 excessive cold of the last three months, is most grateful. The invalids 

 are rapidly improving, the majority taking a daily airing of from two 

 to three hours. The temperature at noon to-day, exposed to the sun, 

 rose to +40°, so that the extreme severity of the winter is over ; in fact, to 

 the present time, April .5th, the temperature daily mounts in the shade 

 above zero, which, according to past experience, is exceedingly mild, and 

 may be considered indicative of an early break up of the ice. God 

 grant such may be the case ! On the 15th it is my intention to start 

 the parties destined to make their way to England, and, from our good 

 sanitary condition, I feel but httle doubt all will safely arrive. A 

 fatigue' party, under the command of Mr. Court, second master, will 

 accompany Lieutenant Haswell for a few days, while John Calder, 

 captain of the forecastle, a trustworthy and zealous petty officer, will 

 proceed with Lieutenant Cresswell as far as the Princess Royal Islands, 

 and from the depot there return with as many cases of potatoes and as 

 much chocolate as can be brought on the sledge, which extra supply 

 will give an ample allowance of those excellent articles, in the event 

 of being detained here during the ensuing winter. To this period we 

 have not lost an individual of our crew, either by accident or disease ; 

 the officers particularly have enjoyed an immunity from sickness which 

 is surprising, with the exception of Mr. Sainsbury, mate, who, since 

 the winter of 1850, has suffered from a pulmonary complaint that has 

 entirely prevented his participating in the arduous duties of the 

 travelling parties, or in the more exciting but not less laborious occupa- 

 tion of hunting over this rugged and severe country, and Mr. Paine, 

 clerk in charge, who had been a great invalid from rheumatism until 

 this last winter, when he has made a most rapid and wonderful 

 recovery, and at present is in the enjoyment of more robust health than 

 when he quitted England. I can attribute our excellent salutary state 

 to the causes previously alluded to in this narrative, in conjunction with 

 the bountiful supply of game which a merciful Providence has aided us 

 with, and has so niaterially added to our otherwise scanty rations, as 

 well as the excellence of all species of our provisions, which are certainly 

 of the best description I ever met with, more particularly the superior 

 quality of the lime-juice, which, as an antiscorbutic has proved most 

 inestimable, with the preserved meats supplied by Messrs. Gamble, 

 which, for weight, exemption from bone, and excellence, rank in the 

 very highest scale ; and that invaluable vegetable, the preserved potato, 

 manufactured by Edwards. Sir, 1 have nothing more to add to this 

 narrative, except to state, that I forward a list of game killed, and a 

 monthly mean of the meteorological jom-nal, which has been registered 

 every alternate hour since leaving England by the respective officers of 

 the watches, and carefully arranged and tabulated by Mr. Court (second 



