16 CAPTAIN m'CLURe's DESPATCHKS. 



mystery of the white shirts and tents was most satisfactorily explained. 

 A breeze shortly s])ringing \\\) from the westward, we made sail to the 

 N.E. ; during the night it freshened considerably, with rain and thick 

 weather. This, combined with four hours' darkness, compelled me 

 to shorten sail, although loath to lose the full benefit of the fair w^ind ; 

 but we struck so heavily against large blue floe-pieces that were barely 

 above the water, that the greatest vigilance and attention were insuf- 

 ficient to avoid them, so no alternative remained to prevent disaster. 

 A jrreat manv seals and whales were seen in Franklin-bav ; no less 

 than 15 of the latter were playino; around us at one tmie, but very 

 small, or, according to Greenland fishing phraseology, " having only 

 three-foot bone," so Mr. Newton, the ice -mate, informs me. At 

 4 a.m., upon the morning of the 6th, we were off the small islands 

 near Cape Parry, bearing N.E. by N. ten miles, with a fine westerly 

 breeze, and loose sailing ice, interspersed with many heavy floe-pieces ; 

 the main pack was about three miles to the N.W., apparently one 

 solid mass. At 11.30 a.m. high land was observed on the port bow, 

 bearing N.E. by N., distant about .50 miles. On approaching it, the 

 main pack appeared to be resting upon the western shore, which side 

 it was my intention to have coasted had it been possible ; the eastern 

 one being, however, comparatively clear, as far as could be ascertained 

 from the mast-head, decided me to follow the water, supposing it 

 an island round which a passage would be found into the Polar Sea. 

 We continued working to windward the whole of the night, and by 

 9.30 a.m. of the 7th were off the South Cape, — a fine bold headland, 

 the chflfs rising perpendicularly upwards of a thousand feet, which was 

 named '*Lord Nelson's Head," in memory of the hero, whose early 

 career was connected with Arctic adventure. We shortly afterwards 

 hove to, and, with the first whaleboat and cutter, landed and took pos- 

 session, in the name of Her Most Gracious Majesty, calling it, 

 " Baring's Island," in honour of the First Lord of the Admiralty. 

 A pole was erected, Avith a large painted ball upon it, near a cask 

 which was left, containing a notification and other particulars of our 

 having been there. The sight obtained by artificial horizon place the 

 signal-staff in latitude 71° 6' N., longitude 123° 0' W. ; and the fall of 

 tide was ascertained to be six inches during one hour and a half. We 

 observed numerous recent traces of reindeer, hare, and wild fowl ; moss 

 and divers species of wild flowers were also in great abundance ; many 

 si)eciinens of them equally, as of other subjects of interest to the natu-- 

 ralist, were selected with nmch care by Dr. Armstrong. From an 

 elevation obtained of about 500 feet we had a fine view towards the 

 interior, which was well clothed with moss, giving a verdant appear- 

 ance to the ranges of hills that rose gradually to between '2,000 and 

 3,000 feet, intersected with ravines, which must convey a copious 

 supply of water to a large lake situated hi the centre of a wide plain, 

 about' 15 miles distant. The sight to seaward was favourable in the 

 extreme ; open water, with a small (juantity of ice, for the distance of 

 full AO miles towards the east, insured good progress in that direction. 

 Returning on board at 1 p.m., we made sail to the eastward, having a 

 beathig wind. (Continued working along shore, in soundings varying 

 from 9 to 76 fathoms ; dark miul mixed with yellow clay, until 

 close to the land, when it changed to fine white sand. The weather 

 becoming foggy, our lead was the only guide until 10 a.m. of the 9th j 



