26 CAPTAIN M'cI.L'REs. DESPATCHES. 



I am also of opinion that Prince Albert's Land is part of the con- 

 tinent of America, and that Point Peel is its north-west extremity, and 

 that the land thence is continnous to Cape Walker ; the peculiar 

 formation of its shores, from the ver^^ deep inlets which run into 

 the interior, give the appearance of straits which in reality do not 

 exist, as was apparently the case between Victoria and Wollaston 

 Lands, and which is very probably the same between Cape Walker 

 and North Somerset. j\Iy opinion is strengthened by the Esquimaux 

 upon this coast speaking the same language as those of Hudson's 

 Straits, which Mr. Miertsching, the interpreter, thoroughly under- 

 stands, and conversed fluently with them, while with those of the 

 Colville, aud Cape Bathurst he found it sometimes difficult to do so. 

 Consequentlv, I think it very probable that the forefathers of these 

 have crossed from Hudson's Straits, and kept the coast line of Vic- 

 toria and Wollaston Land, and have thus retained the purity of 

 their language, which those upon the north coast of America have 

 lost, by constant intercourse with the Indians. I certainly should have 

 considered it my duty to endeavour to decide this point by detaching a 

 boat through the Dolphin and Union Straits, but I feel assured that 

 that service was accomplished by Dr. Rae last year, as he evideutly 

 was not in this direction. 



During the absence of the searching parties the refitting of the 

 ship was carried on, under the direction of Messrs. Sainsbury (mate) 

 and Court (second master) ; so that upon their return little remained 

 but to get the boats from the eastern shore, and the tents and ap- 

 purtenances, which the shoothig parties had upon each side of the strait, 

 on board, the weather being unfavourable, and the state of the ice 

 ])ecoming too precarious to allow of any persons being so far distant 

 from the ship. This being effected, as also the repairing and painting 

 of a boat which is to be left with the provisions at the large Princess 

 Ivoyal Island completed upon the 13th, we had the satisfaction of 

 having every one on board, with the vessel thoroughly refitted, caulked, 

 painted, and watered, and in every respect as efficient for the service we 

 have to perform as the day that we quitted Plymouth, with a trifling 

 sick-list, principally from the effects of frost-nips and foot-soreness 

 from the travelling. We now wait, with no little anxiety, the disruption 

 of tiiese mighty masses of ice by which we are encircled, and the con- 

 sequences depending upon that event, which cannot be contemplated 

 without deep apprehension. 



The first indication of 0})en water occurred to-day (July 7th), extending 

 some distance along the shore of Prince Albert's Land, about a mile in 

 width. The ice in every direction is so rapidly decaying, being much 

 accelerated by sleet and rain, with a thermometer standing at 45°, 

 that by the I4th that which for the last few days had been slightly in 

 motion, with large spaces of water intervening, suddenly and noiselessly 

 opened around the vessel, leaving her in a pond of 40 yards ; but, seeing 

 no possibility of getting without its litnits, we were compelled to secure 

 to the floe which had for 10 months befriended us, and, with the whole 

 of the pack, gradually drifted to the southward, towards the Princess 

 Koyal Islands, which we })assed on the eastern side within half a mile. 

 Upon the l/th, at 10 a.m., being among loose ice, we cast off from the 

 floe and made sail, with the hope of getting upon the western shore, 

 where the water aj)pearcd to be making, but without shipping the rudder. 



