1849. INSTRUCTIONS. 117 



question, endeavouring to communicate with any parties 

 of Eskimos you may meet with on Wollaston or the 

 neighbouring islands. Should you reach the northern 

 coast of Banks's Land, you are there to erect a pile of 

 stones, and deposit a memorandum of your object and pro- 

 ceedings at the distance of 10 feet from its base, marking 

 that side of the pile with a broad arrow in red or white 

 paint. You are also to erect similar piles, and deposit in 

 the same manner on conspicuous headlands, memoranda for 

 the guidance of the party detached by Sir James Ross, when 

 you can do so without materially delaying your progress. 

 Should you discover any signal posts erected by that 

 party, and learn from the memoranda deposited near them 

 that the strait has been sufficiently explored down to that 

 place, you are to proceed no further in that direction ; and 

 you are at liberty to use your own judgment in deviating 

 from this route, if, from information given by the Eskimos, 

 or obtained from other sources, you are of opinion that 

 the ships, or part of their crews, may be found in another 

 quarter. 



" Having the fullest confidence in your judgment, ex- 

 perience and prudence, I shall not name a period to your 

 advance, further than by requesting you not to hazard the 

 safety of the party entrusted to your care, by delaying 

 your return too long. The last season furnishes a strong 

 instance of the early date at which the winter occasionally 

 commences in these seas.* 



" Having performed this service, or prosecuted it as far 

 as practicable, with a due regard to the safety of your 



* The 25th of August was the date at which I considered it 

 prudent that Mr. Eae should endeavour to be on the south side 

 of Dolphin and Union Straits, and I expressed this opinion in a 

 private note to him. 



i 3 



