148 PRESENT STATE OF THE SEARCH. 



and fuel for twelve months, together with the 

 Investigator's launch and steam-engine. He then 

 proceeded to cut a way out for the ships through 

 the ice, which was not effected until the 28th of 

 August, 1849. On leaving the harbour he crossed 

 over towards Wellington Channel, where he found 

 the land-ice still fast and preventing his approach. 

 While contending with the loose packs, and strug- 

 gling to advance to the westward, a strong gale of 

 wind on the 1st of September suddenly closed the 

 ice around the ships, wherein they remained help- 

 lessly beset until the 25th, by which time they had 

 drifted out of Lancaster Strait, and were off Pond's 

 Bay. As the season was now far advanced, further 

 search that year was thus frustrated by an acci- 

 dent, often experienced in the navigation of the 

 Arctic Seas ; and all harbours in that vicinity 

 being closed for the winter, Sir James reluctantly 

 gave the signal to bear up for England. 



While Sir James C. Ross was still engaged in 

 the ice on the west side of Baffin's Bay, Mr. 

 James Saunders, Master and Commander of the 

 " North Star," having been sent out with supplies 

 in the spring of 1849, was working up on the 

 east side, with imminent danger to his ship. 

 Owing to the unusual quantity of ice in the bay 

 that summer, and the frosts which glued the floes 

 into one impenetrable mass, he was unable to 



