LOG OF MR. SIMPSON. 273 



continue bad^ I proposed to Jackey to try the over- 

 land route. He said the distance was too g-reat, 

 and the country very bad to travel throug-h j that it 

 would take several days. 



May 11th. — All nig'ht fresh breeze and squally, 

 at daylig'ht rather more moderate ) at half-past six 

 despatched the whale boat, fully manned and armed 

 and provisioned for two days, and Jackey and his 

 two companions. I g'ave charg-e of the boat to Mr. 

 Macnate, my chief officer. I did not think there 

 was any necessity to g*o myself, as Jackey said they 

 were not likely to fall in with any natives. Captain 

 Elliot volunteered his services and accompanied the 

 party. Employed watering- ship, — found water very 

 abundant all over Albany Island. 



3Iay 12th. — At half-past one p.m. the whaleboat 

 returned, having* g-ot the papers, &c., secreted by 

 Jackey in a hollow tree. A rat or some animal had 

 pulled them out of the tree, and they were saturated 

 with water, and I fear nearly destroyed ', the}^ con- 

 sisted of a roll of charts and some memorandum 

 books. The charts with care may be deciphered. 

 The following- is Mr. Macnate's statement. 



"i!f/r/7/ ll//i.— At eig-ht a.m. we rounded Fly 

 Point, set sail and steered S. by W., the boat g'oing- 

 about five knots, just laying- along- the shore. At 

 ten a.m. crossed a bank Avith only nine feet of water 

 on it, passed a reef about three miles from Fly 

 Point, and half a mile from the shore ; fi'om former 

 shoal had three and four fathoms to the entrance of 



VOL. II. T 



