RETURN TO THE "PLOVER." 105 



fishers beside them. On reachmg the shore of the bay, 

 considerably lower than the spot where we landed 

 on the outward trip, a sudden halt occurred, and we 

 saw with astonishment the frozen surface of the bay 

 broken up into heaps and masses, and apparently inter- 

 posing an effectual barrier to oiu* progress. But 

 Mooldooyah led the way to a spot his sagacity 

 approved, and darted right off into the confusion, 

 followed by the rest as they could; he guided us 

 across to the ship in safety, but the ice was broken 

 up and cracked all over, with deep fissures running 

 hither and thither. 



We reached the old " Plover," in the afternoon of 

 the 25th, having much enjoyed the excm-sion, and of 

 course now reciprocated their hospitality to our 

 kind friends. 



Several natives about this time spoke of vessels 

 having been seen in the Straits ; and although these 

 reports were of a very contradictory nature, both 

 as to description and periods, it was probable that 

 they had some foundation in truth which it would 

 be advantageous to discover. In this hope, and 

 likewise with a view to an examination of the coast 

 to the eastward, which by the delineations of the 

 natives was full of inlets and remarkable points, a 

 new excursion was planned to proceed along the 



