

V 



112 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. August 



Franklin Sound. Eobeson Channel, Polaris Bay, and 

 the entrance to Petermann Fiord were closely packed, 

 though a few pools of water could be seen stretching 

 in a disconnected line between Cape Beechey and 

 Cape Lupton. 



Offley Island, at the north-western entrance of 

 Petermann Fiord, being within reasonable proximity 

 of the localities where the « Polaris ' Expedition pro- 

 cured their supplies of musk-oxen, had been looked 

 upon by me as likely to afford good winter-quarters 

 for the ' Discovery,' although the disadvantage of its 

 being on the eastern side of the channel was very 

 great ; but now the condition of the ice preventing 

 any approach to Offley Island left me no option but to 

 take both ships to the western shore. 



Hurrying to the boat, the ships were signalled to 

 get under weigh, and I rejoined them as they were 

 leaving Bessels Bay. We ran quickly across the channel 

 under sail, experiencing little trouble with the ice until 

 off Cape Lieber, where the edge of the pack led us 

 round towards the north shore of Lady Franklin Sound. 

 On a nearer approach we discovered a large and well 

 protected bay, inside of an island the outer point of 

 which formed Cape Bellot. There the ships were 

 secured close to the shore at 2 a.m. of the morning of 

 the 25th. Lady Franklin Sound, with its grand pre- 

 cipitous cliffs, which we hoped would prove to be a 

 channel leading to a western sea, appeared, to our 

 regret, to be considerably narrower than it was depicted 

 on the chart. 



I at once saw the value of the harbour we had 

 attained as a wintering place for the ' Discovery,' but 



