146 Our North Land. 



little too far in, and at ten o'clock, for the first time, the Neptune 

 struck the bottom. She turned a-starboard without difficulty, and 

 was promptly taken out over her tracks some two miles and 

 anchored. The lead was being swung constantly when she touched, so 

 that it must have been a sand-bar that came in contact with her bottom. 



The vessel was anchored fifteen or eighteen miles off the post ; 

 her ensign and house flag were unfurled; the small gun on the 

 forecastle-deck was discharged some four or five times ; and the 

 whistle was sounded to its fullest capacity, in the hope of attracting 

 the attention of the people on shore. Twelve o'clock came, and 

 there was no sign of any one approaching. The swell was quite 

 heavy, and none of the Neptune's boats were large enough to weather 

 it. At last Mr. Lane, the interpreter, was induced to undertake the 

 voyage to land in his kayak. His frail skin craft was lowered to 

 the turbulent water, and the brave Eskimo half-breed entered it. 

 With his paddle flying from one side to the other to steady him in 

 the waves, he rose and fell on the surging bay like a sea-gull speed- 

 ing away towards the beacon. He had not gone out more than two 

 miles when, from the mizzen crosstrees, the boatswain sighted a boat 

 approaching in the distance. Guns were then discharged and the 

 whistle blown to recall Mr. Lane. He understood the signals and 

 returned ; but the York boat did not beat her way out until five o'clock* 



She was in charge of Chief Accountant Cowie, who had with 

 him the well-known pilot, John Smith, Dr. Matthews, and six men. 

 They all had supper on ship-board. They had heard of the Expedi- 

 tion, and were on the look-out for us, and when they saw the smoke 

 of the Neptune they knew the long looked for company's ship had 

 not arrived, but that the Expedition had. Nevertheless, they were 

 prompt in sending off the boat, which would have reached our vessel 

 by noon had the tide and wind not been unfavourable. 



Lieutenant Gordon, Dr. Bell, Messrs. Laperriere, Fox, and the 

 writer, accompanied them back to the Factory. We left the Nep- 

 tune in their excellent boat at seven o'clock in the evening, and 

 arrived at York Factory at three o'clock on Friday morning. The 

 journey will never be forgotten by those who made it. Beating 

 about in the open water in the darkness, sending up rockets and 



