OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 63 



"We observed from Cape ^Montagu that the eastern entrance was quite ^^2^- 

 blocked up with ice. Bear Island was also surrounded by immense v^.->J 

 masses, and others were carried past it at the rate of about four miles per 

 hour by the tide. At a little past ten A.M., the ice having slackened so as 

 to allow of our going over to Bear Island, we soon reached it, from whence 

 we could observe and take advantage of any open water. We found that 

 although at half tide this was an island, three distinct isles are formed at 

 high water. At twenty minutes past ten A.M. it was high water, which was 

 an extremely interesting fact to have ascertained, as it removed any doubt 

 respecting the direction of the tide. 



" Finding the ice was at this time tolerably tranquil, we picked our way 

 through it, and in about two hours and a half reached a small islet half a 

 mile to the southward of Bushnan's Island. On this we landed and saw one 

 ship eight or ten miles to the S.S.W. Wo remained here one hour to dine ; 

 and by a pole, which we had set up on landing, found the tide to have 

 ebbed three feet. We then proceeded towards the ship, having fitted a 

 blanket as a sail for our boat, and most fortunately arrived at night-fall near 

 the Fury. The ice which lay in the Frozen Strait being in very rapid motion, 

 we could not approach the ship ; but after making what way we could amongst 

 the loose pieces, we at length came to a large floe, near which the Fury had 

 made fast in a thick fog which then came on. Captain Parrj' sent his peo- 

 ple to haul our boat over the ice to the ship, which was close beset, and I 

 remained on board her for the night, my own ship being separated from her 

 by the ice. Unsatisfactory as our short journey had been, on account of the 

 badness of the weather, there was still sufficient to cause the most lively 

 interest, and give strong hopes of the existence of some passage to the north- 

 east of the small inlet I had examined." 



A thick fog coming on immediately after Captain Lyon's arrival, we could 

 not but consider oui-selvcs fortunate in having picked our party up so 

 opportunely. The Hecla having in the course of the day been separated 

 from us seven or eight miles, in consequence of the ice carrying her to the 

 westward, Captain Lyon remained on board the Fury during the night, 

 when the plan of our future operations was determined on. The result 

 of the late examination, imperfect as it necessarily was on account of the 

 extremely unfavourable state of the weather, was sufficient to excite the 



