342 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



V^'^" rendered indispensable. Lieutenant Reid was furnished with six days' 



Sept. '■ • I 1 I 1 



provisions, and directed to land where most practicable on the northern 



shore, and thence to pursue his journey to the westward as far as his re- 

 sources would admit, gaining all possible information that might be useful or 

 interesting. Every arrangement being made, the party was held in readiness 

 to leave the ships at daylight the following morning. 

 Tues. 10. Our travellers were favoured by another summer's day on the 10th, not a 

 breath of wind stirring, and the atmosphere being extremely clear and free 

 from clouds. INlr. Henderson being sent to Amherst Island to examine the ice 

 along its northern shore, where we hrst hoped to see some alteration, reported 

 on his return, that he had observed a crack extending from the western end 

 of the island across towards the northern shore of the Strait, which we 

 hoped might form a new line of separation just about to take place. In the 

 evening two of Lieutenant Reid's party returned on board with a note, 

 informing me that one of the men being taken ill, that officer had judged 

 it prudent immediately to send him back with one of his shipmates to take 

 care of him. 



At four P.M. the temperature of the sea-water at the surface was . 29° 



At 20 fathoms' depth 



55 30 ,, ,, 



,1 ^0 ,* ,, 



Air in the shade 



28^ 

 28 

 28 

 32| 



the whole being taken by the same mercurial thermometer. The young ice 

 increased very considerably in consequence of the calm weather and the 

 unruffled smoothness of the sea, and several sheets of it drifting in towards 

 the floe completely froze the ships in for the time, our rudders being im- 

 movcably set fast. This night was one of the clearest I ever saw, the hea- 

 Wed. 11. venly bodies shining with uncommon brilliancy, and was succeeded on the 

 llth by another lovely day, similar to the three preceding ones. The tem- 

 perature of the sea-water at the surface was 



