HAYES' EXPEDITION (1861) 77 



1861, the ice broke up in the harbour, and the schooner 

 was once more afloat, after ten months' 1 imprisonment. 



On the 13th July, Hayes took leave of the Esquimaux, 

 who were sorry to see him depart. 



Hayes, although doubtful as to the prospect ahead, 

 was determined not to quit the field without making 

 another attempt to reach the west coast and endeavour 

 to obtain some further information that might be of 

 service in the future. He still had a vague hope that, 

 even with his crippled vessel, some such good prospect 

 might open before him as would justify him in remaining. 

 He therefore held once more for Cape Isabella, but met 

 the pack about 10 miles from the Greenland shore. He 

 turned back and anchored between Littleton and McGary 

 Islands. After a few days' 1 delay, another attempt was 

 made, and in two days the west coast was reached near 

 Gale Point, about 10 miles below Cape Isabella. Hayes 

 then took a whale-boat to the cape, but found it impassable. 



His opinion of the situation was thus recorded at the 

 time : — 



" I am fully persuaded, if there still remained a linger- 

 ing doubt, of the correctness of my decision to return 

 home, and come out next year strengthened and refitted 

 with steam. If my impulses lead me to try conclusions 

 once more with the ice, my judgment convinces me that 

 it would be at the risk of everything. As well use a 

 Hudson River steamboat for a battering-ram as this 

 schooner, with her weakened bows, to encounter the 

 Smith Sound ice. 



" I have secured the following important advantages 

 for the future, and with these I must, perforce, rest 

 satisfied, for the present :— 



" (1) I have brought my party through without sick- 

 ness, and have thus shown that the Arctic winter of itself 

 breeds neither scurvy nor discontent. . 



