DR. RICHARDSON, 1826. 147 



enabled them to make a fire. At Batburst Inlet, on August 3 and 

 4, a fall of more tban 2 feet water during tbo night was observed. 

 Melville Sound was discovered on the 12tb. Here the canoes were 

 found to be much damaged by the heavy seas they had been exposed 

 to. Point Turnagain was reached on the 21st, having traced 

 555 miles of coast-line since leaving the Coppermine. 



Setting out on their return on the 22nd, Hood Eiver was gained 

 on the 25th ; and here it was determined to abandon the canoes 

 and cross the Barren Grounds. Obtaining a deer now and then, 

 but feeding chiefly on tripe de roche, after undergoing great privation, 

 the Coppermine Eiver was reached on the 26th, and Mr. Back sent 

 forward, who returned to them on October 1st ; reporting barren 

 country on this side, it was determined to make an effort to cross the 

 river, which was dene with great difficulty on the 4th in a coracle 

 made by Mr. Back out of an old painted cover and willows, 

 when Mr. Back was directed to go to Fort Enterprise. On the 6th, 

 Mr. Hood being very weak, Dr. Richardson, with Hepburn, pro- 

 posed to remain by him, while Sir John and the remainder of the 

 party were to endeavour to reach Fort Enterprise ; but on reaching 

 it it was found to be perfectly desolate. A note from Mr. Back 

 stated he had gone in search of succour. Feeding on deerskins, old 

 bones, and tripe de roche, they passed a terrible existence, and were 

 joined by Dr. Richardson and Hepburn on the 29th. Dr. Richardson 

 then acquainted Sir John with the fate of poor Hood, and the 

 necessity he was under of putting Michel to death. At length, on 

 November 7th, relief, dispatched by Mr. Back, reached the party 

 The Fort was left on the 12th, and Fort Providence reached on 

 December 11th, and Moose Deer Island on the 17th. 



Dr. Richardson and Mr. Kendall in the two Boats, ' Dolphin ' and 

 1 Union,' from the Mackenzie to the Coppermine Rivers. — The instruc- 

 tions received were to trace the coast between the Mackenzie and the 

 Coppermine Rivers, and to return from the latter overland to Great 

 Bear Lake. Leaving Fort Franklin on the 4th of July, 1826, 

 Richards Island was reached on the 7th, Refuge Cove on the 8th, Capo 

 Dalhousie on the 15th, Cape Bathurst, on the 18th ; a strong flood- 

 tide setting to the westward ; several whales seen. Franklin Bay 

 was crossed on the 22nd, Cape Lyon on the 25th, when they were 

 detained two days by a gale of wind. The tides were found to be 

 regular, and the rise and fall 20 inches. Point De Witt Clinton 

 was reached on the 29th, where they were stopped by tho closonoss 

 of the ice. On August 4th land was discovered to flic north, to 

 which the name of Wbllaston was given; and to the straits the 



