132 Polar Explorations. 



their sufferings need not be here repeated. Those who sur- 

 vived were reduced to the extreme of debility and wretched- 

 ness. On reaching the fort they found it in ruins, but were 

 assisted by some Indians to a station of one of the trading 

 cotnpanies, from whence they terminated a journey of five 

 thousand five hundred miles, at York Factory, in Hudson's 

 Bay, in July, 1821. 



After being ten months locked up by the ice in Winter 

 harbor, Capt. Parry, in July, succeeded in extricating his ships 

 and spent the remaining time until September, in fruitless 

 efforts to obtain a passage through the shoreless ice on the 

 western margin of Baffin. Finding their exertions ineffect- 

 ual, and another winter at hand, they returned to England 

 in 1820. 



In 1821, the Hecla and Fury, of the R. N. were put in 

 commission, and Capt. Parry commanded, to renew the 

 search for a North West passage through Hudson's Bay. 

 The ships were fitted and equipped as before, with every ad- 

 dition suggested by experience. The principal improve- 

 ment was that of having the ships of equal size, an advant- 

 age repeatedly noticed by Capt. Parry, as being of the first 

 importance. 



The expedition arrived in Repulse Bay in August, hoping 

 to find a passage through that inlet, but after a minute ex- 

 amination the land was found continuous around it, thus set- 

 tling the question which had excited particular interest res- 

 pecting that quarter. Agreeably to their official instruc- 

 tions, the expedition proceeded north, exploring every bend 

 and inlet on the western coast of Hudson's Bay, by boats 

 and walking parties, and found a continuous coast as far as 

 66° N. lat. The ice and cold increasing, presented insur- 

 mountable obstacles to further progress, and by the first of 

 October they were compelled to go into winter quarters. 

 Their occupations and regulations vvere similar to those that 

 existed during the winter at Melville Island. The cold was 

 equally intense, being at 55° below zero on the 15th of Feb- 

 ruary. The spring did not commence any earlier, and in the 

 following July they were necessitated to saw a passage to re- 

 lease the ships. The Esquimaux were more numerous than 

 at Melville Island, as were the wolves, foxes and bears. 



After leaving winter quarters, the most daring attempts 

 were made on the line of coast north, to achieve the object 

 of their voyage. The ships were often in the greatest dan- 



