Aug. 1858. LEAVE POND'S BAY. 169 



CHAPTER X. 



Leave Pond's Bay — A gale in Lancaster Sound — The Beechey 

 Island depot — An Arctic monument — Eeflections at Beechey 

 Island — Proceed up Barrow's Strait — Peel Sound — Port Leo- 

 pold — Prince Eegent's Inlet — Bellot Strait — Flood-tide from 

 the west — Unsuccessful efforts — Fox's Hole — No water to 

 the west — Precautionary measures — Fourth attempt to pass 

 through. 



6#A Aug. — Continued calms have delayed us. 

 This evening we steamed from Pond's Bay 

 northward, although our coals have heen sadly 

 reduced by the almost constant necessity for 

 steam-power since leaving the Waigat. The 

 three steam-whalers have gone southward; 

 none others have arrived. They appear to us 

 to be leaving the whales behind them ; we saw 

 many whilst up the strait, and at the edge 

 of the remaining ice. The natives said they 

 would remain as long as the ice remained, but 

 when it all broke up they would return into 

 BaflSn's Bay and go southward ; and that these 

 animals arrive in early spring, and do not pass 

 through the strait into any other sea beyond. 



Monday evening^ ^th. — On the night of the 

 6th a pleasant fair breeze sprang up, and en- 

 abled us to dispense with ^e engine. An im- 



