172 BEECHEY ISLAND DEPOT. Chap. X. 



should have been allowed to stand near the 

 house. The southern and eastern sides were 

 clear and perfectly dry. The ' Mary ' decked 

 boat, and two 30-feet lifeboats, were in excel- 

 lent order, and their paint appeared fresh, but 

 oars and bare wood were bleached white. 



The gutta-percha boat was useless when left 

 here, and remains in the same state. Two small 

 sledge travelling boats were damaged ; one of 

 them had been blown over and over along the 

 beach until finally arrested by the other. The 

 bears and foxes do not appear to have touched 

 anything. I have taken on board all letters 

 left here for Franklin's or Collinson's expedi- 

 tions, and also a 20-feet sledge-boat for our own 

 travelling purposes. 



Last night we steamed very close round Cape 

 Hurd in a dense fog, and crept along the land 

 as our only guide : we were thus led into Rigby 

 Bay, and discovered a shoal off its entrance by 

 grounding upon it. After a quarter of an hour 

 we floated off unhurt. 



In lowering a boat to pursue a bear, Robert 

 Hampton fell overboard; fortunately he could 

 swim, and was very soon picked up, but the in- 

 tense cold of the water had almost paralyzed his 

 limbs. The bear was shot and taken on board. 



Sunday, 1 5th, 9 p.m. — Our coaling was com- 



