119 POET LEOPOLD. Chaf. X. 



out again into the broad waters of Barrow 

 Strait. However, should Bellot Strait prove 

 hopeless, I intend to return hither to make one 

 more effort before the close of the season. 



We are now apjDroaching Port Leopold, where 

 it is necessary to stop for a few hours to ex- 

 amine the state of the steam launch, provisions, 

 and stores, left there in 1849, as adverse circum- 

 stances may oblige me to fall back upon it as a 

 point of support. 



Idth. — At anchor in Port Leopold ; it is per- 

 fectly clear of ice ; we arrived here in the night. 

 How astonishingly bare the land looks ; it is 

 more barren than Beechey Island, whilst the 

 rock contains far fewer fossils ! On this day 

 nine years ago the harbour and sea continued 

 covered with ice, and the ships (' Enterprise ' 

 and ' Investigator ') were unable to escape. At 

 some period since then the ice has been pressed 

 in upon the low shingle point ; it has forced the 

 launch up before it, and left her broadside on to 

 the beach, with both bows stove in, and in want 

 of considerable repairs, but the means are all at 

 hand for executing them. We tried to haul her 

 further up, but she was firmly imbedded and 

 frozen into the ground. Many things appear 

 to have been covered with the loose shingle, bags 



