Aug. 1858. BELLOT STKAIT. 181 



were then about half-way through Bellot Strait ! 

 Its. western capes are lofty bluffs, such as may 

 be distinguished fifty miles distant in clear 

 weather ; between them there was a clear 



broad channel, but five or six miles of close 

 heavy pack intervened — the sole obstacle to 

 our progress. Of course this pack will speedily 

 disperse ; — it is no wonder that we should feel 

 elated at such a glorious prospect, and content 

 to bide our time in the security of Depot Bay. 

 A feeling of tranquillity — of earnest, hearty 

 satisfaction — has come over us. There is no 

 appearance amongst us of anything boastful ; 

 we have all experienced too keenly the vicissi- 

 tudes of Arctic voyaging to admit of such a 

 feeling. 



At the turn of tide we perceived that we 

 were being carried, together with the pack, 

 back to the eastward ; every moment our velo- 

 city was increased, and presently we were dis- 

 mayed at seeing grounded ice near us, but were 

 very quickly swept past it at the rate of nearly 

 six miles an hour, though within 200 yards of 

 the rocks, and of instant destruction ! As soon 

 as we possibly could, we got clear of the packed 

 ice, and left it to be wildly hurled about by 

 various whirlpools and rushes of the tide, until 

 finally carried out into Brentford Bay. The ice- 



