188 PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. Chap. X. 



series of valleys, chain of lakes, or contirmoiis 

 low land, practicable as an overland sledge- 

 route to the western coast, along which we 

 may transport depots of provisions this au- 

 tumn ; for it is certain that the strong tides 

 will prevent Bellot Strait being frozen over 

 till winter is far advanced, and its surface 

 will afford us no means of passing westward 

 with our sledges. 



The other plan, and that which we are now 

 about to execute, is to land a small depot of 

 provisions 60 or 70 miles to the southward, 

 and down Prince Eegent's Inlet, in order to 

 facilitate communication with the Esquimaux 

 either this autumn or in early spring. 



This precautionary step became so necessary 

 in the event of the west coast presenting unusual 

 difficulties, that I determined to carry it at once 

 into execution. Quitting the " Fox's Hole," and 

 resting for one night in Depot Bay, we sailed 

 thence on the 26th ; a fine breeze carried us 

 rapidly southward along the coast of Eegent 

 Inlet ; there was but little obstruction ; occa- 

 sionally it was necessary to pass through a 

 stream of loose ice ; but we saw little of any 

 kind, compared to the experiences of Sir John 

 Ross in 1829. 



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