358 SIMPSON'S EXPLORATIONS— ISm-^^. 



followed out with the greatest determination and courage, and without an 

 hour's unnecessary delay. Simpson and Dease, starting " after supper" on the 

 night of the 23d July, sailed all night — if night it could be called, when the sun 

 never dipped below the horizon — and early on the morning they passed two 

 points ; about twelve miles beyond Return Eeef they discovered two head- 

 lands, to which they gave the names Point Back and Point Beechey, A long 

 day of hard work followed. At nine a.m. the water shoaled to from one to 

 two feet ; and after seeking in vain for a deeper channel, the explorers were 

 obliged to stand out to sea. Colville River was discovered and named. 

 The low beach near the mouth of this stream is formed of mud and gravel, 

 and the volume of the river itself was so considerable, that the water, even 

 at the distance of three leagues to seaward, was perfectly fresh. After 

 running out from shore fourteen miles, the explorers tacked, and steering 

 south-west, ran a distance of sixteen miles. Again they ran out seaward for 

 seventeen miles, when they found themselves in salt water a fathom and 

 a half deep. The wind now sprang up from the north, and drove in the ice 

 on the boats. The adventurers, who had not seen land since morning, and 

 were quite uncertain what direction to take, now steered westward at a 

 venture, and after sailing five miles, had the good luck to make the shore 

 at midnight. " It was with diflSculty," writes Simpson, " that we found a 

 landing-place on a large fragment of ice, upon which the boats were hauled 

 up. Having fasted for twenty-five hours, and being, moreover, benumbed 

 with cold, it will readily be beheved that we eagerly set about collecting 

 wood, and making a fire to cook our supper, to which, of course, we did 

 ample justice. In gratitude for these seasonable enjoyments, this spot was 

 denominated Point Comfort. Most of the party had caught severe colds 

 from the constant exposure and unhealthy fogs ; and all would have been in- 

 capacitated for wading through the ice-cold water, had it not been for the seal- 

 skin boots which we had procured from the Eskimos — an invaluable acquisi- 

 tion on such service." 



Detained by adverse winds on the 25th — during which, however, Simp- 

 son was able to take observations, and found himself in lat. 70° 43' N., long. 

 152° 14 W. — the boats were launched on the morning of the 26th. "On 

 the 27th," writes Simpson, " it blew a cutting blast from the north-east, and 

 the spray froze upon the oars and rigging." On the same day, Cape George 

 Simpson, in lat. 70° 59' N., long. 164° 21' W., was discovered and named. 

 For the next four days, however, the progress made was only one mile per 

 diem ; such were the obstructions from ice and fog. Simpson now began to 

 fear that the expedition would be detained on its present service until it 

 would be too late in the season to effect a return to the winter quarters 

 at Bear Lake, and he therefore resolved to explore the remainder of the 

 coast to Point Barrow on foot. Selecting five men to accompany him, he 



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