EXPEDITION SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED. 375 



and carried them rapidly on their return voyage, and on the night of the 

 20th they were again at Cape Britannia. From this point progress was 

 rapid. At sunset on the 6th September, Dease and Simpson stood out for 

 the nearest point of the as yet unvisited Victoria Land, which they named 

 Gape Colborne. On the 7th and 8th they sailed across two magnificent 

 bays, which they named respectively Cambridge and Wellington Bays. On 

 the 9th the party were nearly opposite, and at a distance of twenty miles 

 from. Cape Franklin. They had now explored the southern shore of 

 Victoria Land to the distance of 156 geographical miles. On the 10th, 

 standing out from this coast, the explorers sailed for Cape Barrow. They 

 reached the mouth of the Wentzel Eiver at ten p.m., and encamped. " Our 

 poor fellows," writes Simpson, " absolutely capered and whooped for joy on 

 finding the beach strewed with driftwood, and enjoyed once more the luxury 

 of a rousing fire, to which we had been strangers since crossing Bathurst 

 Inlet in July." Night and day the explorers pressed on, and at length, " on 

 the 16th," says the leader, "in a bitter frost, the surrounding country covered 

 with snow, we made our entrance into the Coppermine, after by far the 

 longest voyage ever performed in boats on the Polar Sea, the distance we 

 had gone not being less than 1408 geographical, or 1631 statute miles." 



The ascent of the Coppermine had been deemed impracticable till Simp- 

 son achieved it in the autumn of 1838. Having accomplished this feat suc- 

 cessfully once, it was without any apprehension that he prepared to attempt 

 it a second time. On the evening of the 16th September, the expedition 

 had ascended as far as Bloody Fall. Here they left one of their two boats, to- 

 gether with sails, masts, iron fittings, some dressed leather, skins, old nets, oil- 

 cloths, and a quantity of somewhat weather-worn pemmican, as a prize for the 

 first Eskimos that might pass that way. The united efibrts of the entire party 

 were then employed in working the other boat as expeditiously as possible 

 up the stream. Escape Rapid, perhaps the most dangerous of all, was safely 

 ascended on the 17th, but not without great labour; for winter had now fairly 

 set in, and the tracking-ground over the ice-sheeted rocks offered very pre- 

 carious footing indeed. On the evening of the 20th, the party reached the com- 

 mencement of the portage to Great Bear Lake. Here the remaining boat, the 

 tents, powder, ice-trenches — everything except the books, instruments, and ab- 

 solute necessaries, were made over in equal shares to the two Indian attend- 

 ants. From this point the march across the barren grounds was commenced 

 on the 21st, and successfully finished on the evening of the 25th. The two 

 succeeding days were spent by the explorers in. settling with the natives at 

 the fort, and in packing up their own goods in preparation for departure. On 

 the 26th, Dease and Simpson with their party took a last leave of Fort Confi- 

 dence, and set out across Great Bear Lake. " In crossing the wide traverses 

 of the lake," says Simpson, " we took in much water, which, freezing as it 



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