WINTER QUARTERS REACHED. 523 



Midshipman Markham tells xis that every one on board was told off to one 

 or other of the ship's boats, that the provisions were had up on deck, and 

 every preparation made for getting on the ice and deserting the " Assist- 

 ance " when the last crash should take place. The" amenities of the situation 

 were not improved by the presence of a number of bears that now came 

 prowling about the ship on the look-out for seals. Of the sagacity and 

 courage of these animals, Mr Markham was not too much overwhelmed by 

 the peril of his situation to note instances. " On one occasion," he says, 

 " I saw a bear swimming across a lane of water, and pushing a large piece 

 of ice before him. Landing on the floe, he advanced stealthily toward a 

 couple of seals, which were basking in the sun at some little distance, still 

 holding the ice in front to hide his black muzzle ; but this most sagacious 

 of bears was for once outwitted, for the seals dived into a pool of water 

 before he could get within reach. On another occasion a female Bruin 

 having been shot from the deck of the ' Intrepid,' her affectionate cub (an 

 animal about the size of a large Newfoundland dog) remained resolutely by 

 the side of its mother, and on the approach of the commander of the ' In- 

 trepid ' with part of his crew, a sort of tournament ensued, in which the 

 youthful bear, although belaboured most savagely, showed a gallant resist- 

 ance, and at length rushing between the legs of the corporal of marines, laid 

 him prostrate on the ice, floored another man who had seized hold of his 

 tail, and effected his escape." 



After several days of great peril and anxiety the wind changed, the ice 

 slacked off, and the "Assistance" advanced along the southern shore of 

 Wellington Channel. " The land we now entered upon," says Markham, 

 " was entirely new. Parry indeed had sighted it ; but no human being was 

 ever before known to have landed on any part of the coast between Cape 

 Eiley and Byam Martin Island. There was therefore all the novelty of a 

 new discovery, as we coasted along the southern shores of CornwaUis 

 Island, and came upon a fine bay which was named Assistance Harbour. 

 " Proceeding to the westward, our progress was stopped by a solid barrier 

 of ice, reaching from Grifiith Island to Cape Walker ; and here we were 

 joined by the 'Eesolute,' 'Pioneer,' the American expedition, and Mr 

 Penny's ferigs. The season for work, however, was nearly at an end ; the 

 cold was becoming intense, and it was soon found necessary to seek for safe 

 winter quarters. Mr Penny succeeded in reaching Assistance Halrbour, 

 where he wintered with Sir John Ross ; and our squadron was secured to 

 a field of ice between CornwaUis and Grifiith Islands. Thus concluded the 

 working season of 1850. We were now destined to pass the winter further 

 west than any vessel since 1819, and there to prepare for those great efforts 

 for the discovery of Sir John Frankhn which were -developed during the 

 following spring." 



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