LOG OF ME. SIMPSON. 273 



continue bad, I proposed to Jackey to try the over- 

 land route. He said the distance was too great, 

 and the country very bad to travel through ; that it 

 would take several days. 



May 11th. — AU nig-ht fresh breeze and squally, 

 at dayhg-ht rather more moderate ; at half-past six 

 despatched the whale boat, fully manned and armed 

 and provisioned for two days, and Jackey and his 

 two companions. I g"ave charge of the boat to Mr. 

 Macnate, my chief officer. I did not think there 

 was any necessity to go myself, as Jackey said they 

 were not likely to fall in with any natives. Captain 

 Elliot volunteered his services and accompanied the 

 party. Employed watering ship, — found water very 

 abundant all over Albany Island. 



May 12th. — At half-past one p.m. the whaleboat 

 returned, having got the papers, &c., secreted by 

 Jackey in a hollow tree. A rat or some animal had 

 pulled them out of the tree, and they were saturated 

 with water, and I fear nearly destro3'ed ; they con- 

 sisted of a roll of charts and some memorandum 

 books. The charts with care may be deciphered. 

 The following" is Mr. Macnate's statement. 



"May 11th.— At eight a.m. we rounded Ely 

 Point, set sail and steered S. by W., the boat going 

 about five knots, just laying along the shore. At 

 ten A.M. crossed a bank with only nine feet of water 

 on it, passed a reef about three miles from Fly 

 Point, and half a mile from the shore ; from former 

 shoal had three and four fathoms to the entrance of 



VOL. II. T 



