In the Arctic Regions. 473 
in so doing purposed to complete the circuit of King William's Island. 
To Lieut, Hobson I alloted the search of the western shore of Boo- 
thia to the magnetic pole, and from Gateshead Island westward to 
Wynniatt’s farthest, Captain Allen Young, our sailing master, was to 
trace the shore of Prince of Wales’s Land, from Lieut. Browne’s far- 
thest; and also to examine the coast from Bellot’s Strait northward, 
to Sir James Ross’s farthest. 
Early spring journeys were commenced on the 17th Feb., 1859, by 
Capt. Young and myself, Capt. Young carrying his depot across to 
Prince of Wales’s Land, whilst I went southward, towards the mag- 
netic pole in the hope of communicating with the Esquimaux, and ob- 
nie such information as might lead us at once to the object of our 
search. : 
I was accompanied by Mr. Peterson, our interpreter, and Alexander 
Thomson, quarter-master. We had with us two sledges drawn by 
dogs. On the 28th of Feb., when near Cape Victoria, we had the good 
fortune to meet a sraall party of natives, and were subsequently visit- 
ed by about forty-five individuals. is : 
For four days we remained in communication with them, obtaining 
many relics, and the information that several years ago a ship was 
crushed by the ice off the north shore, off King William’s Island, but 
that all her people landed safely, and went away to the Great Fish 
River, where they died. This tribe was well supplied with wood, ob- 
tained, they said, from a boat left by the white men on the great river. 
We reached our vessel after twenty-five days’ absence, in good health 
put somewhat reduced by sharp marching and the unusually severe 
weather to which we had been exposed. For several days after start- 
ing the mercury continued frozen. : 
On the 2nd of April our long projected spring journeys were com- 
menced; Lieutenant Hobson éccompanied me as far as Cape Victoria, 
each of us had a sledge drawn by four men, and an auxiliary sledge 
drawn by six dogs. This was all the force we could muster. 
Before separating, we saw two Esquimaux families living out upon 
the ice in snow huts; from them we learned that a second ship had 
been seen.off King William’s Island, and that she drifted ashore on the 
fall of the same year. From this ship they had obtained a vast deal 
- of wood and iron. 
I now gave Lieut, Hobson directions to search for the wreck, and 
follow up any traces he might find upon King William’s Island. 
Accompanied by my own party and Mr. Peterson, I marched along 
the east shore of King William’s Island, occasionally passing deserted 
snow huts, but without meeting natives till the 8th of May, when off 
Cape Norton we arriyed at a snow village containing about thirty in- 
habitants., They gathered about us without the slightest appearance 
of fear or shyness, although none had ever seen living white people 
before, They were most willing to communicate all their knowledge, 
and barter all their goods, but would have stolen everything had they 
