OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



45 



without suspecting its disjunction, in any part, from the high land of South- 

 ampton Island at the back, which, indeed, he could not have discovered wrv 

 without travelling several leagues inland from that side, until he had reached 

 the shore of the bay we had lately entered. 



In approaching a low point, which forms one side of the apparent opening 

 to the N.N.E., before alluded to, and which I subsequently named after 

 Mr. Henderson, we gradually shoaled the water from eighteen fathoms, 

 which we had soon after leaving our anchorage, to eight. After rounding 

 the point, it seemed doubtful whether there was any passage to the north- 

 ward, the interval between the two lands being now contracted to two 

 miles, and becoming more and more narrow as we advanced. After 

 passing the point, where, at two P.M., we found the flood-tide setting to 

 the northward, at the rate of a mile and a half an hour, we again deepened 

 the water to ten and twelve fathoms ; but, in continuing our course half 

 an hour longer, again shoaled it gradually to five and four fathoms, and 

 tacked in eighteen feet. The ship was unusually slack in stays, owing, 

 perhaps, to her hanging in the long tangle-weed, of which great quan- 

 tities were always floating about here. At this time the two lands seemed 

 to approach within a mile of each other, with a number of little low 

 stony islands occupying a great part of that space, and shelving points on 

 each, side, so that there seemed little chance of finding a passage for ships 

 in that direction. Having sent a boat to sound, we tacked, and again 

 ran in till we had shoaled the water to four fathoms, and then once 

 more stood to the southward. Finding, by the signals made from the boat, 

 that nothing could be done till the channel, if there were any, had been 

 regularly examined and buoyed off, I directed the ships to be anchored as 

 soon as we had got into twelve fathoms ; and at four P.M., left the Fury, 

 accompanied by Mr. Henderson, and by Lieutenant Hoppner in a second 

 boat from the Hecla, in order to conduct the intended examination. This 

 did not, however, occupy so much time as we expected, for in less than two 

 hours we had ascertained, beyond a doubt, that no practicable passage for 

 ships existed in this direction. The tide was here so strong, that, with 

 sails and oars, we could scarcely stem it ; and as we approached the nar- 

 rowest part, it was running more than six knots, obliging us to pull in-shore, 

 into the eddy of the point, before we could make the smallest progress. We 

 then with difficulty rowed to an islet, about which fresh rocks and shoals 

 were almost every minute shewing themselves, as the tide fell ; so that, at 



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