OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



40 



covered with sand, but the late south-west breeze having drifted the main 1821 - 

 body of it over to the opposite coast, we met with no material impediment, ti^X". 

 At a quarter before five, P.M., in passing within an island, to which from 

 subsequent occurrences the name of Passage Island was afterwards given, 

 a violent rippling was observed a-head. The boats were instantly lowered 

 to sound the channel, and the ships put about till it was ascertained that 

 there was no shoal water ; when we again tacked, keeping the boats a-head, 

 and continuing under easy sail till past the rippling, but having no less than 

 twenty-five fathoms in any part. 



Passage Island, which is blackish in its appearance, has a small rocky islet 

 of a yellow colour on its eastern side, with which we afterwards as unex- 

 pectedly as unwillingly became better acquainted. There are also two or 

 three small islands lying nearly abreast of it, off the Southampton Island 

 shore, and as we proceeded several others were brought in sight, lying in a bay 

 near the west extreme, which we passed in the evening, having before us a sea 

 entirely clear of ice and, we were willing to hope, of land also. Hazy weather, 

 however, such as had prevailed during the greater part of the day, with occa- 

 sional rain, is very favourable to such hopes, and often, therefore, brings 

 much disappointment. At seven o'clock we plainly distinguished land, with 

 a fog-bank hanging over it, to the westward, and, as far as the thickness of 

 the weather would permit us to see, leaving no opening before us except for 

 about two points in the north-western quarter. As the nights became dark 

 for several hours at this season, and we were wholly unacquainted with the 

 land beyond us, the boats were despatched to look for anchorage under the 

 southern shore, where, however, the ground proved so irregular, and the bottom 

 so rocky, that I determined to keep under way during the night. As soon as 

 the boats were hoisted up, we stood to the westward under easy sail, and 

 deepened the water gradually to one hundred and five fathoms, on a hard 

 bottom. Our uncertainty respecting the true situation of the Frozen Strait, 

 together with the want of observations during the day, left us, at this time, 

 in doubt whether we had already penetrated through that passage, or had still 

 to encounter the difficulties which the former accounts of it had led us to an- 

 ticipate. 



The wind was squally, with dark cloudy weather, during the night, and a 

 calm succeeded on the morning of the 21st, with fog and rain. At forty Tues. 21. 

 minutes after eight, A.M., the tide was found to be setting W.S.W., 

 half a mile per hour, and there was, during the forenoon, some swell from the 



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