64 



SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



strongest belief that some communication, not very indirect, must exist 

 between the Frozen Strait and a sea to the northward and eastward of it ; 

 and it was determined, therefore, to leave nothing undone to ascertain and 

 follow up this communication. As, however, the narrowness of the chan- 

 nels, together with our present ignorance of their depth, the strength of the 

 tides, and the quantity of ice with which the sea was loaded, rendered the 

 attempt extremely hazardous without further examination, the first and 

 most important object appeared to be, to find near one of the entrances, (of 

 which Captain Lyon recommended the western,) a secure anchorage for the 

 ships during the time necessary for prosecuting this examination. I, there- 

 fore, proposed to Captain Lyon that whenever the situation of the ice 

 would permit, he should proceed in a boat to the western entrance, to 

 endeavour to find such an anchorage, directing his attention solely to this 

 object and reserving all further examination till the ships should be there 

 secured. This service Captain Lyon gladly undertook to perform, and 

 Mr. Bushnan was again appointed to accompany him. An event was, how- 

 ever, about to occur which threatened very seriously as well as unex- 

 pectedly to interfere with these arrangements. 



At eight P.M. having shoaled the water from sixty to forty, and then to 

 thirty-two fathoms, and the weather still continuing extremely thick, I sus- 

 pected that the tide was taking us too close to Passage Island, which was the 

 nearest land when the fog came on. As the water seemed tolerably clear for 

 a few hundred yards, which was the extent of our view, I ordered the ship 

 to be got under sail in order to be in greater readiness for acting as circum- 

 stances might require. The ice, however, once more became so thick about us 

 that, with the light wind then blowing, it was found impracticable to force 

 the ship through it. While we were thus employed the fog suddenly cleared 

 away, and we found ourselves within three-quarters of a mile of the east end 

 of the island. A large space of open water was at this time not more than a 

 quarter of a mile distant from us in the opposite direction, but before the ship 

 could be moved by warps or by any other means within our power, the tide 

 was observed to be setting her directly between the island and the little 

 yellow-looking rock I have before mentioned as lying on its eastern side. 

 Seeing that every exertion of ours was fruitless to prevent driving with the 

 tide, which was setting at about the rate of a mile and a half an hour, it be- 

 came expedient to relinquish that attempt, and to endeavour only to keep the 

 ship as nearly as possible in mid-channel. The anchors were kept ready to 



