OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



65 



drop in an instant should the ship drive into shoal water ; for had we grounded, 1J 

 and the heavy masses of ice continued to drive upon us, little less than the total J5 

 destruction of the ship was to be apprehended. The natural direction of the 

 stream, however, effected for us that which, hampered as we were, our own 

 exertions must have failed in accomplishing ; the ship drove through, at 

 the distance of one hundred yards from the rock and about one hundred and 

 forty from Passage Island, having no less than twelve fathoms ; and soon after 

 deepened the water to thirty-rive and forty, and then to no bottom with 

 ninety. 



After this providential escape, we lay-to within the island, in order to drift 

 to the northward and westward of it with the flood-tide, which runs stronger 

 here than in any other part of the Frozen Strait. The night was fine but 

 extremely dark, so that after ten o'clock we could not distinguish where the 

 land lay, and the compasses could not be depended on. After an ineffectual 

 attempt to push through the ice towards the middle of the Strait, in order to 

 avoid the danger of being entangled among the numerous islands lying off 

 this shore, we were literally obliged to let the ship take her chance, keeping 

 the lead going and the anchors in readiness. 



I have never yet been able to conjecture on which side of the island the 

 Fury was afterwards drifted out. The soundings, however, continued deep 

 and, at day -light on the 26th, after a most anxious night, we found ourselves Sat 

 about the middle of the Strait, and as usual drifted by the tide some distance 

 to the northward and westward. A breeze which at this time sprung up from 

 that quarter enabled us nearly to fetch the western inlet, where we now pro- 

 posed to search for an anchorage. The Hecla having got clear of the ice the 

 preceding evening, and narrowly escaped an adventure similar to that which 

 we had experienced, rejoined us early in the morning, when Captain Lyon 

 returned to her to prepare a boat for his intended excursion. We then stood 

 in under all sail for the land, and at eleven A.M. Captain Lyon left the Hecla, 

 while the ships tacked off and on to await his return. The day was fine and 

 clear; and as the ice occasioned us no disturbance we were enabled to give 

 the people several hours' rest, of which, from the exertions of the preceding 

 night, they stood much in need. At nine P.M. Captain Lyon returned* 

 acquainting me that he had met with a small bay having no stream of tide, 

 and being at present clear of ice, he thought it might answer our purpose, 

 but he wished me to see it before the ships were taken in. 



