OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



73 



At fifteen minutes past three P.M. alight air of wind springing up from 182L 

 the eastward we weighed, and having warped out by kedges till we had 

 cleared the shoal point of the cove, made sail for the channel and, with the 

 assistance of the boats, got the Fury into the fair set of the tide, before it 

 made very strong to the eastward. At a quarter before seven, when in the 

 narrowest part, which is abreast of a bold headland on the south shore, 

 named, by desire of Mr. Bushnan, Cape Shackleton, and where the tide 

 was now driving the ice along at the rate of five or six knots, the wind came 

 in a sudden gust from the south-west, scarcely allowing us to reduce and 

 trim our sails in time to keep the ship off the north shore, which is not so 

 safe as the other. It was now that the advantage appeared of having tho- 

 roughly sounded the channel previously to attempting the passage of it ; for 

 had the ships taken the ground with so rapid and considerable a fall of tide, 

 and with so much heavy ice hurried along by it, I do not know what hu- 

 man effort could have saved them from almost immediate wreck. By carry- 

 ing a heavy press of canvass, however, we succeeded in forcing through the 

 ice, but the Fury was twice turned completely round by eddies and her sails 

 brought aback against the helm ; in consequence of which she gathered such 

 fresh sternway against several heavy floe-pieces, that I apprehended some 

 serious injury to the stern-post and rudder, if not to the whole frame of the 

 ship. The Hecla got through the narrows soon after us, but Captain Lyon, 

 wishing to bring away the flags and staves set up as marks, had sent his little 

 boat away for that purpose, during the continuance of the calm weather. 

 When the breeze suddenly came on she was still absent, and being obliged to 

 wait for some time to pick her up, the Hecla was about dusk separated 

 several miles from us. 



It was my intention, after getting through the narrows, to haul round to 

 the northward and eastward, either to find an anchorage or to keep under 

 way during the night, in the large space to the northward and eastward of 

 Rouse Island, which I had before found clear of ice, and free from any 

 perceptible stream of tide. My mortification may therefore be conceived 

 at now finding the whole of this space so covered with ice as not to be na- 

 vigable, while the only clear water in sight was along the south shore, where 

 the whole strength of tide was known to set, and which therefore, unac- 

 quainted as we were with the soundings, would be a dangerous station for 

 the ships to occupy during the night. There appeared however no alterna- 



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