94 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



1821. proceed much further. After hanging on for ten minutes, the utmost exertion 

 of the men at the oars enabled us to pass the first point ; but the attempt 

 to pass the second must not only have been useless but dangerous, the tide 

 running full six knots over some shoal ground, with an overfall like that 

 under bridges, making the level of the water about eighteen inches higher on 

 one side of the point than on the other. We landed therefore at a smooth 

 place under a sheltered part of the rocks, till the tide should enable us to 

 proceed ; and we were not a little pleased to find, by walking across the point, 

 that the direction of this rapid flood-tide was from the south-west, and to all 

 appearance proceeded out of the opening we were next about to explore. 

 While employed here in drying our clothes and tents, we fortunately observed 

 two boats rowing up the inlet, and were soon joined by Messrs. Henderson 

 and Sherer in a boat from each ship, bringing a fresh supply of provisions and 

 fuel. I now learned from Captain Lyon that, as the ice had come in near 

 the ships, he proposed as soon as practicable to move them higher up, and, if 

 possible, nearer the entrance of the inlet in the examination of which we were 

 at present engaged. 



As I now entertained the most sanguine hopes of at length finding a pas- 

 sage to the westward, without the necessity of going round all the land we 

 had seen in an opposite direction, I could not but consider the present 

 supply a most opportune one. We therefore loaded the boats as deeply as 

 was consistent with safety, concealing the remainder under a heap of stones, 

 as a resource on our return ; and despatched Mr. Henderson back with one 

 of the boats, together with such articles as were no longer likely to prove 

 useful to us. 



The latitude of this point is 66° 51' 06", and its longitude, by chronometers, 

 84° 43' 19". The rocks near the sea presented one continued and bare surface 

 of granite and gneiss ; but a little way inland there was no want of vegetation, 

 and several hares were killed. The tide, for which we impatiently waited, gra- 

 dually slackened between three and four P.M., at which time it was high water 

 by the shore, and the stream of ebb immediately began running to the south- 

 ward. In addition to the sanguine hopes we entertained of now making 

 some useful discovery, we were also congratulating ourselves on the advan- 

 tage we should derive from the strong and favourable ebb-tide just about to 

 make, and which we trusted would enable us to end all our doubts and ap- 

 prehensions before the close of this day. Our disappointment may therefore 

 in some measure be conceived on finding that the rapid flood-tide, on which 



