108 



SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



^ept °^ ^ at ^ ne k* n( * wn * cn usually falls during the winter of these regions, but 

 we had flake snow and even light rain some days after this. The snow 

 however now remained undissolved upon the land in all situations. Our 

 hunting party returned late in the evening without success, having merely 

 seen a number of rein-deer, which the want of cover prevented their ap- 

 proaching. Seven days out of the nine for which we were victualled having 

 now elapsed, a party was selected for walking over to the ships on the fol- 

 lowing day, should the ice still continue in its present state. 



Sun. 23. The tents were struck and the boats launched at day-break on the 23d, 

 when we made tolerable way along-shore for two hours, landing occasionally 

 to distinguish the best road among the ice. At eight we put on shore to 

 breakfast, and then again set forward, leaving Mr. Ross to walk along the 

 rocks and by appointed signals to shew us the right " leads." After one 

 P.M., however, when we had arrived within a mile of Cape M'Laren, we 

 could make no further progress. The wind was at this time freshening up 

 from the south-west which, while it served to pack the ice more and more 

 closely in the bay, was rapidly clearing the coast on the opposite or eastern 

 side of the land about Cape Martineau. We had therefore the mortification 

 of observing from the hills that, could we have effected our passage for three 

 or four miles further along the shore, we should at once have gained an open 

 sea, and should probably have met with no further obstruction the whole way 

 to the ships. Being thus unavoidably detained, our people went out with their 

 guns and chased a fine deer into a creek at the back of our landing-place. 

 The animal being here surrounded by the men who stationed themselves on 

 the beach on each side, remained swimming more than an hour, when he be- 

 came fatigued ; and, after two attempts to land, was killed by persons con- 

 cealed behind hummocks of ice. He proved a fine buck, and gave us about 

 a hundred pounds of venison, which was taken on board for the use of the 

 ships. A few brace of ptarmigan were also shot. The ground was here 

 covered with snow two inches deep, which was more than at any other place 

 at which we had landed. After another ineffectual attempt to push along 

 the shore, by which the boats were much damaged in consequence of the 

 young ice, we proposed, should the ice not alter its position, to endeavour to 

 carry the boats and their geer over land on the following morning, rather 

 than suffer this detention any longer. 



The ice continuing in the same state, we commenced our work at break of 



Mon. 24. day on the 24th, and in three journeys had carried all the lighter part of our 



