OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



349 



I named it Cape Hallowell, out of respect to Vice- Admiral Sir Benjamin 1822. 

 Hallo well. This head-land was joined to Cockburn Island by a piece of ^ 

 low land not visible at any great distance, and receding considerably so as 

 to form a fine bay, which I named after Captain William Autridge, of the 

 Royal Navy. To the southward of Cape Hallowell are several small rocky 

 islets, and near these, as well as in every other part of the entrance of the 

 Strait, the ice presented the same unbroken appearance as before. 



" At half-past five A.M. on the 12th, we again set forward, and continuing 12. 

 our walk till nine o'clock, pitched the tent upon a rising ground, from 

 whence we commanded a good view around us, and being near the entrance 

 of an inlet running up to the north-eastward. The opening of the Strait 

 into the Polar Sea was now so decided, that I considered the principal 

 object of my journey accomplished ; but being desirous of obtaining obser- 

 vations at this spot, and the weather being cloudy, I determined on remain- 

 ing a few hours for that purpose. In the mean time Mr. Bush nan and 

 myself walked up the banks of the inlet, which I named after my friend 

 Mr. Thomas Whyte, and found it to extend five or six miles in a north-east 

 direction, its general breadth being from a mile to a mile and a half. At 

 the head of the inlet we found two ravines running into it, and the vegeta- 

 tion was here more abundant than any I had seen during the voyage. We 

 saw also the remains of two Esquimaux huts, which were old and appeared 

 to have been winter habitations. 



" The sky being still clouded on the morning of the 13th, we set out on 13, 

 our return to the eastward, from which quarter the wind soon after freshened 

 up with constant snow and sleet. At one P.M. on the 14th, we reached our 14. 

 landing-place, when we found that a great alteration had taken place in the 

 state of the ice, there being now a considerable lane of water running off in 

 the direction of the ships, while near the shore some pressure appeared to 

 have taken place. On the following day, when the snow ceased falling for 15. 

 a short time, a still greater change was perceptible, there being in-shore a 

 space of clear water extending three miles from east to west, and more nu- 

 merous marks than before of recent pressure. Upon the whole, the change 

 in the state of the ice since our outward journey was very striking, and 

 seemed to afford a hope that the passage of the ships might still be favoured 

 by some more extensive movement. 



" At half-past eleven A.M., the tide being out so as to favour our getting 



