494 
COMMANDER DE HAVEn's 
B. 
LIEUT. DE HAVEN'S OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE AMERICAN ARC- 
TIC EXPEDITION. 
XJ. S. Brig Advance, 5 
New York, October 4, 1851. J 
Sir, — I have the honor to submit the following as the proceedings of the 
squadron under my command subsequent to the 23d of August, 1850, up to 
which time the Department is already advised of its movements. 
On the 23d of August we approached Port Leopold ; but the necessity of a 
detention here to search for information was precluded by our falling in with 
the English yacht Prince Albert, Commander Forsyth, R. N. He informed us. 
that the harbor was still fiUed with ice, so as to render it inaccessible to ves- 
sels. A boat, however, had been sent in, but no traces of the missing expedi- 
tion were found. 
We now stood over for the north shore, passing to the eastward of Leopold 
Island, threading our way through much heavy stream-ice. Barrow's Straits 
to the westward presented one mass of heavy and closely-packed ice, extend- 
ing close into the coast of North Somerset. On the north shore we found open 
water, reaching to the westward as far as Beechy Island. 
At noon on the 25th we were otFCape Riley, where the vessel was hove to, 
and a boat sent ashore to examine a cairn erected in a conspicuous position. 
It was fo^^nd to contain a record of H. B. M.'s ship Assistance, deposited the 
day before. Another record informed us that our consort had visited the cape 
at the same time with the Assistance. 
Fragments of painted wood and preserved meat tins were picked up on the 
low point of the cape ; there were also other indications that it had been the 
camping ground of some civilized traveling or hunting party. Our speculations 
at once connected them with the object of our search. 
While making our researches on shore, the vessel was set by a strong cur- 
rent near the point, where, becoming hampered by some masses of ice, she took 
the ground. Every effort was made to get her off, but the falhng tide soon left 
her hard and fast. We now lightened her of all weighty articles about deck, 
and prepared to renew our efforts when the tide should rise. This took place 
about midnight, when she was hauled off without apparent injury. 
The Prince Albert approached us while aground, and Commander Forsyth 
tendered his assistance ; it was not, however, required. Soon after, the Res- 
cue came in sight from around Beechy Island, and making us out in our awk- 
ward predicament, hove to in the offing, and sent a boat in. She had been up 
WeUington Channel as far as Point Innes. The condition of the ice prevented 
her from reaching Cape Hotham (the appointed place of rendezvous), so she 
had returned in search of us. 
On the 26th, with a light breeze, we passed Beechy Island, and run through 
a narrow lead to the north. Immediately above Point Innes the ice of Wel- 
lington Channel was fixed and unbroken from shore to shore, and had every 
indication of having so remained for at least three years. It was generally 
