214 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [part i 
The next duty was to examine the coast to the north- 
ward until an opening was reached. This was done with 
great care until the winter set in ; every inlet, some of 
considerable depth, being surveyed in the boats. Winter 
quarters were found under the shelter of an island, and 
the same routine was established as at Melville Island. 
The theatre was rigged in much greater splendour, 
dresses had been supplied, and there were performances 
once a fortnight. The most successful night was when 
the " Rivals" of Sheridan was acted by the whole 
strength of the company. Captain Lyon, as Captain 
Absolute in the " Rivals," went through the last act 
with two fingers frost-bitten. 
Eskimo parties visited the ships during the winter, 
and received much assistance in food. One of the women 
was a very intelligent draughtsman, and showed Parry 
by the use of her pencil not only a strait to the north, 
but also that he was on the eastern side of a great 
peninsula. It received the name of Melville Peninsula. 
On the 2nd of July the ships were extricated from their 
winter quarters by sawing a long passage through the 
ice, and on the 12th a fine fresh-water river was dis- 
covered, with a magnificent waterfall 100 feet in height. 
Rich vegetation clothed its banks, and reindeer were 
seen browsing with their fawns. It received the name 
of the Secretary to the Admiralty, Sir John Barrow. 
In August the long-looked-for opening was at length 
discovered. It was found to be a strait, about two 
miles in width, but loaded with ice. It was named 
Fury and Hecla Strait. The ships forced their way 
into it for some distance, but the main body of ice was 
firm, and young ice was forming. After beating about 
for several days in a heavy pack, they at length reached 
their second winter quarters at the island of Igloolik, near 
the entrance to the strait, where they found a colony 
of Eskimo. Many of them were old friends at Winter 
Island. The habits and customs of these natives were 
carefully studied, and an extensive vocabulary was made 
of their language. 
After leaving Igloolik in the middle of August, 1823, 
the wind fell, the ships were beset, and drifted down 
Fox Channel in constant danger. At length they were 
