CHAPTER VI. 
inspector’s house, lietely. 
Our commander intended to remain at the Crown 
Prince I.slands no longer than was absolutely neces- 
sary for our consort, the Rescue, to rejoin us; hut, 
upon reviewing our hurried preparation for the hard- 
ships of the winter, he determined, with characteristic 
forethought, to send a boat party to the settlement of 
Lievely, on the neighboring island of Disco, for the 
double purpose of collecting information and purchas- 
ing a stock of furs. The execution of this duty he de- 
volved upon me. 
We started on the 27th, Mr. Lovell, myself, an Es- 
quimaux pilot, and a crew of five men. As we rowed 
along the narrow channels before we emerged from 
this rocky group, I observed for the first time that 
extreme transparency of the water which has so often 
been alluded to by authors as characteristic of the Po- 
