OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 
73 
I know no circumstance in the navigation of these seas which renders more 1819. 
necessary a vigilant look-out, and a careful attention to the hand-leads than 
the deception to which I here allude. 
Having stood again to the westward, to take a nearer view of the ice, we 
perceived that it lay quite close in with Cape Hearne, notwithstanding the 
fresh northerly wind which, for the last thirty-six hours, had been blowing 
from the shore, and which had drifted the ice some distance to the south- 
ward, in every other part of the coast along which we had lately been 
sailing. This circumstance struck us very forcibly at the time, as an ex- 
traordinary one ; and it was a general remark among us, that the ice must 
either be aground in shoal-water, or that it butted against something to the 
southward, which prevented its moving in that direction. Appearances being 
thus discouraging, nothing remained to be done but to stand ofF-and-on 
near the point, and carefully to watch for any opening that might occur. 
After divine service had been performed, I assembled the officers, seamen, 
and marines of the Hecla, and announced to them officially, that their 
exertions had so far been crowned with success, as to entitle them to the first 
prize in the scale of rewards, granted by His Majesty’s order in council above- 
mentioned. I took this opportunity of impressing upon the minds of the men 
the necessity of the most strenuous exertions during the short remainder 
of the present season ; assuring them that, if we could penetrate a few de- 
grees farther to the westward, before the ships were laid up for the winter, 
I had little doubt of our accomplishing the object of our enterprise before 
the close of the next season. I also addressed a letter to Lieutenant 
Liddon, to the same effect, and directed a small addition to be made to the 
usual allowance of meat, and some beer to be served, as a Sunday’s dinner, 
on this occasion. 
The wind increasing to a fresh gale from the northward in the afternoon, 
and the ice still continuing to oppose an impenetrable barrier to our further 
progress, I determined to beat up to the northern shore of the bay, and, 
if a tolerable roadstead could be found, to drop our anchors till some 
change should take place. This was accordingly done at three P.M., in 
seven fathoms’ water, the bottom being excellent holding-ground, com- 
posed of mud and sand, from which the lead could with difficulty be ex- 
tricated. When we veered to half a cable, we had ten fathoms’ water under 
the Hecla’s stern, our distance from the northern shore being about a mile 
and a half. This roadstead, which I called the Bay of the Hecla and 
