VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 
OF A 
NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 
CHAPTER I. 
. PASSAGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC — ENTER DAVIS STRAIT UNSUCCESSFUL 
ATTEMPT TO PENETRATE THE ICE TO THE WESTERN COAST VOYAGE UP 
THE STRAIT — PASSAGE THROUGH THE ICE TO THE WESTERN COAST 
ARRIVAL OFF POSSESSION RAY, ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE ENTRANCE 
INTO SIR JAMES LANCASTER’S SOUND. 
The Hecla and Griper were ready to drop down the river in the early part 
f. of April ; but, the wind continuing to the eastward, the pilots would not 
venture to turn them down. The wind remained in the same quarter till the 
beginning of May, beyond which time it would not have been prudent to 
delay our moving. Application was, therefore, made for a steam-boat to tow 
the ships to Northfleet, and on the 4th, at eight A.M., the Hecla was taken in 
tow by the Eclipse, of sixty-horse power. With a fresh breeze right a-head, 
she moved at the rate of three miles and a half an hour through the water, and 
was made fast to the buoy at Northfleet at a quarter past noon. The steam- 
boat returned to Deptford for the Griper, and arrived with her at night. 
The guns and gunner’s-stores were received on baord on the 6th ; and, 
all the iron being now stowed, as it would probably remain for the rest of 
the voyage, the afternoon of that day was occupied in obtaining some steady 
observations on the irregularities of the magnetic needle on board the Hecla, 
by turning her head round to each point of the compass in succession. These 
observations will be found in the Appendix. 
1819. 
May. 
B 
