VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 
271 
CHAPTER XI. 
PROGRESS DOWN THE WESTERN COAST OF BAFFIN’S BAY MEET WITH THE 
WHALERS — ACCOUNT OF SOME ESQUIMAUX IN THE INLET CALLED THE 
RIVER CLYDE — CONTINUE THE SURVEY OF THE COAST, TILL STOPPED BY 
ICE IN THE LATITUDE OF 68^° OBLIGED TO RUN TO THE EASTWARD 
FRUITLESS ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN THE LAND, AND FINAL DEPARTURE 
FROM THE ICE — REMARKS UPON THE PROBABLE EXISTENCE AND PRACTI- 
CABILITY OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE, AND UPON THE WHALE-FISHERY 
BOISTEROUS WEATHER IN CROSSING THE ATLANTIC — LOSS OF THE 
HECLA’S BOWSPRIT AND FOREMAST ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND. 
The wind continuing fresh from the northward, on the morning of the 1st 1820. 
of September, we bore up and ran along the land, taking our departure from 
the flag-staff in Possession Bay, bearing W.S.W. five miles, at half-past four A.M. 
Having passed two small bays in the course of the morning, we were abreast 
of Cape Graham Moore towards noon, where the ice led us off to the distance 
of six or seven miles from the land. Some water brought up in Dr. Marcet’s 
bottle from the depth of one hundred and ten fathoms was at the temperature 
of 30V 3 , that of the surface being 30|°, and of the air 31°. The specific gravity 
of the surface-water at noon was 1.0246, at the temperature of 49°. 
When abreast of the inlet, which had been called Pond’s Bay on the 
former expedition, the opening of the two shores, as far as the eye could 
reach, appeared so large as to excite considerable interest. We, therefore, 
hauled in with the intention of examining it, but found the ice so close, that 
the ship was stopped almost in the entrance. The weather, however, was 
at this time remarkably clear, and it was the opinion of the officers, as well 
as my own, that the two shores did not unite, there being nearly a whole 
point of the compass in which no land was visible ; and it was the general 
belief that this opening would be found to communicate with the Navy -Board 
or Admiralty Inlet. 
