APPENDIX NO. IV. 
327 
extended floe, but so loose as to permit of our working along under sail 
some forty miles to Wedge Island, where its compactness obliged us to 
moor to bergs and await several days, when suddenly, and without any 
apparent cause but the remarkably mysterious currents, it disappeared 
and left us open water, through which we steamed uninterruptedly 
to Sugar-Loaf Island, and entered the closely-packed floe of Melville 
Bay, through which, by strenuous and untiring efforts, and being so 
fortunate as never to have entered a false lead or to have lost any by 
drifts, we forced a passage into the North Water on the morning of the 
13th August, twenty-eight days after our entrance of the barrier. 
With our invaluable little “Arctic” ahead, we passed within good view 
of the coast from Cape York to Wostenholme Island, when I deemed 
it advisable and hastened on in the steamer (leaving this vessel in 
charge of Lieutenant Simms, to follow with all despatch) to Cape 
Alexander, w T hich, with Sutherland Island near to, both most con¬ 
spicuous points, beyond the reach of Esquimaux, were thoroughly 
examined; but not the slightest evidence was found to indicate that 
they bad ever before been trodden by civilized men. Much chagrined 
and disappointed, I deposited a record of our visit, and further instruc¬ 
tions for the “Release;” then rounded the cape with a strong head¬ 
wind, and ice extending in a compact mass to the western shore and as 
far north as could be seen, leaving, however, a narrow lead so near the 
land as to allow us to discern the smallest objects. Wo passed on; but 
naught was seen until we reached the most northwestern point in sight, 
which we supposed to be Cape Hatherton, but was afterward proved to 
be Pelham Point, where a few stones were observed together. A party, 
with Acting Master Lovell and Dr. Kane, of the steamer, landed im¬ 
mediately, and found beneath this carelessly-erected mark a small vial 
with the letter K cut in the cork, containing a large mosquito, with a 
small piece of cartridge-paper for one of Sharpe's rifles, prepared in 
Philadelphia, the ball of which was lying by it: on this was written, 
apparently with the point of the ball, “Dr. Kane, 1853.” This was 
extremely perplexing, but assured us of his having been there, and I 
determined to push on as far north as possible. But, on rounding this 
point, which was found to be in latitude 78° 32' N.,— farther, it is 
believed, than any one before had ever reached on this side, — we were 
opposed by a solid, hummocky field of very heavy ice, to which no 
limit was visible, interspersed with many bergs, all drifting to the 
southward. Under sail, we dropped with it, anxiously watching for an 
opening, examining Cape Hatherton and Littleton Island in our retro¬ 
grade, without any success, though Dr. Kane, in his last letter to his 
