After the other signal-post had been examined, and a notice of the American's brought me therefrom, I made a careful observation of everything around me, and commenced as close an investigation as the hurried nature of my visit, according to my orders, permitted me. The men had also, previously to my telling them, and with an alacrity that did them credit, commenced a most prying search. One in a short time brought me about an inch and a half square piece of canvass well bleached; another (the second mate) more fortunate, discovered a piece of rope, as I supposed a rattlin, and which was found to contain the Chatham Dock-yard Navy mark*; a third found a piece of bone with two holes bored in it. Beef bones, and other unmistakeable marks of the place having been used within some very few years by a party of Europeans, for some purpose or other, were discovered. The ground presented very much the appearance of having been turned into an encampment, for certain stones were so placed as to lead to the inference that tents† had been erected * Navy ropes have certain threads of red or yellow, &c., laid in along with the yarns.

†The men particularly drew my attention to these circular mounds of stones. I did not at first notice them, as they were not so extraordinarily prominent. I have, since my communication to Sir E. Parry and Sir J. Richardson, placed stones in a similar sort of circle, and measured the diameter of such circle. From this I nd that I made a mistake in saying, as I sup

within some of their enclosures, and in others a fire might have been made, but no marks of fire were visible. Four of these circular parcels of stones I counted, and observed another which might or might not have been a fifth. It was clear that a party, as Captain Ommanney stated, belonging to some of her Majesty's ships had been there; and as there was no one from any vessel who had landed there since the time when Sir Edward Parry sent an officer on shore to make observations in 1819, it could not but reasonably be inferred that it was Sir John Franklin's expedition that had encamped here and on Beechey Island. The mere thought that this was really the case gave to the otherwise barren spot new interest in my eyes. I surveyed it narrowly. It was, as I have before observed, a high bluff headland, with a low projecting tongue and point of land running from it into the sea, almost at right angles to the base of the under cliff. This tongue was sufficiently broad to have accommodated a tolerably large party, but it afforded very poor shelter from the winds or sea coming from any

posed at the time, that the diameter was twelve feet and more. It could not, I now think, have been over seven feet.

The admirable Report of Sir Edward Parry and Sir John Richardson, with some remarks of Colonel Sabine's, together with the Report of Captain Superintendent Richards on the articles, &c., found at Cape Riley, have been published in all the daily journals.

quarter but that of the N. E. The high rock which

formed the back ground of this gradually reached halfway by terraces, from which grew some

patch of land was

moderately steep scanty vegetation.

There was, however, more verdure here, if I can so call the small supply of grass I observed, than I had seen anywhere on this side of Baffin's Bay. Being unfortunately no botanist, I could only refer afterwards to Parry's first voyage, and there found my own observations substantially correct. In one place I noticed some mud which would have done credit to not a few of the streets of London after a shower. In another part there was a finer and a better sort of sand, though the hard stony rock was everywhere perceptible. I could have lingered there for some time longer to continue my search, and I ardently desired to have examined Beechey Island, and indeed the whole adjacent parts, but I was warned by my watch that I had stayed as long as I could according to my orders, having been absent three quarters of an hour; and having now some sort of news to communicate, and some results to show for our visit, I deemed it best to return on board, much to my regret at not being able to make further examination. I gave in my report, stating simply what I had found, and what was contained in the despatches of Captain Ommanney. At the request

STEER FOR CAPE YORK.

321

of Captain Forsyth, I afterwards gave him an outline plan of what I remembered of the position of the stones and appearance of the ground; but I have endeavoured since to pourtray it for myself more clearly.

As may be imagined, the news I brought on board created a great ferment amongst us all.

When I reflected upon it I could not help considering how important it would be to us at that moment to fall in with Captain Austin, who had gone to Pond's Bay, and could not fail to be on his way to the rendezvous in these parts. However, we were not, as the result proved, destined to fall in with him. As the "Assistance" had examined the northern coast of Lancaster Sound and Barrow's Straits, it was considered of no use our tracing it over again; yet I could not help wishing that I could do as I pleased for about a month, and go where I might desire. The half information I had gleaned at Cape Riley gave an additional zest to my personal inclination for further search. A short time before, that is, after we had commenced our return, I was becoming indifferent as to what we did. However, the ship was running rapidly back on her way to Cape York; but as the night set in, the wind gradually abated, and our speed was considerably lessened.

Y

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CHAP. XXIV.

ENTRANCE OF P. R. INLET AGAIN. — THICK FOGGY WEA-
THER. -HEAVY FALL OF SNOW.
LAND TO EXAMINE A CAIRN ON THE SUMMIT OF A

LITTLE WIND.

DRIFTING IN SHORE. DANGEROUS POSITION.-A HEAVY DARK NIGHT. CLEARER DAY.- LAND SEEN

GALE.

Monday, 26th. In the early part of the following morning we passed the extreme points of the ice that run out from Leopold Island, and it was reported at daylight that more ice could be seen extending far out, right across Port Leopold, and also the entire inlet. When I was called on deck, however, at six A.M. to look at the land I found it too foggy and thick to see hardly a mile ahead. It was a most miserable morning, with very little wind, and occasional small rain, snow, and sleet mixed together, and so very thick and foggy that it was out of the question to determine accurately any of the points of land that we occasionally observed peeping out through