survey of the coast are considered, in connexion with the shortness
of the period during which operations of the kind can be carried on,
and the distance we had to travel before we could gain a place
of shelter for the winter, I trust it will be judged that we prosecuted
the enterprise as far as was prudent, and abandoned it only under
a well-founded conviction that a further advance would endanger
the lives of the whole party, and prevent the knowledge of what
had been done from reaching England. The active assistance
I received from the officers, in contending with the fears of the men,
demands my warmest gratitude.
Our researches, as far as they have gone, favour the opinion
of those who contend for the practicability of a North-West Passage.
The general line of coast probably runs east and west, nearly in the
latitude assigned to Mackenzie’s River, the Sound into which
Kotzebue entered, and Repulse Bay; and I think there is little
doubt of a continued sea, in or about that line of direction. The
existence of whales too, on this part of the coast, evidenced by the
whalebone we found in Esquimaux Cove, may be considered as
an argument for an open sea; and a connexion with Hudson’s Bay
is rendered more probable from the same kind of fish abounding
on the coasts we visited, and on those to the north of Churchill
River. I allude more particularly to the Capelin or Salmo Arcticus,
which we found in large shoals in Bathurst’s Inlet, and which
not only abounds, as Augustus told us, in the bays in his country,
but swarms in the Greenland firths*. The portion of the sea over
which we passed is navigable for vessels of any size; the ice
we met, particularly after quitting Detention harbour, would not
have arrested a strong boat. The chain of islands affords shelter
from all heavy seas, and there are good harbours at convenient
Arctic Zoology, vol. ii, p. 394.
distances. I entertain, indeed, sanguine hopes that the skill and
exertions of my friend Captain Parry will soon render this question
no longer problematical. His task is doubtless an arduous one,
and, if ultimately successful, may occupy two and perhaps three
seasons; but confiding as I do, from personal knowledge, in his
perseverence and talent for surmounting difficulties, the strength
of his ships, and the abundance of provisions with which they are
stored, I have very little apprehension of his safety. As I
understand his object was to keep the coast of America close on
board, he will find in the spring of the year, before the breaking up
of the ice can permit him to pursue his voyage, herds of deer
flocking in abundance to all parts of the coast, which may be procured
without difficulty; and, even later in the season, additions
to his stock of provision may be obtained on many parts of the
coast, should circumstances give him leisure to send out hunting
parties. With the trawl or seine nets also, he may almost every
where get abundance of fish even without retarding his progress.
Under these circumstances I do not conceive that he runs any
hazard of wanting provisions, should his voyage oe prolonged even
beyond the latest period of time which is calculated upon. Drift
timber may be gathered at many places in considerable quantities,
and there is a fair prospect of his opening a communication with
the Esquimaux, who come down to the coast to kill seals in the
spring, previous to the ice breaking u p ; and from whom, if he
succeeds in conciliating their good-will, he may obtain provision, and
much useful assistance.
If he makes for Copper-Mine River, as he probably will do, he
will not find it in the longitude as laid down on the charts; but
he will probably find, what would be more interesting to him,
a post, which we erected on the 26th August at the mouth of
Hood’s River, which is nearly, as will appear hereafter, in that