They killed however two swans that were moulting, several cranes
and many gray geese. We procured also some caccawees which were then
moulting and assembled in immense flocks. In the evening, having rounded
Point Beechy and passed Hurd's Islands, we were exposed to much
inconvenience and danger from a heavy rolling sea, the canoes receiving
many severe blows and shipping a good deal of water, which induced us to
encamp at five P.M. opposite to Cape Croker which we had passed on the
morning of the 12th; the channel which lay between our situation and it
being about seven miles wide. We had now reached the northern point of
entrance into this sound which I have named in honour of Lord Viscount
Melville, the first Lord of the Admiralty. It is thirty miles wide from
east to west and twenty from north to south, and in coasting it we had
sailed eighty-seven and a quarter geographical miles. Shortly after the
tents were pitched Mr. Back reported from the steersman that both canoes
had sustained material injury during this day's voyage. I found on
examination that fifteen timbers of the first canoe were broken, some of
them in two places, and that the second canoe was so loose in the frame
that its timbers could not be bound in the usual secure manner, and
consequently there was danger of its bark separating from the gunwales if
exposed to a heavy sea. Distressing as were these circumstances they gave
me less pain than the discovery that our people, who had hitherto
displayed in following us through dangers and difficulties no less novel
than appalling to them a courage beyond our expectation, now felt serious
apprehensions for their safety which so possessed their minds that they
were not restrained even by the presence of their officers from
expressing them. Their fears we imagined had been principally excited by
the interpreters, St. Germain and Adam, who from the outset had foreboded
every calamity; and we now strongly suspected that their recent want of
success in hunting had proceeded from an intentional relaxation in their
efforts to kill deer in order that the want of provision might compel us
to put a period to our voyage.
I must now mention that many concurrent circumstances had caused me
during the few last days to meditate on the approach of this painful
necessity. The strong breezes we had encountered for some days led me to
fear that the season was breaking up and severe weather would soon ensue
which we could not sustain in a country destitute of fuel. Our stock of
provision was now reduced to a quantity of pemmican only sufficient for
three days' consumption and the prospect of increasing it was not
encouraging for, though reindeer were seen, they could not be easily
approached on the level shores we were now coasting, besides it was to be
apprehended they would soon migrate to the south. It was evident that the
time spent in exploring the Arctic and Melville Sounds and Bathurst's
Inlet had precluded the hope of reaching Repulse Bay, which at the outset
of the voyage we had fondly cherished, and it was equally obvious that,
as our distance from any of the trading establishments would increase as
we proceeded, the hazardous traverse across the barren grounds which we
should have to make if compelled to abandon the canoes upon any part of
the coast would become greater.
I this evening communicated to the officers my sentiments on these points
as well as respecting our return and was happy to find that their
opinions coincided with my own. We were all convinced of the necessity of
putting a speedy termination to our advance as our hope of meeting the
Esquimaux and procuring provision from them could now scarcely be
retained, but yet we were desirous of proceeding until the land should be
seen trending again to the eastward, that we might be satisfied of its
separation from what we had conceived, in passing from Cape Barrow to
Bathurst's Inlet, to be a great chain of islands. As it was needful
however at all events to set a limit to our voyage I announced my
determination of returning after four days' examination, unless indeed we
should previously meet the Esquimaux and be enabled to make some
arrangement for passing the winter with them. This communication was
joyfully received by the men and we hoped that the industry of our
hunters being once more excited we should be able to add to our stock of
provision.
It may here be remarked that we observed the first regular return of the
tides in Warrender's and Parry's Bays, but their set could not be
ascertained. The rise of water did not amount to more than two feet.
Course today south one quarter east-nine miles and a quarter.
August 16.
Some rain fell in the night but the morning was unusually fine. We set
forward at five A.M. and the men paddled cheerfully along the coast for
ten miles when a dense fog caused us to land on Slate-clay Point. Here we
found more traces of the Esquimaux and the skull of a man placed between
two rocks. The fog dispersed at noon and we discerned a group of islands
to the northward which I have named after Vice-Admiral Sir George
Cockburn, one of the Lords of the Admiralty. Reembarking we rounded the
point and entered Walker's Bay (so-called after my friend Admiral Walker)
where as in other instances the low beach which lay between several high
trap cliffs could not be distinguished until we had coasted down the east
side nearly to the bottom of the bay.
