30 miles north of the
isthmus, when Commander Ross succeeded in surveying 50 miles more of
the coast leading to the north-west, and by tracing the shore to the
northward of our position, it was also fully proved that there could
be no passage below the 71st degree.

This autumn we succeeded in getting the vessel only 14 miles to the
northward, as we had not doubled the Eastern Cape, all hope of saving
the ship was at an end, and put quite beyond possibility by another
very severe winter; and having only provisions to last us to the 1st
of June, 1833, dispositions were accordingly made to leave the ship in
present port, which (after her) was named Victory Harbor. Provisions
and fuel being carried forward in the spring, we left the ship on the
28th of May, 1832, for Fury Beach, being the only chance left for
saving our lives; owing to the very rugged nature of the ice, we were
obliged to keep either upon or close to the land, making the circuit
of every bay, thus increasing our distance of 200 miles by nearly one
half; and it was not until the 1st of July that we reached the beach,
completely exhausted by hunger and fatigue.

A hut was speedily constructed, and the boats three of which had been
washed off the beach, but providentially driven on shore again, were
repaired during this month; and the unusual heavy appearance of the
ice afforded us no cheering prospect until the 1st of August, when in
three boats we reached the ill-fated spot where the Fury was first
driven on shore, and it was not until the 1st of September we reached
Leopold South Island, now established to be the N. E. point of America
in latitude 73 56, and longitude 90 west. From the summit of the lofty
mountain on the promontory we could see Prince Regent's Inlet,
Barrow's Strait and Lancaster Sound, which presented one impenetrable
mass of ice, just as I had seen it in 1818. Here we remained in a
state of anxiety and suspense, which may be easier imagined than
described. All our attempts to push through were vain; at length being
forced by want of provisions and the approach of a very severe winter,
to return to Fury Beach, where alone there remained wherewith to
support life, there we arrived on the 7th of October, after a most
fatiguing and laborious march, having been obliged to leave our boats
at Batty Bay. Our habitation, which consisted of a frame of spars, 32
feet by 16, covered with canvas, was, during the month of November
enclosed, and the