to Riltenbenk, where the _Discovery_ received her twenty
dogs, and an Eskimo named Frederik, who came on board with his kayak.

On the 17th of July the _Alert_ and _Discovery_ steamed northward on
their adventurous expedition, while the _Valorous_ proceeded towards the
Disco shore, where, from its coal cliffs, she was to supply herself with
fuel.

A fog coming on hid the ships from each other. After running through a
perfectly clear sea for some distance, the weather being fine, Captain
Nares determined to take his ships through the middle ice of Baffin's
Bay, instead of passing round by Melville Bay. On the 24th of July the
pack was entered, but the floes were rotten, and at first not more than
250 yards in diameter. As the ships advanced, the ice became closer,
and the floes of much larger circumference, making it necessary to look
out for channels. The commanders were constantly in the crow's nests,
and succeeded at length in carrying their ships through, in the space of
thirty-four hours, although not without some scratches, and having to
put on full steam.

They found the entrance to Smith's Sound perfectly clear of ice, none
drifting southward, although there was a fresh northerly breeze. The
scene of the wreck of the _Polaris_ was visited, and either the log, or
a copy, of the ill-fated vessel discovered. The next point touched at
was Cape Isabella, on the 29th of July. Here a cairn with a small depot
of provisions was erected, at an elevation of 700 feet from the water,
by the crew of the _Alert_, while the _Discovery_ pushed forward. On
the 30th of July the _Discovery_ was beset off Cape Sabine, by a close
pack five or six miles broad. The _Alert_, having bored through it,
joined her, and both ships spent three days, sometimes getting under
weigh and attempting to escape, until the 4th of August, when the pack
moving forward enabled them to round Cape Sabine. Proceeding twenty
miles farther along the south side of Hayes Sound, they put into a snug
harbour, near which was discovered a valley with abundance of
vegetation, and traces of musk oxen. Finding, however, that there was
no channel in that direction, they bore away to the eastward, towards
Cape Albert. Here a clear space of water appeared along the shore of
the mainland; but the coast affording no protection, they ran into the
pack, with the expectation of forcing their way through. In this they
were disappointed, and, unable to extricate