ted it, with a few silver and copper English coins; and Mr. Fisher,
the assistant surgeon, constructed it with a solidity which may make it
last, for many years, as a land-mark; for it is visible at the distance
of several miles, both by sea and land. In one place, within a hundred
yards of the sea, the remains of six Esquimaux huts were discovered.
After a fortnight's absence, the party returned to the ships.

The approach of summer now began to be apparent, from the state of
vegetation on the island; and, during the warm weather, a great quantity
of sorrel was daily gathered. The hunting parties also brought in an
abundance of animal food. The total quantity obtained, during the
continuance of the vessels at Melville island, was 3 musk oxen, 68
hares, 53 geese, 59 ducks, and 144 ptarmigans; affording, in the whole,
3766 pounds of meat.

On the 22d of June, the men were delighted to observe that the ice had
begun to be in motion; and, on the 16th of July, the snow had entirely
disappeared, except along the sides of caverns, and in other hollows,
where it had formed considerable drifts. The appearance of the land was,
consequently, much the same as it had been when the ships first reached
the island. The walks which the men were now enabled to take, and the
luxurious living afforded by the hunting-parties, together with the
abundant supply of sorrel, which was always at command, were the means
of completely eradicating the scurvy; and the whole of the ships'
companies were now in as good health, and certainly in as good spirits,
as when the expedition left England.

After having made an accurate survey of Winter Harbour, where the
vessels had been frozen up nearly eleven months, Captain Parry resolved
to quit it. Accordingly, on the 1st of August, the vessels weighed
anchor, and stood out to sea. Towards the west, the direction in which
they were proceeding, the sea, at first, presented a very flattering
appearance, being more clear of ice than it had been a month later in
the preceding year, and presenting a fine navigable channel, two miles
and a half in width, which, from the mast-head, appeared to continue as
far as the eye could reach.

They had not, however, proceeded many leagues westward of their winter
quarters, when the wind blew directly against them, and their course was
further opposed by a strong current, which set towards the east. To
these difficulties, great danger was soon added, from the drifting a