on the morning of the 3d of November.

SECOND VOYAGE
FOR THE DISCOVERY OF A
NORTHWEST PASAGE

PRELIMINARY CHAPTER.

The discoveries made by the expedition to the northwest in the
years 1819-20 being such as to afford a strong presumption in
favour of the existence of a passage from the Atlantic to the
Pacific in that direction, his majesty commanded another attempt
to be made to effect that object; and the lords commissioners of
the admiralty were pleased once more to honour me with the command
of an expedition, to be equipped at Deptford for that purpose. The
Hecla having been found well adapted to this service, a second
ship of precisely the same class was now selected, and I received
my commission for his majesty's ship the Fury, of three hundred
and seventy-seven tons burden, on the 30th of December, 1820. The
Hecla was recommissioned by Captain George Francis Lyon on the 4th
of January following.

In our official instructions I was directed to proceed, as quickly
as might be consistent with every precaution, towards or into
Hudson's Strait until the ice was met with, when the Nautilus
transport, which was directed by the navy board to be placed at my
disposal, was to be cleared of its provisions and stores. We were
then to penetrate to the westward, through Hudson's Strait, until
we reached (either in Repulse Bay, or on other part of the shores
of Hudson's Strait to the north of Wager River) some part of the
coast, which I felt convinced was a portion of the _Continent_ of
America.

If we happily reached the Pacific, we were to proceed to
Kamschatka, from thence to the Sandwich Islands or Canton, and,
having refitted the ships and refreshed the crews, to return to
England by such route as might be deemed convenient.

CHAPTER I.

Passage across the Atlantic.--Removal of Stores from the Nautilus
Transport, at the Margin of the Ice.--Departure of the Nautilus
for England.--Enter the Ice in Hudson's Strait.--Perilous
Situation of the Hecla, and Loss of her Anchor.--Meet with the
Hudson's Bay Ships.--Passage up the Strait, and Communication with
the Natives inhabiting the Northern Shores.--Pass the Trinity
Islands of Fox.--Arrival off Southampton Island, where the
Researches of the Expedition commence.

The FURY, HECLA, and NAUTILUS transport were completed for sea
towards the latter part of the month of April, and on the 29th, at
ten A.M., the Fury was taken in tow by the Eclipse st