een applied.

[Footnote: Middleton discovered the Frozen Strait on the 20th
August 1742, according to the New Style.]

All sail was made at daylight on the 23d along the northern shore
of the Frozen Strait, which here continues about the same height
as that of Repulse Bay, and was at this time quite free from snow.
At nine A.M. the weather became squally with thick snow, which
rendered great caution necessary in running. There was something
in the appearance of this part of the coast which held out so
favourable a prospect of a direct passage to the northward, that I
determined more closely to examine it. Having beat up to the mouth
of an opening which, the nearer we approached, assumed a more and
more favourable appearance, we found that a body of ice occupied
the greater part of the channel, rendering it impracticable then
to enter it either with the ships or the boats. The only mode
left, therefore, of examining it without loss of time, was to
despatch a party equipped for travelling by land, to ascertain
enough of its extent and communications to enable me to decide as
to our farther progress. As, however, in their present situation,
I did not feel myself justified in leaving the ships, I requested
Captain Lyon to undertake this service. He was accompanied by Mr.
Bushnan and two seamen from each ship, and was furnished with a
tent, blankets, and four days' provisions.

Captain Lyon, on his return, at the end of two days, reported that
he had landed on an island, which he called BUSHNAN'S ISLAND, had
then crossed a strait, to which afterward the name of HURD'S
CHANNEL was given, and landed on a steep point called by him CAPE
MONTAGU. From hence his party proceeded to a high and remarkable
hill called BROOKS'S BLUFF: following the strait to the northward,
they passed the remains of many Esquimaux habitations; and, though
their short journey had been unsatisfactory on account of the
badness of the weather, there was still sufficient to cause the
most lively interest, and give strong hopes of the existence of
some passage to the northeast of the small inlet they had
examined.

At eight P.M., having shoaled the water from sixty to forty, and
then to thirty-two fathoms, and the weather still continuing
extremely thick, I suspected that the tide was taking us too close
to Passage Island, which was the nearest land when the fog came
on. A large space of open water was at this time not more than a
quarter of a mile di