the blankets, as the only means of keeping ourselves warm.

[Sidenote: Friday, 18th.] The gale having considerably abated, and the
weather being clear, we quitted Return Reef on the morning of the 18th,
and began to retrace our way towards the Mackenzie. As the waves were
still very high to seaward, we attempted to proceed inside of the reefs,
but as the boats were constantly taking the ground, we availed ourselves
of the first channel that was sufficiently deep to pull on the outside
of them. The swell being too great there for the use of the oars, the
sails were set double reefed, and the boats beat to the eastward against
the wind, between the drift ice and the shallow water.

A gale rose after noon from N.E. by N., which enabled us to shape a
course for Foggy Island, where we arrived at three P.M., just at a time
when the violence of the squalls, and the increased height of the swell,
would have rendered further proceeding very hazardous. We now enjoyed
the comforts of a good fire and a warm meal, which we had not had since
the evening of the 16th. The men were afterwards employed in erecting a
square pile of drift timber, on the highest part of the island fronting
the sea, on which a red cornet flag was left flying, and underneath it
was deposited, in a tin case, a letter for Captain Parry, containing an
account of our proceedings; also a silver medal and a halfpenny: and in
order that government might have some chance of hearing of our
proceedings, should any accident subsequently befal the party, there was
also deposited an unsealed letter, wrapped in bark, addressed to the
Russian Fur Traders, in the expectation that the Esquimaux might
probably convey it to their Establishment. An ice-chisel, a knife, a
file, and a hatchet, were hung up on the pile, for the Esquimaux. On
digging to erect these posts, the ground was found frozen at the depth
of sixteen inches; and the thermometer, during the day, seldom rose
above 37 degrees. This evening the temperature was 33 degrees.
[Sidenote: Saturday, 19th.] We were vexatiously detained the 19th, and
following day, by the continuance of the gale, and a thick fog; during
which time many large flocks of geese were observed passing away to the
westward. The tides were now much higher than during our first visit.

[Sidenote: Monday, 21st.] The breeze was moderate on the morning of the
21st, yet we were prevented from embarking until ten o'clock, by the
return of the fog. We