ver these
impediments. Their landing-place was found to be in latitude 66 deg. 32' 1"
north. The rate of the chronometer had become so irregular that it could
not be depended upon for finding the longitude, and during the winter it
stopped altogether.

"Proceeding according to the course he had adopted, the party and their
adventurous leader on the 3rd of August, at 11 o'clock a.m., rounded
a high bluff cape, which they called after the lady of Sir John Henry
Pelly, Bart., Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company. It is situated in
latitude 67 deg. 28' 00" north; longitude, by account, 87 deg. 40' west.

"Having succeeded, after surmounting many difficulties, in reaching
Melville Peninsula, he was ultimately obliged to retreat from the
numerous obstacles that rendered his progress impossible; he therefore
paid a short visit to the wintering party at Repulse Bay, to ascertain
how they were getting on. Ultimately he found himself obliged to give up
all hope of prosecuting the survey on that occasion. His reasons we give
in his own words:--' My reasons for arriving at this conclusion I shall
here briefly mention, as such a step may seem somewhat premature. I saw,
from the state of the ice, and the prevalence of northerly winds, that
there was no likelihood of our completing the whole of the proposed
survey this season; and although part of the coast, either towards the
Strait of the Fury and Hecla or towards Dease and Simpson's furthest,
might be traced, yet to accomplish even this might detain us so long,
that there would be no time to make the necessary preparations for
wintering, and we should thus be under the necessity of returning to
Churchill without accomplishing the object of the expedition; or, if we
remained at Repulse Bay, run the risk of starving, for I could obtain
no promise of supplies from the natives, and all the provisions that
we carried with us amounted to not more than four months' expenditure,
which was all that our boats could carry. We should have thus to depend
almost altogether on our own exertions for the means of existence, both
in regard to food and fuel.'

"The party, therefore, commenced preparations for passing the winter,
and on the 2nd of September their house was furnished. Its internal
dimensions were 20 feet long by 14 feet broad; height in front, 7 1/2
feet, sloping to 5 1/2 at the back. The roof was formed of oil-cloths
and morse skin coverings, the masts and oars of our boats serving