“The weather, which had been squally, accompanied by a thick fog during the early part of the day, cleared towards noon, when a large volume of smoke was observed about twelve miles south-west.... As divers opinions were in circulation respecting its probable cause, and the ice-mate having positively reported that from the crow’s nest he could distinguish several persons moving about, dressed in white shirts, and observed some white tents in the hollow of the cliff, I certainly had every reason to imagine they were a party of Europeans in distress, convinced that no travellers would remain for so long a period as we had remarked the smoke. For their pleasure, therefore, to satisfy myself, equally as others, I determined to send a boat on shore, as it was now calm. The first whale-boat, under Lieutenant Cresswell, with Dr. Armstrong, and Mr. Miertsching, was despatched to examine into the cause, who, on their return, reported the smoke to emanate from fifteen small mounds of volcanic appearance, occupying a space of about fifty yards, the place strongly impregnated with sulphur, the lower mounds being about thirty feet above the sea-level, the highest about fifty feet. The land in its vicinity was blue clay, much intersected with ravines and deep water-courses, varying in elevation from three hundred to five hundred feet. The mark of a reindeer was traced to a small pond of water immediately above the mounds. Notice of our having landed was left, which would not long remain, as the cliff is evidently crumbling away. Thus the mystery of the white shirts and tents was most satisfactorily explained.”
Early in the morning of the 6th of September they were off the small islands near Cape Parry; on the same day high land was observed on the port bow. Up to this time they had been sailing along a shore which had been surveyed by Franklin, Back, Dease, Simpson, and others, although theirs was the first ship that had sailed in these waters.
The discovery of new territory was therefore joyfully received, and, landing in the whale-boat and cutter, formal possession was taken in the name of “Her Most Gracious Majesty” and the name “Baring’s Island” bestowed upon it in honour of the first lord of the Admiralty. After depositing a record, they returned to the ship and sailed along the eastern coast, as it was more free of ice than that on the west. Later it was found that the island was one whose extreme northeastern shore had been faintly seen by Parry in 1820 and given by him the name of “Banks’ Land.”
“We observed,” writes Captain M’Clure, “numerous traces of reindeer, hare, and wild-fowl; moss and divers species of wild-flowers were also in great abundance; many specimens of them, equally as of the object of interest to the naturalist, were selected with much care by Dr. Armstrong. From an elevation obtained of about five hundred feet, we had a fine view towards the interior, which was well clothed with moss, giving a verdant appearance to the ranges of hills that rose gradually to between two thousand and three thousand feet, intersected with ravines, which must convey a copious supply of water to a large lake situated in the centre of a wide plain, about fifteen miles distant; the sight to seaward was favourable in the extreme: open water, with a very small quantity of ice, for the distance of full forty miles towards the east, insured good progress in that direction. The weather becoming foggy, our lead was the only guide until ten A.M. of the 9th; it then cleared for a short time, when land was observed to the eastward, about fifteen miles distant, extending to the northward as far as the eye could reach.
“The mountains in the interior are lofty and snow-covered, while the low ground is quite free. Several very remarkable peaks were discernible, apparently of volcanic origin. This discovery was named Prince Albert’s Land. The wind becoming fair, and the weather clearing, all the studding sails were set, with the hope of reaching Barrow’s Strait, from which we were now distant about seventy miles. The water was tolerably clear in that direction, although much ice was lying against the western land; ... much loose ice was also in motion, and while endeavoring to run between two floes, at the rate of four knots, they closed so rapidly, one upon either beam, that our way was instantly stopped, and the vessel lifted considerably; in this position we were retained a quarter of an hour, when the pressure eased, and we proceeded. Our advance was of short duration, as at two P.M. the wind suddenly shifted to the northeast, and began to freshen; the water, which a few hours previous had excited sanguine hopes of a good run, became soon so thickly studded with floes, that about four P.M. there was scarcely sufficient to keep the ship freed; this by much exertion was however effected until two A.M. of the 14th, when we were beset.”
From now on, baffling winds and impenetrable floes made progress almost impossible. The total destruction of the Investigator was daily threatened by the rushes of ice that assailed them in the narrow strait along which they were endeavouring to proceed.
On the 17th of September, “There were several heavy floes in the vicinity; one, full six miles in length, passed at the rate of two knots, crushing everything that impeded its progress, and grazed our starboard bow. Fortunately, there was but young ice upon the opposite side, which yielded to the pressure; had it otherwise occurred, the vessel must inevitably have been cut asunder. In the afternoon, we secured to a moderately sized piece, drawing eight fathoms, which appeared to offer a fair refuge, and from which we never afterwards parted.”
The smallest pools now became covered with ice; the last Arctic bird to take flight was the eider-duck, which turned south by the 23d. By the 27th of September the thermometer stood at zero, and every preparation was being made to house the ship for the winter. The ice was in constant and violent motion. “The crushing, creaking, and straining,” writes Captain M’Clure, “is beyond description; the officer of the watch, when speaking to me, is obliged to put his mouth close to my ear, on account of the deafening noise.”
DISCOVERY OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE