NARRATIVE,
ETC. ETC.
CHAPTER I.
Object and plan of the Expedition—Equipment at York Factory—Boats—Crews—Articles useful in an Arctic Voyage—Breaking up of the ice in Hayes and Nelson Rivers—Departure from York Factory—Progress retarded by the ice—First night at sea—Reflections—Rupert's Creek—Unbroken fields of ice—Broad River—Description of the coast—Double Cape Churchill—Open sea to the north and north west—Arrive at Churchill—White whales—Mode of catching them—Sir George Simpson's instructions—Stock of provisions.
It is already well known to those who take an interest in Arctic discovery, that the Hudson's Bay Company intended fitting out an expedition in 1840, which was to have proceeded to the northern shores of America by Back's Great Fish River, for the purpose of tracing the coast between the river Castor and Pollux of Dease and Simpson, and the Strait of the Fury and Hecla, as it was then very generally supposed that Boothia was an island.
The party was to have been commanded by that able and enterprising traveller, Mr. Thomas Simpson, whose indefatigable exertions, in conjunction with those of Mr. Dease, had during the three preceding years effected so much; but his untimely and melancholy fate prevented that intention from being carried into effect, and the survey of the Arctic coast was discontinued for a few years.
When it was determined that the survey should be resumed, Sir George Simpson, Governor-in-Chief of the Company's territories, informed me that a boat expedition to the Arctic Sea was again contemplated, at the same time doing me the honour of proposing that I should take command of it,—a charge which I most joyfully accepted.