At Cape Krusenstern they erected a post to indicate their presence to Franklin, and left a letter in a bottle for him. The ground here, where not swampy, was covered with mosses and lichens, and enlivened with the flowers of various saxifrages, and Arctic varieties of the ranunculus, the poppy, and the campanula. On the 2nd of August, they reached a headland, which they named Cape Thomson, after a commissioner of the navy, and found there some Esquimaux, who, after the usual trading, danced to the music of a native tambourine. Here also they erected a post, and left a letter; and, ascending to the summit of the headland, saw a distant point of land, which they named Point Hope.

Cape Lisburne was reached on the 6th, and found to be an almost perpendicular cliff of limestone, containing flints and fossil shells, and towering above the sea to the height of eight hundred and fifty feet. The lieutenants ascended to the summit, and saw the coast trending to the north-east as far as they could see. A swampy stream flowed through the valley below, where several deer were feeding, and swarms of birds waded in the water, and skimmed over the mossy slopes. Leaving a letter here also, they steered to a headland, which they named Cape Beaufort, and landed to examine it. It was composed of sandstone, with narrow veins of coal and fossil wood, while the neighbouring coast was low and swampy. Tracks of wolves and deer were observed, and several ptarmigan, an ortolan, and a lark were seen.

On the 13th, ice was seen ahead, and they had to tack to avoid it. Landing on the following day, to erect a post and deposit a letter, they found two Esquimaux families, living on the banks of a lake bordered with luxuriant vegetation, and procured from them a supply of venison and two swans. On the 15th, they saw the mouth of a river, with a shoal across

Beechey at Icy Cape.

141

it, on which an iceberg was grounded. The banks were low, and covered with brown moss, but towards the north the land was higher, and ended in a promontory, to which the name of Cape Franklin was given. Some Esquimaux were encamped here, but they were not intelligent enough to be able to convey any idea of the configuration of the coast farther eastward. Beechey sailed on to Icy Cape, a low headland between the sea and a river flowing through a flat, swampy country; and then returned to Kotzebue Sound, leaving Elson, the sailing-master, who in the barge had ascertained the continuity of the coast, to continue the exploration.

The barge sailed for several days along a low coast, finding on almost every headland or island the tents of the Esquimaux, who gave considerable trouble by their disorderly conduct and their inclination to pilfer. On the 21st, a chain of sandy islands was discovered, and named Sea Horse Islands. Farther to the north-east the coast rose into high clay cliffs, a point of which was named Cape Smyth, after the first mate; but beyond that point it sloped down to a long, low tongue of land, to which the name of Point Barrow was given. Here the ice, ́ which had impeded their progress for some days, increased so much that Elson turned back; and the Esquimaux were so numerous, and made such threatening demonstrations, that he did not land. The ice proved very troublesome on their return, and at Cape Smyth they were detained by it for several days; but Chamisso Island was at length reached in safety, and the ship immediately sailed to the southward, to avoid being frozen in for the winter.

Beechey cruised in the Pacific until August, 1827, when he returned to Chamisso Island; and sending Lieutenant Belcher in the barge to explore the coast again, steered northward. The weather was thick, and they soon heard the sound of ice

1

to leeward, without being able to see it; they tacked, therefore, until night, when the weather became clear, and they saw a compact barrier of ice, along the edge of which they ran, until fog and snow came on, and obliged them to stand off. Next morning they found themselves off Icy Cape, and at night they hove-to off Cape Lisburne. The weather continuing thick, with very brief intervals of clear weather, they returned to their anchorage, where, on the 25th, they witnessed an Aurora which "approached nearer to the southern horizon than it had done on any former occasion. It commenced in the usual manner by forming an arch from w.N.W. to E.N.E., and then soared rapidly to the zenith, where the streams of light rolled into each other, and exhibited brilliant colours of purple, pink, and green. It then became diffused over the sky generally, having about eight degrees of clear space between it and the northern and southern horizons. From this tranquil state it again suddenly poured out corruscations from all parts, which shot up to the zenith, and formed a splendid cone of rays, blending pink, purple, and green colours, in all their varieties. This singular and beautiful exhibition lasted only a few minutes, and then the light became diffused over the sky in a bright haze."

The barge, which had left Chamisso Island six days before the ship, had, in the meantime, reached Icy Cape, and met there friendly Esquimaux, but found no signs of Franklin. On the following day, they encountered the icy barrier, and returned to Chamisso Island, where they proceeded to erect an observatory, according to the instructions of Captain Beechey. While so engaged, a gale came on, and raised so heavy a surf as to cast the boat upon the beach, almost destroying it; while the barge was driven upon a shoal, and began to fill with water. Two of the crew jumped into the sea, and were drowned

to leeward, without being able to see it; they tacked, therefore, until night, when the weather became clear, and they saw a compact barrier of ice, along the edge of which they ran, until fog and snow came on, and obliged them to stand off. Next morning they found themselves off Icy Cape, and at night they hove-to off Cape Lisburne. The weather continuing thick, with very brief intervals of clear weather, they returned to their anchorage, where, on the 25th, they witnessed an Aurora which" approached nearer to the southern horizon than it had done on any former occasion. It commenced in the usual manner by forming an arch from W.N.W. to E.N.E., and then soared rapidly to the zenith, where the streams of light rolled into each other, and exhibited brilliant colours of purple, pink, and green. It then became diffused over the sky generally, having about eight degrees of clear space between it and the northern and southern horizons. From this tranquil state it again suddenly poured out corruscations from all parts, which shot up to the zenith, and formed a splendid cone of rays, blending pink, purple, and green colours, in all their varieties. This singular and beautiful exhibition lasted only a few minutes, and then the light became diffused over the sky in a bright haze."

The barge, which had left Chamisso Island six days before the ship, had, in the meantime, reached Icy Cape, and met there friendly Esquimaux, but found no signs of Franklin. On the following day, they encountered the icy barrier, and returned to Chamisso Island, where they proceeded to erect an observatory, according to the instructions of Captain Beechey. While so engaged, a gale came on, and raised so heavy a surf as to cast the boat upon the beach, almost destroying it; while the barge was driven upon a shoal, and began to fill with water. Two of the crew jumped into the sea, and were drowned