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(From the Morning Chronicle.) The lively interest which the British public have for such a length of time manifested in the further discovery of the Arctic regions induced the Hudson’s Bay Company to determine on equipping an expedition, solely at their own expense, and composed of their own officers and ser vants, with the view of endeavouring, to complete the survey of the northern shores of the American continent. ‘The formation and equipment of the expedition were entrusted to Mr. Simpson, the resident Governor, in the spring of 1836. That gentleman, on his arrival from England at Norway House, Lake Winnipeg, in the month of June of the same year, beat up for volunteers for this arduous service; two active and enterprising leaders, Messrs. P. W. Dease and Thomas Simpson, and twelve men, were immediately selected and forwarded with the necessary supplies to Fort Chipewayan, Athabasca Lake, where they passed the winter of 1836-7. Immediately after the opening of the navigation on the 1st of June, 1837, the party started from Fort Chipewayan in two small bats, which they had constructed in the course of the winter, descended the slave River, passed the western end of Great Slave Lake, where they were detained on the 1st of July. From Fort Norman they dispatched two of their party, with two other men belonging to Fort Nor man, to the eastern end of Great Bear's Lake, for the purpose of erecting a small establishment at which they might take up their quarters for the following winter, and of laying up a stock of provisions preparatory to an ex tension of their survey in the summer of 1838. ‘These arrangements being made, Messrs. Dease and Simpson, with the remainder of their people, forming a party of twelve in all continued their route down the Mackenzie, and reached Fort Good Hope, the most northern esta blishment belonging to the company, on the 4th, where they found an assemblage of Hare and Soucheaux Indians, from whom they learned that the Esquimaux had killed three of their party a short time previous, which prevented the discoverers taking an interpreter from that trie. On the 9th of July they reached the ocean by the most westerly mouth of the Mackenzie, making its si tation in lat. 68 deg. 49 min. 23 sec. N., long. 136 deg. 36 min. 45 sec. W. ‘They had proceeded but a short distance to seaward, when a party of nineteen Esquimaux went off to them from ‘lent Ireland, who showed a hig« position to be troublesome, but returned to their encamp ment, when they found the party prepared to defend themselves, if necessary. The progress of the party along the coast was very slow,owing to frequent obstruc tions from ice, cold, dense fogs, and strong head-winds. On the afternoon of the 1th, they reached Point Kay, where they found another encampment of Esquimanx, and where they were detained by a compact body of ice, occupying Phillips Bay until the 14th. They continued their route until the 17th, when an unbroken pack of ice extending to seaward, made them seek the shore in Cam den Bay, near a large camp of Esquimaux, who received them kindly. In the afternoon there appeared a narrow passage of water through the ice, stretching outwards, and they immediately embarked, but had not proceeded above three miles from the land, when the ice suddenly closed upon them, squeezing one of their boats, which, with their provisions and baggage, they had much diffi culty in saving; and by means of portages from one piece of ice to another, the oars serving as bridges, they finally got on a large floe, where they passed an incle ment and anxious night. On the 20th they reached Foggy Islands Bay, when they were stopped by ice, and a violent north-east wind until the 23rd, having on the preceding day made an ineffectual attempt to wether Point Anxiety, in which they narrowly escaped a thorough drenching. ‘The latitude ashore’ was 70 deg. 9 min. 48sec. From this situation they had the satis faction of discovering a range of the Rocky Mountains to the westward of Romanzoff, and not seen by Sir John Franklin, and being within the limit of his survey, called it the Franklin Range, as a Jast tribute to his character and merits. ‘That evening they reached Sir John Frank lin’s Return Reef, where ‘their survey commenced, that officer having got no further Return Reef is one of a chain of reefs, which run for twenty miles parallel to the coast, at ‘the distance of about half a league, affording sufficient water within for small craft. The main land is very low.’ From Point ‘Berens’ to Cape Halkett, it forms Harrison’s Bay, fifty miles broad, by about third of that distance in depth’ At the bottom of this bay another picturesque branch of the Rocky Mountains Range rears its lofty peaks above these flat shores, which they named Pelly’s Mountains, in honour of the governor of the company.” At their base flows Colville’s River, two miles broad at its mouth, to the southward of which stands Cape Halkett, where they were’ detained by a north-east gale the whole of the following day. The country extending to the foot of the mountains appeared to consist of plains covered with short grass and moss, a fa vourite resort of reindeer, of which they saw numerous herds. Observations were obtained, determining Cape Halkett to be in lat. 70 deg. 43 min. N., long 152 deg. 14 min. W.5 the variation of the compass 43 deg. 8 min, 33 see. EL . Next morning, 26th July, they passed the Gang, a river about one mile broad. From Cape Halkett the coast turned suddenly off to the W.N.W. It presented to the eye nothing but a suc cession of low banks of frozen mud. In the evening they passed the mouths of a large stream, which they named Smith’s River. From thence for about nine miles the coastline is formed ‘of gravel reefs, near the extremity of which, at Point Pitt, the land trends more to the west with. Here they were detained by ice until the follow ing afternoon (27th), when an opening ‘presenting itself, they wsumed their route. It blew a cutting blast ‘from the north-east, and the salt water froze upon the’ oars and the rigging. Point Drew, seven miles distant from their list encampment, is the commencement of a bay of consi derable size, but extremely shallow,and much encum bered with ice. To seaward the ice was still smooth and solid, as in the depth of a sunless winter. At midnight they reached a narrow projecting point, across which the peaks of some high icebergs appeared. This point they named Cape George Simpson, as a mark of respect for the governor of the company territories, to whose excellent arrangements the success of the expedition is in great measure indebted. This point was destined to be the limit of their boat na vigation, for during the four following days they were only able to advance as many miles. The weather was foggy and dismally cold, the wild fowl passed in long flights to the westward,and there seemed little prospect of their being able to reach Beechey's Point Barrow by water. Boat Extreme is situated in lat. 71 deg.3 min 24 sec. N., long. 154 deg 26 min. 30 sec. W., variation of com. pss 42 der. 36 min. 18 sec. EB. Under these circumstances Mr. Thomas Simpson un dertook to complete the journey on foot; and accordingly started on the 1st of August, with five man, Mr. Dease and the other five men remaining in charge of, the boats. ‘The pedestrians carried with’ them their arms, some ammunition, pemican, a small oiled canvas canoe for the crossing of rivers, the necessary astronomical instru ments, and a few trinkets for the natives. It was one of the worst days of the whole season, and the fog was so dense that the party were under the le The different rivers, capes, and other remarkable objects between Franklin's Return Reef and Beechey's Cape Barrow, were named by Messrs. Dease and Simpson, after the Governor and Directors of the Hudson's Bay Company, and other gen tlemen connected with the fur trade. cessity of rigidly following the tortuous outline of the coast, which for twenty miles formed a sort of irregular inland bay (being guarded without, by a series of gravel reefs), the shore of which was almost on a level with the water, and intersected by innumerable salt creeks, through which they waded, besides the considerable rivers which they traversed in their portable canoe. Next day the weather improved, and at noon Mr. Simpson had an observation for latin 71 deg. 9 min. 45 sec. The land now inclined to the south-west, and continued very low and muddy, and, as on the preceding day, abounding in salt creeks, whose waters were at the freezing tempera ture.The party had proceeded about ten miles, when to their dismay the coast suddenly turned off to the south ward, forming an inlet as far as the eye could reach. At the same moment they deserted, at no great dis tance, a small camp of Esquimaux, to which they imme diately directed their steps. The men were absent bit ing, and the women and children took to their boat in the greatest alarm, leaving behind them an infirm man, who was in an agony of fear. A few words of friendship removed his apprehensions, and brought back the fugi tives, who were equally surprised and delighted to behold white men. ‘They set before the party fresh reindeer meat and seal oil. Mr. Simpson now determined to adopt a more expedi tious mode of travelling, by obtaining the loan of one of their “ oominks,” or family skin canoes, to convey the party to Point Barrow, with which, from a bar, drawn by one of the women, it appeared that these people were well acquainted. “Our oars are fitted with lashings to this strange craft. Before starting, the hunters arrived, and presents of to bacco, awls, buttons, c., were made to all the inmates of the encampment, with which they were highly gratified. Dease’s Inlet is five miles broad at this place, yet so low is the land that the one shore is just visible from the other in the clearest weather. It now again blew strongly from the north east, bringing back the cold dense fog; but the traverse was effected by the aid of the compass. The waves ran high, and the skin-boat surmounted them with great buoyancy, the party encamped on the west side of the inlet. ‘The banks there were of frozen mud, ten or twelve feet high: the country within was perfectly flat, abounded in small lakes, and produced a very short grass; but nowhere had the thaw penetrated more than two inches beneath the surface, while under water along the shore the bottom was still impenetrably frozen. Not a log of wood was to be found in this land of desolation ; but our party followed the example of the natives, and made their fire of the roots of the dwarf willow in a little chimney of turf. Next morning, August 3, the fog cleared for awhile, but it was still bitterly cold, and the swell beat violently on the outside of a heavy line of ice which lay packed upon the shore. To weather this was a work of danger; but the good qualities of their boat, after a severe trial, carried them safely through. ‘The land ran out for five miles to the northward, then turned out to the N.W., beyond which, at Point Christie, the lat. 71 deg. 12 min. 36 sec, was ob served.” From thence the coast trended more westerly for ten miles, forming two points and a bay, which’ Mr. Simpson named after chief factors Charles and Rowan, and chief trader Ross. The party then came up to what appeared a large bay, where they halted for two or three hours to await the dispersion of the fog, not knowing which way to steer. In the evening their wish was gra tified, and the weather from that time was sensibly ame liorated. ‘The bay was now ascertained to be only four miles in width; the depth half-way across was one and a half fathom.on a bottom of land; that of Deane’s Inlet was afterwards found to be two fathoms, muddy bottom, being the greatest depth between Return Reef and Point Barrow, except at ten miles S.E. from Cape Haskett, where three fathoms were sounded on our return. After crossing Mackenzie’s Bay the coast again trended for eight or nine miles to the W.N.W. A compact body of ice extended all along, and beyond the reach of vision to seaward ; but the party carried their light vessel within that formidable barrier, and made their way through the narrow channels close to the shore. At midnight they passed the mouth of a fire deep river, a quarter of a mile wide, to which Mr. Simpson gave the name of the Bellevue, and in less than an hour afterwards the rising sun gratified him with the view of Point Bar row, stretching out to the N.N.W. They soon crossed Elson Bay, which, in the perfect calm, had acquired a tough coating of young ice, but had much difficulty in making their way through a broad and heavy pack, that rested upon the shore. On reaching it, and seeing the ocean extending away to the southward, they hoisted their flag, and with three cheers took possession of their discoveries in his Majesty’s name. '_ Point Barrow is a long low spit, composed of gravel and coarse sand, which the pressure of the ice has forced up into numerous mounds, that, viewed from a distance, assume the appearance of huge boulder rocks. At the spot where the party landed it is only a quarter of a mile across, but is broader towards its termination. The first object that presented itself on looking round the landing place was an immense cemetery. The bodies lay exposed in the most horrible and disgusting manner, and many of them appeared ‘so fresh, that the men became alarmed that the cholera, or some other dreadful disease, was raging among the natives.Two considerable camps of the latter stood at no great distance on the point, but none of the inmates ventured to approach ill ‘our party first visited them, and, with the customary expressions of friendship, dissipated their apprehensions. A brisk traffic then began, after which the women formed a circle, and danced to a'variety of airs, some of which were pleasing to the ear... 'The whole conduct of these people was friendly in the extreme; they seemed to be well acquainted with the character, if not the persons, of white men, and were passionately fond of tobacco. To the northward enormous icebergs covered the ocean ; but on the western side there was a fine open channel, which the Esquimaux assured the party extended all along to the southward, and so inviting was the prospect in that direction, that had such’ been his ‘object, Mr. Simpson would not have hesitated a moment to prosecute the voyage to Cook’s Inlet in his skin canoe. ‘The natives informed him that whales were numerous to the north, ward of the point, and seals were everywhere sporting among the ice. . . It was high water between one.and two o’clock a. xu. and p.m.; the rise of the tide was fourteen inches, and the flow came from the westward. Observations were obtained, which determine the position of the landing place to be in lat. 71.deg. 23 min. 33 séc. N., long., 156 deg. 20 min. 0 sec. W., agreeing closely with the observa tions of Mr. Elson. Then bidding adieu to their pood humoured and admiring entertainers, the party set out on their return. They reached the western mouth of the McKenzie on the 17th of August, and Fort Norman on the 4th of Sep tember, from whence their report is dated, on the follow ing day. From Fort Norman they were about to proceed to the eastern end of Great Bear’s Lake, there to pass the winter, from thence haul their boats across to the Peppermine River, and ‘resume their survey to the eastward at the opening of the navigation in July next, with the view of connecting the discoveries of Sir John Franklin and Captain Back, from Point Tamagain to Great Fish River, in which, from the activity and perseverance of the lead ers, it is confidently hoped they will be successful. The question which has been a geographical problem for upwards of two centuries, the north-west passage around the continent’ of America, is thus at length deter mined. We beg leave to Point out to put more ‘scientific readers the interest belonging to the geographical, and we may say the topographical, questions determined i the observations of Messrs. Dease and Simpson. “The fact of the continent of America being circumnavigated — the determination of the latitude of its northern extremity, in the attempts to ascertain which so many expeditions of different nations have been unsuccessful—the knowledge that the great mountain ridge extending from Magellan's Straits to the most northern parts of the American confi nent previously known, actually reaches the shores of the Arctic Sea—all these are highly interesting discove ries, and we owe them, as we do $0 many other valuable geographical discoveries, to commercial enterprise. We by no means disparage the efforts of Government in the same honourable career, or the excellent qualities and admirable conduct of the gallant officers who have, in our own times as well as in former periods, been em ployed in Arctic discovery ; but the fact is notorious. Hearne, by whom the Coppermine River and the Arctic Sea were first discovered, was a trader in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company ; Mackenzie, who first ex plored the great river which still bears his name, and who first crossed the chain of the Rocky Mountains, and reached the shores of the Pacific Ocean, was a partner of the North West Company, long the rivals of, and now in corporated with, the Hudson’s Bay Company; whilst the crowning enterprise presented to our readers has been planned and carried into effect by the Hudson’s Bay Company as now constituted, at their own charge; and we see with much satisfaction that the same gallant party who have been so successful in the examination of the coast between the extreme discoveries of Captains Frank lin and Beechey, are now, while we write, in actual pre paration for a further survey of the coast to connect the ‘eastern extent of Franklin’s discovery, “ Point ‘Tame again,” with Back’s “Great Fish River,” and Parry’s “Straits of the Fury and Hecla,” or any other opening which may be found to communicate with Hudson’s Bay. The result appears to prove that even in boats the parsh- West passage is impracticable, since, with all the credit due and that can be given to Mr. Simpson and his brave companions, if they had not found the Esquimaux, and got their skin canoe, it is evident they never could have reached Cape Barrow, and many other similar expedi tions might set out without one of them attaining the same success.
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Christian Advocate
London, Middlesex, GB
Mon, Apr 23, 1838
Page 6
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CA 25 Jul 2026
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