--Pass the Trinity
Islands of Fox.--Arrival off Southampton Island, where the
Researches of the Expedition commence.
The FURY, HECLA, and NAUTILUS transport were completed for sea
towards the latter part of the month of April, and on the 29th, at
ten A.M., the Fury was taken in tow by the Eclipse steamboat,
which vessel had before taken us down the river on a similar
occasion. The Hecla reached the moorings on the following day, and
the Nautilus on the first of May.
Nothing of consequence happened during our passage across the
Atlantic; but, after entering Davis's Straits, we had for several
days variable and unsettled weather, the wind blowing principally
from the southward, with a heavy swell from the same quarter. On
the 14th we met with the first iceberg, being in lat. 60 deg. 48',
long. 53 deg. 13'.
Having now reached the situation in which I was directed, by my
instructions, to clear the Nautilus of our stores, I gave
Lieutenant Scrymgour his instructions to return to England; and at
one A.M. on the 1st of July he parted company, while the Fury and
Hecla stood in towards the ice. A whaler, deeply laden, and
apparently homeward bound, was at this time in sight to the
eastward.
At seven P.M., Tuesday, 3d July, the ice opposed our farther
progress to the westward, covering the whole sea as far as the eye
could reach in that direction; the ships were therefore, of
necessity, hove to, in order to await some change in our favour.
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