boat of the Felix, containing an Esquimaux interpreter, joined the party, the natives immediately gave signs of recognition and satisfaction, came into the boat without the least hesitation, and engaged themselves presently in a long and animated conversation with their countryman the interpreter. Half an hour was devoted to this interchange of intelligence, but with no immediate result, for the interpreter could only translate his native language into Danish, and as no person in the boat understood Danish, the information remained as inaccessible as before. In this predicament the boats returned with the intention of confronting the interpreter-whose christianized name is Adam Beek - with Sir John Ross himself. As Sir John, however, was pushing ahead in the Felix toward Cape Dudley Diggs, and as Adam appeared anxious to disburden himself of his newly acquired information, the boats dropped on board the Prince Albert, another of the exploring vessels in the neighborhood, and there put Adam in communication with the captain's steward, John Smith, who "understood a little of the language,' as Sir John Ross says, or "a good deal," as Commander Phillips says, and who presently gave such an account of the intelligence as startled every body on board. Its purport was as follows;-That in the winter of 1846, when the snow was falling, two ships were crushed by the ice a good way off in the direction of Cape Dudley Diggs, and afterward burned by a fierce and numerous tribe of natives; that the ships in ques tion were not whalers, and that epaulettes were worn by some of the white men; that a part of the crews were drowned, that the remainder were some time in huts or tents apart from the natives, that they had guns, but no balls, and that being in a weak and exhausted condition, they were subsequently killed by the natives with darts or arrows. This was the form given to the Esquimaux story by John Smith, captain's steward of the Prince Albert. Impressed with the importance of these tidings, Captain Ommaney and Commander Phillips immediately made their report to Captain

Austin in the Resolute, which was then in company with the Felix near Cape Dudley Diggs. Captain Austin at once decided upon investigating the credibility of the story, and with this view dispatched a message to the Lady Franklin, another of the exploring ships, which lay a few miles off, and which had on board a regular Danish interpreter. This interpreter duly arrived, but proceeded forthwith to translate the story by a statement "totally at variance" with the interpretation of "the other," whom, as we are told, he called a liar and intimidated into silence; though no sooner was the latter left to himself than he again repeated his version of the tale, and stoutly maintained its accuracy. Meantime an additional piece of information became known, namely, that a certain ship had passed the winter safely housed in Wolstenholme Sound a statement soon ascertained by actual investigation to be perfectly true. The following is an extract of a letter from

Captain Sir John Ross, R. N., to Captain W. A. B. Hamilton, R. N., Secretary of the Admiralty.

"Felix' discovery yacht, off Admiralty Inlet, "Lancaster Sound, August 22.

"SIR,-I have to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that the Felix discovery yacht, with her tender, the Mary, after obtaining an Esquimaux interpreter at Holsteinborg, and calling at Whale-Fish Islands, proceeded northway through the Waygatt Straits, and overtook her Majesty's discovery ships, under the command of Captain Austin on the 11th of August; and on the 12th the senior officer and the second in command having cordially communicated with me on the best mode of performing the service on which we are mutually embarked, arrangements were made and concluded for a simultaneous examination of every part of the eastern side of a northwest passage in which it was probable that the missing ships could be bound: documents to

that effect were exchanged, and subsequently assented to by Captains Forsyth and Penny.

"On the 13th of August natives were discovered on the ice near to Cape York, with whom it was deemed advisable to communicate. On this service, Lieutenant Cator, in the Intrepid, was detached on the part of Captain Austin, and on my part Commander Phillips, with our Esquimaux interpreter, in the whale-boat of the Felix. It was found by Lieutenant Cator that Captain Penny had left with the natives a note for Captain Austin, but only relative to the state of the navigation; however, when Commander Phillips arrived, the Esquimaux, seeing one apparently of their own nation in the whale-boat, came immediately to him, when a long conversation took place, the purport of which could not be made known, as the interpreter could not explain himself to any one, either in the Intrepid or the whale-boat, (as he understands only the Danish besides his own language,) until he was brought on board the Prince Albert, where John Smith, the captain's steward of that vessel, who had been some years at the Hudson's Bay settlement of Churchill, and understands a little of the language, was able to give some explanation of Adam Beek's information, which was deemed of such importance that Captains Ommaney, Phillips, and Forsyth, proceeded in the Intrepid to the Resolute, when it was decided by Captain Austin to send for the Danish Interpreter of the Lady Franklin, which, having been unsuccessful in an attempt at getting through the ice to the westward, was only a few miles distant. In the mean time it was known that, in addition to the first information, a ship, which could only be the North Star, had wintered in Wolstenholme Sound, called by the natives Ourinak, and had only left it a month ago. This proved to be true, but the interpretation of the Dane was totally at variance with the information given by the other, who, although for obvious reasons he did not dare to contradict the Dane, subsequently maintained the truth of his statement, which induced Captain Austin to dispatch the Intrepid with Captains

Ommaney and Phillips, taking with them both our interpreters, Adam Beek and a young native who had been persuaded to come as one of the crew of the Assistance, to examine Wolstenholme Sound. In the mean time it had been unanimously decided that no alteration should be made in our previous arrangement, it being obvious that while there remained a chance of saving the lives of those of the missing ships who may be yet alive, a further search for those who had perished should be postponed, and accordingly the Resolute, Pioneer, and Prince Albert parted company on the 15th. It is here unnecessary to give the official reports made to me by Commander Phillips, which are of course transmitted by me to the Secretary of the Hudson's Bay Company, which, with the information written in the Esquimaux language by Adam Beek, will no doubt be sent to you for their Lordships' information; and it will be manifest by these reports that Commander Phillips has performed his duty with sagacity, circumspection, and address, which do him infinite credit, although it is only such as I must have expected from so intelligent an officer; and I have much satisfaction in adding that it has been mainly owing to his zeal and activity that I was able, under disadvantageous circumstances, to overtake her Majesty's ships, while by his scientific acquirements and accuracy in surveying, he has been able to make many important corrections and valuable additions to the charts of the much-frequented eastern side of Baffin's Bay, which has been more closely observed and navigated by us than by any former expedition, and, much my satisfaction, confirming the latitude aud longitude of every headland I had an opportunity of laying down in the year 1818.

to

"I have only to add that I have much satisfaction in co-operating with her Majesty's expedition. With such support and with such vessels so particularly adapted for the service, no exertion shall be wanting on my part. But I cannot conclude this letter without acknowledging my obligations to Commodore Austin

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and Captain Ommaney for the assistance they have afforded me, and for the cordiality and courtesy with which I have been treated by these distinguished officers and others of the ships under their orders. Animated as we are with an ardent and sincere desire to rescue our imperiled countrymen, I confidently trust hat our united exertions and humble endeavors may, under a merciful Providence, be completely successful. "I am, with truth and regard, Sir, your faithful and bedient servant,

"JOHN ROSS, Captain, R. N."

By the accounts brought home by Commander Forsyth from Lancaster Sound, to the 25th of August, it is stated that Sir John Ross, in the Felix, intended to return to England.

The ice was at that period very heavy, extending all around from Leopold Island, at the entrance of Regent Inlet, to Cape Farewell, to the westward, so as to prevent the possibility of any of the vessels pushing on to Cape Walker. When the Prince Albert was between Cape Spencer and Cape Innes, in Wellington Channel, Mr. Snow went at noon to the mast-head, and saw H. M. Ship Assistance as near as possible within Cape Hotham, under a press of sail. Her tender, the Intrepid, was not seen, but was believed to be with her. Captain Penny, with his two ships, the Lady Franklin and Sophia, was endeavoring to make his way up the same Channel, but it was feared the ice would ultimately be too strong for him, and that he would have to return home, leaving Captain Austin's squadron only to winter in the ice.

The American man-of-war brig Rescue was close be set with the ice near Cape Bowen.

The Pioneer was with the Resolute on the 17th August.