with the Cornwallis Island shore; but
between that and us the water was fast making; indeed, it every day
became apparent that we should be released from the _northward_, and
not from the southward. One officer saw Lowther Island in a sea of
water; and thus early, if not earlier, I had the firmest conviction on
my mind that a ship might have been carried in a lead of water, very
similar to that Parry found in 1829, into Winter Harbour, Melville
Island; or, what, in view of our object, would have been more
desirable, up to the north-west, by Byam Martin Channel.

Griffith's Island had, by July 25th, put on its gayest summer
aspect--the ravines had emptied themselves--the snow had disappeared
from the slopes--a uniform dull brown spread from one end of the island
to the other--on its sheltered terraces, poppies, saxifrage, and sorrel
in full flower, intermingled with lichens and mosses of every hue and
description; and we, poor mortals, congratulated ourselves upon
verdure, which was only charming by comparison. The great body of
melted snow that had been on top of the floe, had now nearly all
escaped through it in numerous fissures and holes, and they were
rapidly connecting themselves one with the other. Canals, which had
been formed in the floe, for the purpose of enabling the squadron to
get out, should the water make exactly in the same way it did last
year, now spread snake-like over the floe, and the waters of Barrow's
Strait had approached to within a distance of four miles. Thus closed
the month of July, with the additional disappointing intelligence, that
Penny, who returned to Assistance Harbour on the 25th, had not been
able, owing to the constant prevalence of contrary winds setting in
from the N.W., and his want of provisions, to make much progress in
Wellington Channel. Indeed, he had, from all accounts, found his boat
but ill-adapted to contend with the strong breezes, heavy sea, and
rapid tides into which he had launched between the islands north of
Cornwallis Island, and never succeeded in obtaining a desirable offing;
the islands, however, were thoroughly searched for traces; a small
piece of fresh English elm was found on one of them, which Penny
believed to have been thrown overboard from the "Erebus" and "Terror;"
also a bit of charred pine, which Sir John Richardson believes to have
been burnt by a party belonging to the same ships. But the most
important result of Penny's efforts was the verificati