of Wales, as far to the northward as he deemed it prudent to go. Now, however, there appeared to be a break up, and a commencement of westerly winds, which, together with several hours of darkness, rendered it necessary to keep the ship at a distance from the land. In doing this, the chances were equal that Captain Franklin, in the event of his success, would pass her: he therefore determined to repair to the rendezvous in Kotzebue Sound, and, as nothing further could be done at sea, to await there the arrival of his boat and of the land expedition. We should before have observed, that on his arrival at Petropaulski, Commander Beechey had received despatches from England, announcing the failure of Captain Parry, and desiring him to cancel that part of his instructions which related to the Hecla and Fury.
After an absence of twenty-three days, Mr. Elson returned to Chamisso Island, and reported, that he had discovered a large extent of coast beyond Point Franklin, and had proceeded to the latitude of 71° 23' 31" N., and long. 156° 21' 30" W., where it formed a low narrow neck, beyond which it was impossible to penetrate to the eastward, in consequence of the ice being attached to the land, and extending along the horizon to the northward. The farthest tongue of land which he reached is conspicuous, as being the most northerly point yet discovered on the continent of America. It lies 126 miles to the north-east of Icy Cape, the farthest point reached by Cook; and is only 146 miles from the extreme of Franklin’s discoveries, in his progress westward from the Mackenzie River.
Commander Beechey now proceeded to examine narrowly the shores of Kotzebue Sound, and the head of Escholtz Bay, where he discovered a large river coming from the southward, to which he gave the name of Buckland, in compliment to the professor of geology at Oxford. In the mean time, Mr. Alexander Collie, surgeon, examined the cliffs in which a singular ice formation had been seen by Kotzebue, and found several bones and grinders of elephants and other animals in a fossil state. On the 25th of September, the wind changed from north to south, and had such an effect upon the tide
