As there was an increased extent of open water in the offing, and the weather being now, to all appearance, tolerably settled, I determined on sending away a travelling party under Captain Lyon. It consisted of Lieutenant Palmer, five seamen, and three marines, the whole being victualled for twenty days, and furnished with a tent, fuel, and every other convenience of which such a journey would admit. The baggage was placed on light sledges, resembling those used by Captain Franklin on his late journey to the shores of the Polar Sea, made out of staves shaved thin, six feet eight inches long, fourteen inches broad, and turned up before. Being secured entirely with thongs of hide sunk by grooves into the wood to keep them from wearing, they were perfectly flexible, so as to be in no danger of breaking on uneven ground. Each individual of the party was furnished with one of these, which also served to sleep and sit upon; the weight dragged by each of the men being about one hundred and twenty pounds, and that of the officers from ninety to ninety-five. Each person had also a pair of snow-shoes, a deerskin jacket and boots for sleeping in, and another pair of boots of water-tight sealskin. The general tenour of Captain Lyon's instructions was, "after crossing to the continent, to proceed along that coast to the northward, carefully examining any bend or inlet he might meet with, so as to leave no doubt, if possible, of its actual extent and communications, thereby preventing the necessity of the ships entering it on their arrival there." I added, also, the necessary directions for remarking everything of interest relating to the tides, and the natural productions of the country; and I limited Captain Lyon to the end of the month in returning, to avoid the possibility of detaining the expedition. Their preparations being completed, our travellers left the ships under a salute of three cheers from both the crews, and accompanied by a large party of officers and men to assist them, for the first few hours. A day or two after their departures a supply of provisions was lodged on shore, according to a plan previously agreed on, in case of our being forced out to sea with the ice before their return. Arrangements were also made for putting an officer and two men on shore, as a guard to this as well as to the clock, tent, or any other articles that might be left behind, in the event of an occurrence of this nature.