The night of the 24th of August was remarkable for having been the first on which the sun had been observed to set, since the 7th of June. The land was now seen to take a southerly direction; and the ships proceeded along it, as near as they could conveniently approach for the floating masses of ice. On the 30th they entered a wide opening in the land, the _Sir James Lancaster's Sound_ of Baffin. On each side of this opening was a chain of high mountains. The sea was perfectly free from ice, and the vessels proceeded on a westward course for several leagues. The weather had, for some time, been hazy; but, on its clearing up, Captain Ross states that a range of mountains about twenty-four miles distant, were seen to occupy the centre of the inlet. To these he gave the name of _Croker Mountains_, and, imagining that no passage existed through them, he returned into the open sea, and, not long afterwards, sailed for England. Twenty-sixth Day's Instruction. DAVIS'S STRAIT AND BAFFIN'S BAY CONCLUDED. The accounts that had been given by Captain Ross, particularly respecting the apparent mountains, named by him _Croker Mountains_, across Sir James Lancaster's Sound, not proving either conclusive or satisfactory, the Lords of the Admiralty ordered two ships, the Hecla and Griper, to be prepared for a further voyage of discovery in Baffin's Bay. The command of these vessels, as already stated, was given to Captain Parry, who, in the previous expedition, had been second in command under Captain Ross. It was one important part of his instructions, that he should advance to the northward, as far as the opening into Lancaster's Sound; that he should explore the bottom of that Sound, and, if possible, pass through it to Behring's Strait. The number of men in both the vessels was ninety-four; and many of them were those who had accompanied Captain Ross. _Narrative of_ CAPTAIN PARRY'S _Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean._ Captain Parry arrived at the entrance into _Lancaster's Sound_, on the 30th of July, 1819; and, this day, saw no fewer than eighty-two whales. Some of the officers and men landed at _Possession Bay_, and recognized many objects which they had seen there, when with Captain Ross. The tracks of human feet were observed upon the banks of a stream. These at first excited much surprise; but, on examination, they were discovered to have been made by the shoes of some of the same party, eleven months before.