On the 2d of September a star was seen; the first that had been visible for more than two months. Two days afterwards, at a quarter past nine in the evening, the ships, in latitude 74 degrees 44 minutes, crossed the meridian of 110 degrees from Greenwich, by which they became entitled to L.5000; a reward offered by the British government to the first vessels which should cross that longitude, to the north of America. In order to commemorate the event, a lofty headland that they had just passed, was called _Bounty Cape_. On the following day the ships, for the first time since they had quitted the English coast, dropped anchor in a roadstead, which was called the _Bay of the Hecla and Griper_; and the crews landed on the largest of a group of islands, which Captain Parry named _Melville Island_. The ensigns and pendants were hoisted, as soon as the vessels had anchored; and it excited, in the voyagers, no ordinary sensations of pleasure, to see the British flag waving, for the first time, in regions, which, hitherto, had been considered beyond the limits of the habitable world. The wind now became unfavourable to their progress; and a rapid accumulation of the ice, exposed the vessels to the greatest danger, and the crews to incessant fatigue. For several days they were unable to proceed further than along the coast of the island. This was the more mortifying, as Captain Parry had looked forward to the month of September, as the period, of all others, favourable to the rapid prosecution of his voyage. To add to his anxiety, a party of seamen, who had been sent on shore, to hunt deer, lost their way, and, for three nights, were exposed to the inclemency of the weather. The most distressing apprehensions were entertained respecting the fate of these men; nor, were they finally recovered, without considerable danger to those who were sent in search of them, and who, had their recovery been delayed one day longer, must themselves have perished. In gratitude for this preservation, the nearest headland was named _Cape Providence_. The increasing dangers and difficulties attendant on continuing the navigation westward, prevented the vessels from proceeding further than to some distance along the coast of Melville Island. And, at length, Captain Parry, finding that no hope could be entertained, during the present season, of penetrating beyond this island, he was induced to return to Hecla and Griper Bay, for the purpose of passing there the winter.