but the wind died out and we were held in the strait between the cape and Wostenholme Island. As may be seen by Captain Corner's report as ice-pilot, the original of which will be handed to you when I reach New-York, Captain Pickels lacked competence and energy in contending with severe ice-conditions in Mel- vilile Bay and between Cape York and Conical Rock. Captain Corner states that Captain Pickels made no adequate preparation for a voyage of the kind that was reasonably to be expected in visiting Etah; also that Captain Pickels showed his lack of knowledge, skill and pro- per energy in working the vessel through the ice of Melville Bay and off Cape York; furthermore that Captain Pickels never called upon him (Captain Corner), the recognized ice pilot of great experience with sailing vessels in Arctic ice, for any advice or assistance when his counsel would or might have been of use, but on the contrary resented and rejected all suggestions that Cap- tain Corner ventured to make. This lack of proper tools and the failure to utilize the ice pilot seems to con-