1852.] GEOLOGICAL FEATURES. Ill 



quarter past two P.M. we effected a landing within the 

 floe-edge, and about five miles from the north-western 

 and extreme Point of this land. 



Of this new territory I now took possession for our 

 Gracious Queen, with the customary form, calling it, 

 in compliment to His Royal Highness the Heir Apparent, 

 " North Cornwall." Sir Edward Parry having adopted 

 the western counties, Somerset, Devon, etc., the Scilly 

 Isles, when discovered, remain for some more fortunate 

 explorer. I know not whether "Duke of Arctic Corn- 

 wall" may be added, but we drank the health of His 

 Royal Highness most sincerely, to that title. 



Thick weather succeeded, but knowing how fickle 

 Dame Nature is in these regions, I determined not to be 

 caught napping. Proceeding inland, to the nearest ac- 

 cessible height which would command a northern as well 

 as western range, we advanced about three miles. The 

 view obtained was not indeed satisfactory, but we per- 

 haps were too greedy. I saw enough to satisfy me that 

 our present position was insular, and that no northern 

 or western land was near. I have deemed the distance 

 three miles, to be within bounds ; but looking to the 

 angles obtained from Pioneer Peak, I could not be less 

 than five miles from the western point of the island, and 

 our elevation not less than eight hundred feet. The ra- 

 vines are deeply channelled out of a very friable sand- 

 stone, in the bottoms of which I noticed large masses 

 of clay ironstone, septaria, and nodules of iron pyrites. 

 Coal was also found, but disseminated, and impossible to 

 trace in situ. Bivalves, apparently of recent origin, and 

 having the cartilage hinge perfect, were abundant. 



