1850.] LAND ON BARING ISLAND. 333 



Company had given the Indians water which had killed many of them, 

 and that they did not wish to have any ; they appear savage and war- 

 like, and are at enmity with their neighbours. Brought the despatches 

 back. 



.tiiyiist 30. Observing a post erected oil the beach near Point 

 Maitland in Liverpool Bay, sent to examine it, and deposit a notice of 

 our passing ; found it was an Esquimaux' mark, who apparently had 

 recently quitted it, there being several caches containing birds and fish. 

 In the afternoon, whilst approaching Cape Bathurst, observed Esqui- 

 maux on the shore ; upon communicating with them found that they 

 belonged to a tribe now at Cape Bathurst, who were catching whales, 

 and the same who had seen Sir John Eichardsou last year. In the 

 evening, being thick, and getting into three and a hah" fathoms, an- 

 chored between Baillie's Island and the main. 



August 31. Proceeding to Cape Bathurst; tribe consisted of three 

 hundred, very friendly, would go south in three weeks; gave them de- 

 spatches for the Admiralty, a gun and ammunition to the chief, and 

 many presents among them, and, judging from their cleanly appear- 

 aiKv, have great expectation of their reaching. 



September 1. Ofl^Cape Bathurst; many natives came on board, and 

 being nearly calm, remained until evening, when a breeze springing up, 

 we took our final leave of the Esquimaux on the American coast, fully 

 convinced that neither the ships nor any of the crews of Sir John 

 Franklin's Expedition have ever reached these shores. They appear a 

 quiet, inoffensive people (with the exception of those at Point Wan-en, 

 which the Cape Bathurst tribe have no dealings with), and would as- 

 sist any white people thrown amongst them. The whole of this coast 

 is shallow, but with the lead may be safely navigated, the soundings 

 beinf very regular : the shoals terminate about thirty miles to the 

 eastward of Yarborough Inlet, and water varying from one mile to forty 

 in breadth may be calculated upon along shore, between the beginning 

 of August and 10th of September, according to the winds, more or 

 less ice encumbered; but the natives state that every year the ice opens 

 from the shore. We found the prevailing winds from east-south-east 

 to north-east. 



September 6. 11.30 A.M. ; being to the northward of Cape Parry, 

 remarked high laud from north and east to east-north-east. 



September 1. 9.30 A.M., landed, and took possession of the disco- 

 very, and named it Baring Island. The land is bold upon the southern 

 side, being upwards of one thousand feet in height, its northern being 



