FRANKLIN'S FIRST LAND EXPEDITION. 123 



" One day a gentleman, long resident in this coun- 

 try, espied five young beavers sporting in the water, 

 leaping upon the trunk of a tree, pushing one another 

 off, and playing a thousand interesting tricks. He 

 approached softly, under cover of the bushes, and pre- 

 pared to fire on the unsuspecting creatures ; but a 

 nearer approach discovered to him such a similitude 

 between their gestures and the infantile caresses of his 

 own children, that he threw aside his gun. This gen- 

 tleman's feelings are to be envied, but few traders in 

 furs would have acted so feelingly." 



On the last day of June, 1821, the whole party having 

 dragged their canoes and baggage to the bank of the 

 Coppermine, a tedious and fatiguing service, em- 

 barked on the rapid stream, and reached the sea on the 

 18th July. The main object of the expedition then 

 commenced ; and, with two birch-bark canoes, each 

 manned by ten men, and fifteen days' provision, Frank- 

 lin paddled to the eastward. 



Proceeding along the coast on the inside of a crowded 

 range of islands, they encamped on shore after a run of 

 thirty-seven miles, in which they experienced little inter- 

 ruption. The coast was found of moderate height, easy 

 of access, and covered with vegetation ; but the islands 

 were rocky and barren, presenting high cliffs, of a col- 

 umnar structure. In continuing their voyage, the dan- 

 gers which beset a navigator in these dreadful polar 

 solitudes thickened gloomily around them. The coast 

 became broken and sterile, and at length rose into a 

 high and rugged promontory, against which some large 

 masses of ice had drifted, threatening destruction to 

 their slender canoes. 



In attempting to round this cape the wind rose, an 

 awful gloom involved the sky, and the thunder burst 

 over their heads, compelling them to encamp til] the 



