RAE'S LAND JOURNEY. 389 



Meanwhile researches from the North American coast 

 were renewed by Mr. Rae. He left Fort Confidence, on 

 the Coppermine, April 25th, 1851, with four men and 

 three sledges drawn by dogs. Reaching the coast May 

 1st, he found the ice favorable for travel. On the 5th 

 he landed at Douglas Island, and on the 7th gained the 

 opposite shore. Traversing it to the east, until he 

 reached 110 W. longitude, where his survey met that 

 of Dease and Simpson, he retraced his steps, and ad- 

 vanced west until he turned Cape Baring, past latitude 

 70, and longitude 117 W. From some elevated 

 ground in this neighborhood high land could be seen 

 to the north, but none was visible to the west. He got 

 back to his provision station on the Kendall River upon 

 the 10th of June, having travelled eight hundred and 

 twenty-four geographical, or nine nundred and forty- 

 two English miles, in forty days. In this lengthened 

 journey his arrangements were much the same as during 

 his survey of Committee Bay. He slept in snow houses, 

 and, as he advanced, buried provisions to serve for his 

 return. In the months of July and August he explored 

 the coast of Victoria Land, east and north, in boats ; 

 marking every indentation, from the 101st to the 117th 

 degree of longitude an achievement, under the circum- 

 stances, of which any officer might be proud. On this 

 newly-discovered coast he met many parties of Esqui- 

 maux ; but his inquiries as to the grand subject were 

 all fruitless. The American coast had now been dili- 

 gently examined, from the entrance of Behring's Strait 

 to the head of Hudson's Bay ; and the conclusion was, 

 that Franklin never reached so low a latitude 



