FRANKLIN'S SECOND LAND EXPEDITION. 



163 



dreary, miserable, and uninteresting portions of sea-coast 

 that can perhaps be found in any part of the world ; and 

 in all that space not a harbor exists in which a ship 

 could find shelter. 



On the 21st of September the party reached Fort 

 Franklin, after a voyage of two thousand and forty-eight 

 iniles. Here they had the happiness of meeting all 

 their friends in safety ; the eastern detachment had 

 arrived on the 1st of September, after a most successful 

 voyage. 



Richardson's party had been generally favored with 

 fine weather. On one occasion a storm compelled them 

 to take shelter in Refuge Cove, in lat. 69 29', which 

 they left the following day. At their halting-place on 

 the 13th July, the doctor says : " Myriads of mosqui- 

 tos, which reposed among the grass, rose in clouds when 

 disturbed, and gave us much annoyance. Many snow- 

 birds were hatching on the point ; and we saw swans, 

 Canada geese, eider, king, Arctic, and surf ducks ; 

 several glaucous, sil- 

 very, black-headed, 

 and ivory gulls, to- 

 gether with terns 

 and northern divers. 

 Some laughing geese 

 passed to the north- 

 ward in the evening, 

 which may be con- 

 sidered as a sure in- 

 dication of land in 

 that direction." On 



i-U -I/4J-1 4-1 EIDER DUCK. 



the 14th the party 



took shelter from the fog and a heavy gale in a cove 



called Browell Cove, in latitude 70, longitude 130 19'. 



With some interruptions, their sail of five hundred 



