254 RAE'S LAND EXPEDITION. 



Ross's Isthmus. The latter is only one mile broad, and 

 has three small ponds ; but it bears evident marks of 

 being an autumnal deer-pass, and, therefore, a favorite 

 resort of the Esquimaux. Rae had thus reached the 

 goal of his wishes. 



A progress to the furthest point reached by Messrs. 

 Dease and Simpson was not attempted, for it was now 

 ascertained that this must comprise a journey over 

 land, and either a voyage across a large land-locked 

 estuary, or a coasting along its shores ; and for these 

 the explorers had neither time nor resources. They 

 forthwith began to retrace their route to the fort at 

 Repulse Bay. All the caches of provisions which had 

 been made during the outward journey were found quite 

 safe, and thus afforded them a plentiful supply of food. 

 On the morning of the 5th of May they reached some 

 Esquimaux dwellings on the shores of Christie's Lake, 

 about fifteen miles from Fort Hope. "At two P. M 

 on the same day/ 3 says Rae, " we were again on the 

 march, and arrived at our home at half-past eight P. M., 

 all well, but so black and scarred on the face, from the 

 combined effects of oil, smoke, and frost-bites, that our 

 friends would not believe but that some serious accident 

 from the explosion of gunpowder had happened to us 

 Thus successfully terminated a journey little short of 

 six hundred English miles, the longest, I believe, ever 

 made on foot along the Arctic coast. ;; 



On the 12th of May, at the head of a similar party, 

 Rae set out to examine the east side of the gulf; and on 

 the 27th, in a bewildering snow-storm, he reached his 

 ultimatum, at a headland which they called Cape Cro- 

 zier. But, during a blink of the storm, he got a clear 

 view of a headland nearly twelve miles further on, 

 which he called Cape Ellice, and computed to be in lat- 

 itude 69 42' north, and longitude 85 8' west, or within 



