412 M'CLURE'S EXPLORATIONS. 



that on the west. It was afterwards found that the land 

 taken possession of, instead of being an island, was the 

 southernmost point of the shore which had been named 

 " Banks's Land/' by Parry, in 1820. The name Baring 

 Island was accordingly changed to Baring Land. 



" We observed," writes M'Clure, "numerous traces 

 of reindeer, hare, and wild-fowl. Moss, and divers 

 species of wild-flowers, were also found in great abun- 

 dance ; many specimens of them, equally as of other 

 subjects of interest to the naturalist, were selected, with 

 much care, by Dr. Armstrong. From an elevation 

 obtained of about five hundred feet, we had a fine view 

 towards the interior, which was well clothed with moss, 

 giving a verdant appearance to the ranges of hills that 

 rose gradually to between two thousand and three 

 thousand feet, intersected with ravines, which must con- 

 vey a copious supply of water to a large lake situated 

 in the centre of a wide plain, about fifteen miles distant. 

 The sight to seaward was favorable in the extreme ; 

 open water, with a very small quantity of ice, for the 

 distance of full forty miles toward the east, insured 

 good progress in that direction. " 



At noon, September 9th, 1850, observations placed 

 the Investigator only sixty miles from Barrow's Strait. 

 " I cannot," writes M'Clure, "describe my anxious 

 feelings. Can it be possible that this water communi- 

 cates with Barrow's Strait, and shall prove to be the 

 long-sought north-west passage ? Can it be that so 

 humble a creature as I am will be permitted to perform 

 what has baffled the talented and wise for hundreds of 

 years ? But all praise be ascribed unto Him who hath 

 conducted us so far in safety. His ways are not our 

 ways : nor the means that He uses to accomplish his 

 ends within our comprehension. The wisdom of the 

 world is foolishness with Him." Land was observed to 



