﻿248 FLAT COAST WITH HUMMOCKS. August, 



across, and its mouth is obstructed by sand-banks. 

 A river seems to flow into it, as we could trace 

 sandy cliffs for some distance inland, like the banks 

 of a stream. Though many small ponds existed 

 at the place where we landed, they were mostly 

 brackish, and we had to search for some time before 

 we obtained fresh water. On, at length, discovering 

 some, we filled our breakers, to avoid a similar de- 

 tention at our next meal. Drift-wood was also 

 scarce. From these causes we were unusually 

 long at breakfast ; and soon after embarking Ave 

 landed again to observe the meridional altitude of 

 the sun ; by which the latitude was ascertained to 

 be 69° 44' N., and the variation of the needle 

 58° E. 



As we advanced to the eastward in the afternoon 

 the coast became still flatter, so that the beach was 

 under the horizon when we were in no more than 

 half a fathom of water. The hummocks above 

 mentioned, which came into view in succession, 

 looming like conical islands, as we ran along with 

 a light westerly breeze, we^je the only land in sight. 

 In blowing weather, the only resource for boats on 

 this coast is to keep a good ofRng, as the surf then 

 breaks high on the shelving flats. During the 

 afternoon the sky was lurid, as if loaded with fog, 

 and, though the horizon was tolerably clear, objects 

 were very much altered by mirage. Altogether I 



