Discoveries in the Polar Regions. 367 



was not to proceed to the south, they returned without further 

 investigating its direction ; we believe, however, that there is 

 little doubt respecting its communication with the north of 

 Hudson's Bay ; in this inlet, and more especially about its en- 

 trance, there were seen numerous black whales of a very large 

 size, as well as many seals and narwhals ; indeed we should 

 presume that these unexplored regions are a nursery of these 

 animals. Having again reached the western extremity of Bar- 

 row's Straits, the ice had broken up to such an extent, that they 

 were enabled to proceed westwards. Here the sea was open, 

 and clear of ice to the north and to the west, in which latter 

 direction, however, land was still discerned, and the ships pur- 

 sued their course, passing a number of islands, some presenting 

 precipitous cliffs and rocky, others low and apparently sandy ; 

 one of these, of a large size, in about 104° west longitude, they 

 named Byam Martin Island, and found upon it the relics of 

 some huts which had belonged to the Esquimaux, and also the 

 horns and some of the bones of musk oxen and rein-deer. 

 Proceeding still westward, they attained, on the 6th of Septem- 

 ber, by longitude 110°, the meridian of the Copper-mine River. 

 Here they discovered a very large island extending from long. 

 106 W. to 115. and in latitude 74° 30" to nearly 76°. This 

 island was called, in honour of the first lord of the Admiralty, 

 Melville*s Island. From long. 96° to 110° W., the sea appeared 

 free from land, though completely frozen up in a southerly 

 direction (off the N. boundary of America) ; but land, probably 

 an island, was discerned in long. 112° to 114°, being very dis- 

 tant to the southward. On the 8th of September they attained 

 the lor\gitude of 112° west, and finding the ice rapidly increas- 

 ing, and every appearance of the commencement of the polar 

 winter, with violent and dangerous north-westerly gales, they 

 retreated on the ii2d in consequence of the dangers that threat- 

 ened the vessels, and on the 26th anchored in a small bay 

 on the south coast of Melville's Island in about five fathoms 

 water, and within two hundred yards of the shore. The lati- 

 tude of this harbour is 74° 45" N., and its longitude very nearly 

 111° W. They experienced considerable difficulty in reaching 



