396 A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



the most painful, and certainly the most hazardous, part of the 



journey was yet to come, did not depress their spirits at all. It is 



due to their character to mention that they displayed much courage 



in encountering the dangers of the sea, magnified to them by their 

 novelty. 



The shores between Cape Barrow and Cape Flinders, including 

 the extensive branches of Arctic and Melville Sounds, and Bathurst's 

 Inlet, may be comprehended in one great gulf, which I have dis- 

 tinguished by the appellation of George IV. 's Coronation Gulf, in 

 honour of His Most Gracious Majesty, the latter name being added 

 to mark the time of its discovery. The Archipelago of islands which 

 fringe the coast from Copper-Mine Eiver to Point Turnagain, I have 

 named in honour of His Koyal Highness the Duke of York. 



It may be deserving of notice that the extremes in temperature 

 of the sea water during our voyage were 53° and 35°, but its general 

 temperature was between 43° and 48°. Throughout our return from 

 Point Turnagain we observed that the sea had risen several feet 

 above marks left at our former encampments. This may, perhaps, 

 be attributed to the north-west gales. 



August 26. — Previous to our departure this morning, an assort- 

 ment of iron materials, beads, looking-glasses, and other articles 

 were put up in a conspicuous situation for the Esquimaux, and the 

 English Union was planted on the loftiest sand-hill, where it might 

 be seen by any ships passing in the offing. Here also, was deposited 

 in a tin box, a letter containing an outline of our proceedings, the 

 latitude and longitude of the principal places, and the course we 

 intended to pursue towards Slave Lake. 



Embarking at eight A.M. we proceeded up the river, which is full 

 of sandy shoals, but sufficiently deep for canoes in the channels. It is 

 from one hundred to two hundred yards wide, and is bounded by high 

 and steep banks of clay. We encamped at a cascade of eighteen or 

 twenty feet high, which is produced by a ridge of rock crossing the 



