1 66 WESTERN SEA UNPROMISING. Chap. XI. 



farthest in 1849 — was at once recognised ; rather more than 

 nine years ago I stood upon it with him, and gazed almost 

 as anxiously in this direction ! My present view confirmed 

 the impression then received, of a wide channel leading 

 southward. The outline of the western land is very dis- 

 tant ; it is of considerable but uniform elevation, and slopes 

 gradually down to the strait, which is between 30 and 40 

 miles wide. This western land appears to be limestone, and 

 without off-lying; islands. Our side of the strait or sea, on 

 the contrary, is primary rock, and fringed with islets and 

 rocks ; its southern extreme bears S.S.W., and is probably 

 30 miles distant. 



Now for the ice. Although broken up, it lies against this 

 shore in immense fields : there is but little water or room 

 for ice-movement. Along the west shore I can distinguish 

 long faint streaks of water. There is no appearance of dis- 

 ruption about Four River Point or in the contracted part of 

 Peel Strait — we have nothing to hope for in that quarter ; 

 neither is there any evidence of current or pressure ; the ice 

 appears much decayed, but, as I am surveying it from a 

 height of about 1600 feet, I may be deceived. 



The strong contrast between the eastern and western seas 

 and lands is very unfavourable to the latter. 



Apart from the ice, I was fortunate however, in discover- 

 ing a long narrow lake — subsequently named after Macgregor 

 Laird Esq., an ardent supporter of the Franklin search — 

 occupying a valley which lies between a small inlet south of 

 Cape Bird, and Hazard Inlet — in fact, a sort of echo of 

 Bellot Strait — and I look upon it as our sledge-route for the 

 autumn, since it appears probable we shall winter in our 

 present position. 



This is a surpris'mgly rough country to scramble over ; 

 one never ceases to wonder how such huge blocks of rock 

 can have got into so many strange positions. I noticed two 



