chap. v.] lyon's remarks. 319 



a natural consequence of the offshore wind. 

 The temperature which had been lowered by 

 a breeze from the N. W. to 2° + rose again 

 as the sun gained power, and at noon was 18° + 

 and 53° . 



At 2 h p. m. the ice commenced setting to 

 the east, and by 6 h p. m. we had drifted so 

 far to the south east, as to bring into view 

 some new land, low, and apparently forming a 

 shoal point, inasmuch as at some distance off, 

 there were four rounded mounds of high and 

 heavily packed ice, thrown up upon what we con- 

 cluded to be sand banks or reefs. As the bearing 

 (true) was S. 37° W. it was certain that we were 

 opposite to Seahorse Point, which was in latitude 

 63°43'N., longitude 80° 10' W., and variation, 49° 

 00 W. This is the most eastern part of Southamp- 

 ton Island, but too low to be visible from Point 

 Ley son, though, as Captain Lyon remarks, the 

 heights behind might be seen from thence ; and it 

 seems to me most likely that the high land which 

 he saw, and had supposed to be the continuation 

 and boundary of the range terminating in the 

 other extremity at Cape Comfort, was really Mount 

 Minto, which is fully one thousand feet high, 

 and the adjacent ridge that was still within view 

 of the ship. It had always been an interesting 

 speculation with me what would be the direc- 

 tion taken by us, or rather by the ice driven by 



