PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 373 



CHAP. 

 XI. 



cher was despatched in the cutter to examine some 

 posts that were erected upon it, thinking they might 

 possibly have been placed there by the land expedi- £&£ ' 

 tion. The boat found a heavy surf breaking upon 

 a sand bank at a little distance from the beach, 

 which prevented her landing, and a fog coming on, 

 she was recalled before the attempt could be made 

 in another place. There was a thick wetting fog 

 during the night. The next morning a boat was 

 again sent on shore, with Lieutenant Belcher, 

 Messrs. Collie and Wolfe, to make observations, 

 collect plants, and erect a mark for Captain Frank- 

 lin. They had nearly the same difficulty in reach- 

 ing the beach, on account of shoals, as at the former 

 place, but there was less swell. 



Shortly after noon I landed myself, and found 

 that at the back of the beach there was a lake two 

 miles long, in the direction of the coast ; it had a 

 shallow entrance at its south-west end, sufficiently 

 deep for baidars only. The main land at the back 

 of it presented a range of low earth cliffs, behind 

 which there were some hills, about two hundred 

 feet high. Near the entrance to the lake there were 

 two yourts, inhabited by some Esquimaux, who sold 

 us two swans and four hundred pounds of venison, 

 which being divided amongst the crew, formed a 

 most acceptable meal. These swans were without 

 their feet, which had been converted into bags, after 

 the practice of the eastern Esquimaux ; and it is 

 remarkable, that although so far from Kamtschatka 

 and the usual track of vessels, these people expressed 

 no surprise at the appearance either of the ship or of 

 the boat, and that they were provided both with 

 knives and iron kettles. 



In our way to the huts we saw several human 



