PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 375 



ing into a spacious lake which appeared to be the chap. 

 estuary of a considerable river. There was a shoal v«*- n-«^ 

 across the mouth connected with the land on the ^iisf' 

 northern side, but with a channel for boats in the 

 opposite direction. A large piece of ice was aground 

 near it. The country around was low, covered with 

 a brown moss, and intersected by water-courses. To 

 the northward of the entrance of the lake the coast 

 became higher, and presented an extensive range of 

 mud cliffs terminating in a cape, which, as it after- 

 wards proved the most distant land seen from the 

 ship, I named after Captain Franklin, R. N. under 

 whose command I had the pleasure to serve on the 

 first Polar expedition : but as this cape was after- 

 wards found to be a little way inland I transferred 

 the name to the nearest conspicuous point of the 

 coast. 



The natives taking advantage of this elevated 

 ground had constructed their winter residences in 

 it ; they were very numerous, and extended some 

 way along the coast. The season, however, was not 

 yet arrived at which the Esquimaux take up their 

 abode in their subterranean habitations, and they 

 occupied skin tents upon a low point at the entrance 

 of the lake. We had not been long off here before 

 three baidars from the village paddled alongside and 

 bartered their articles as usual. Some of the crew 

 ascended the side of the ship without any invitation, 

 and showed not the least surprise at any thing they 

 beheld ; which I could not help particularly remark- 

 ing, as we were not conscious of any other vessel 

 having been upon the coast since Kotzebue's voyage, 

 and he did not reach within two hundred miles of 

 the residence of these people. There was nothing 



