356 VOYAGE TO THE 



CHAPTER XL 



Quit Kotzebue Sound, and proceed to survey the Coast to the 

 Northward — Interviews with the Natives — Cape Thomson — 

 Point Hope — Current — Capes Sabine and Beaufort — Barrier of 

 Ice — Icy Cape — advanced Position of the Ship — Discover Cape 

 Franklin, Wainwright Inlet, Shoals off Icy Cape, &c. — Boat sent 

 on an Expedition along the Coast — Return of the Ship to Kot- 

 zebue Sound — Interviews with the Esquimaux — Boat rejoins 

 the ship — Important Results of her Expedition. 



On the 30th of July we weighed from Chamisso 

 Island attended by the barge, and steered out of the 

 \826 sound. The day was very fine ; and, as we sailed 

 along the northern shore, the sun was reflected from 

 several parts of the cliff, which our telescopes disco- 

 vered to be cased with a frozen surface similar to 

 that just described in Escholtz Bay. We kept at six 

 or seven miles distance from the land, and had a 

 very even bottom, until near Hotham Inlet, when 

 the soundings quickly decreased, and the ship struck 

 upon a shoal before any alteration of the helm had 

 materially changed her position. The water was 

 fortunately quite smooth, and she grounded so easily 

 that, but for the lead-lines, we should not have 

 known any thing had occurred. We found upon 

 sounding, that the ship had entered a bight in the 

 shoal, and that there was a small bank between her 



