446 VOYAGE TO THE 



C ^ P - heavens so beautiful that it has been justly thought 



A. 11* 



^-^— ' to surpass all description. 

 file. In our return to the ship to deposit the fossils, a 



calm obliged us to anchor on the north side of the 

 bay, where we landed with difficulty, in consequence 

 of the shallowness of the beach, and of several ridges 

 of sand thrown up parallel with it, too near the sur- 

 face for the boat to pass over, and with channels of 

 water between them too deep to wade through with- 

 out getting completely wet. The country abounded 

 in lakes, in which were many wild ducks, geese, teal, 

 and widgeon ; and was of the same swampy nature 

 before described: it was covered with moss, and 

 occasionally by low bushes of juniper, cranberry, 

 whortleberry, and cloudberry. Near this spot, two 

 days before, we saw a herd of eleven reindeer, and 

 shot a musk rat. 



Hence westward, to the neck of Choris Peninsula, 

 the shore was difficult of access, on account of long 

 muddy flats extending into the bay, and at low 

 water drying in some places a quarter of a mile from 

 the beach. 



Bad weather and the duties of the ship prevented 

 my resuming the examination of the sound until 

 the 20th, when we ran across in the barge to Spafa- 

 rief Bay, and explored the coast from thence to the 

 westward ; passing close along the beach, anchoring 

 at night, and landing occasionally during the day 

 for observations, and to obtain information of the 

 nature of the country. 



This part of the sound appeared to have so few 

 temptations to the Esquimaux, that we saw only 

 two parties upon it; and one of these, by having 

 their dogs harnessed in the boat, appeared to be only 



