Chap. VI. CAPTAIN PARRY'S SECOND VOYAGE. 153 



bay, with the exception of its geographical position, 

 is in general very accurate, particularly in the ap- 

 pearance of the lands, their relative situation, and 

 in the nature and depth of the soundings." And 

 with respect to the Frozen Strait, there can be little 

 doubt, he says, that the account which Middleton 

 has given of its appearance, as seen from Cape 

 Frigid, is in the main a faithful one : " Above all, 

 the accuracy of Captain Middleton is manifest upon 

 the point most strenuously argued against him by 

 Mr. Dobbs ; for our subsequent experience has not 

 left the smallest doubt of Repulse Bay, and the 

 northern part of the Welcome, being filled with 

 a rapid tide flowing into it from the eastward, 

 through the Frozen Strait." 



The appearance of the shores of Repulse Bay 

 was far from uninviting. " The surrounding land 

 rose from six or seven hundred to a thousand feet, 

 and there was no want of vegetation usually found 

 in this part of the Arctic regions, and in many parts 

 it was extremely luxuriant." Rein-deer and hares 

 were plentiful ; so were ducks, dovekies, and snow- 

 buntings. Several black whales also were observed 

 in the bay. In one spot the remains of no less than 

 sixty Esquimaux habitations were found, consisting 

 of stones laid one over the other in very regular 

 circles, eight or nine feet in diameter ; besides about 

 a hundred artificial structures, fire-places, store- 

 houses, and other walled enclosures four or five feet 

 high, used for keeping their skin canoes from being 



