Chap. X. FRANKLIN AND RICHARDSON'S JOURNEY- 377 



would become greater." But the greatest hazard 

 of all, and it was wofully experienced, was the mi- 

 serable pittance of provisions remaining. 



Many circumstances concurred to convince the 

 party that further exploration would be vain, 

 one of the canoes being already rendered useless, 

 and the second nearly as bad ; the quantity of pem- 

 mican was reduced to three days' consumption, and 

 apprehensions for their safety had seriously pos- 

 sessed the minds of the voyagers and interpreters. 

 A violent storm and its effect on the sea did not 

 increase their desire of remaining: longer. 



" Though it will appear from the chart," says 

 Franklin, " that the position of Point Turnagain is 

 only six degrees and a half to the east of the mouth 

 of the Copper Mine River, we sailed, in tracing the 

 deeply-indented coast, five hundred and fifty-five 

 geographical miles, which is little less than the 

 direct distance between the Copper Mine River and 

 Repulse Bay, supposing the latter to be in the lon- 

 gitude assigned to it by Middleton." 



Captain Franklin mentions that Arctic Sound 

 appeared the most convenient, and, perhaps, the 

 best place for ships to anchor that he had seen 

 along the coast, at this season especially, when they 

 might increase their stock of provision if supplied 

 with good marksmen. Deer are numerous in its 

 vicinity ; musk-oxen also may be found up Hood's 

 River, and the fine sandy bottom of the bays pro- 



