CAPTAIX M'CLURE's eESPATCHES. 11 



— probably some of the early discoverers had been engaged in some 

 affray with the ancestors of the present chief, and one of them had 

 been killed. The present generation inherit the honour, and so identify 

 themselves with their forefathers, speaking of the transaction in the 

 first person, as if they themselves were the actors ; which is very likely 

 from the vague definition of the time — " it might be last year, or when 

 I was a child ;" so the history of the white man will still continue a 

 mystery. We also heard that last year two boats came from the west- 

 ward, and landed at Point Warren, and then returned. I cannot 

 imagine wdiat boats these could be, unless they were those of Lieu- 

 tenant Pullen, who, in thick weather, might have missed the Mackenzie, 

 and, by sights obtained at the Point, discovered his error. They had 

 not seen any this year. 



Aug 26. — N.E. winds and snow, occasionally clearing, so that the 

 land could be discerned, which presented the same low line, with a few 

 conical hills a short distance inland. We saw a few old tents, but not 

 a native. Two whales passed us close to the vessel, one very large, 

 although only in six fathoms of water. 



Aug. 27. — Light northerly winds and thick fog. It was -my 

 intention to send a boat alongshore, that she might examine it thoroughly, 

 as the water to the eastward of Cape Brown permits us standing within 

 two miles of the coast, and take her on board in the evening ; but, 

 under the circumstance of thick weather, I could not venture to do so, 

 fearful of being detained by missing her. 



Aug. 28.-— Light winds from N.E., with a mild, cloudy day. At 

 noon. Cape Dalhousie S.W. 12 miles, several masses of drift ice, some 

 of the pieces very heavy, which, however, is not any obstruction to our 

 progress, as the space of open water is ample for sailing. We have 

 ibund, during the last four days, a current varying from 11 to 10 miles 

 daily, setting to the southward. We have had no o])portunity of 

 shooting ; the greatest part of the birds had taken their southern flight 

 before our arrival ; the few flocks that we have seen were very shy, and 

 unapproachable. 



Aug. 29. — Very dense fog, with light wind from N.E., which cleared 

 at noon sufficiently to obtain a meridian altitude, and found that we 

 had been set since yesterday south 12 miles. Cape Dalhousie distant 

 S.W. (true) 3 miles ; the fog enveloped us again while standing off 

 siiore, when we ran into a narrow channel, having but three and a half 

 fathoms on either side, which compelled us to bear up west. This 

 carried us into deep water in about 15 minutes. In the course of the 

 afternoon we fell in with very heavy drift ice, composed of large floe 

 pieces, occasionally becoming entangled in consequence of the thick fog, 

 although there was much open water among it. 



Aug. 30. — Wind from the northward, with clear weather. Observ- 

 ing a mark on the beach upon the island off Maitland Point, in 

 Liverpool-bay, sent iNIr. Sainsbury (mate) to examine it, and to leave a 

 notice of our passing. Upon his return he reported that an Esquimaux 

 ctieainpmcnt had recently broken up, the traces of their tents and 

 footmarks })eing quite distinct. We observed from the shij) several 

 reindeer, which were not seen by the party on shore. In standing 

 along tiie coast, observing natives, I ran in to forward tlsis despatch, 

 tiusiing it might reach the liiulson's Jjay Companv tiiis year, which is 

 probable, if they are r.nt r.s great a set of savages as we met near Point 



