A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 211 



In the afternoon the fog cleared away, and gave to the 

 view several islands, towards and along which the ship was 

 running under a fresh breeze N. by E. 



At the termination of this coast, and at a considerable 

 distance N. E. of the most northern island in the line, stands 

 that singular rock which the sailors denominate the Devil's 

 Thumb, being an isolated rock, standing, as it were, the 

 goal of northern voyage in Davis's Strait. 



To the south westward of the Devil's Thumb is a large, 

 long, rugged island, which is the most north-westerly of 

 Greenland in those seas, covering the waters in which is 

 seated the Devil's Thumb to the north-east, and sufficiently 

 distinct in distance to be considered not a part of the chain 

 of the Linnaean Isles. Within the above-mentioned large 

 island lies an extensive sound of unknown bounds eastward, 

 and which to the southward is terminated by the islands 

 forming the northern extremity of Sugar-loaf Bay. Numer- 

 ous other islands lie to the westward of the above sound, 

 but imperfectly known from the casual visits of the whale 

 hunters, who only know those lands when shut in by the 

 ice descending from the northward, where they remain until 

 the sea becomes sufficiently safe for their purpose. Under 

 such circumstances, the masters of the whale ships only 

 know the land as it may afford them an hour's shooting, 

 with their rusty fowling pieces, in order to bring home some 

 eider duck skins to the wives of their acquaintance, or the 



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