LECTURE ON ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS. 159 



minutes. We were joined by a tribe of Esquimaux, living on the 

 coast between Smith strait and Cape York, and several members 

 of the tribe continued with us until late in the summer. This singu- 

 lar people numbered about eighty souls. They lived in snow-houses 

 about our harbor, and maintained themselves by hunting the walrus 

 and seal. 



The schooner, having been prepared for sea, was broken out of the 

 ice on the 10th of July, and we sailed from our winter harbor on the 

 14th. After much difficulty and two trials, we reached the west coast, 

 ten miles below Cape Isabella. That cape I was unable to pass in the 

 vessel, but I succeeded in making its north side in a whaleboat, and 

 from an elevation of about six hundred feet I obtained a view to the 

 northward. In that direction the ice was everywhere unbroken; and 

 as it did not appear probable that I could obtain for the schooner a 

 more northern harbor, and as I had now only five dogs remaining, 

 without means of obtaining a new supply, I abandoned the JBeld and 

 returned home, trusting to be able at an early day to renew the at- 

 tempt with a small steamer. 



While crossing over from the east to the west side of Smith strait, 

 I followed, during a portion of the way, nearly in the track of my 

 predecessor, Captain Inglefield, and I was struck with the accuracy 

 with which he had exhibited upon his chart the expansion of Smith 

 strait; and, although the geographical positions which he has given 

 to many prominent places are slightly inaccurate, as I had subsequent 

 occasion to determine while upon shore, yet the points of the western 

 coast which came successively into view were so clearly his discovery, 

 that I have replaced upon the map the names which he appended to 

 the various localities discovered by him. The highest land visible 

 from the mouth of the strait on the west wide, which is the eastern 

 extremity of Bache island, bears, therefore, the name of Queen Vic- 

 toria. Princess Maria bay occupies the northern side of Henry 

 island, and Cape Albert its eastern extremity: 



After leaving Whale sound I continued down the coast, and, under 

 favorable circumstances, completed the survey of the shore, including 

 Cadogen and Talbot inlets, as far south as Clarence Head. Here we 

 came upon a heavy ice pack, and were obliged to hold to the east- 

 ward. Entering Whale sound, I had an excellent opportunity for 

 delineating the shore -line of that remarkable inlet. Through a clear 

 atmosphere I could trace the land around from the north to the south 

 shore, thus proving the inlet to be a deep gulf, which, out of respect 

 to the enterprising navigator who first penetrated its waters, I have 

 designated as the Gulf of Captain Inglefield. Two prominent points 

 of land on the northern side of the gulf were mistaken by Inglefield 

 for islands, and I have applied to them the names which he has used. 

 We found a colony of Esquimaux on the south side of Whale sound, 

 and we remained long enough with them to become familiar with their 

 habits, and to obtain some photographs of them. 



During this period of the cruise every effort was made to obtain 

 collections of specimens of natural history, and in this department, as 

 well as in many others, I had frequent occasion to regret the small- 

 ness of my corps of workers. We, however, succeeded in obtaining 



