50 VISIT TO THE SHORE OF 



1824. ward. The beach was of shingle Hme-stone, 

 August. Qf which indeed a low line of coast, extending 

 for about twenty miles to the northward^ ap- 

 peared to be composed. At about that dis- 

 tance north-east, the mountains rose high and 

 bold, and were doubtless the end of the range 

 on w^hich ^^ Cape Comfort" of Baffin is placed. 

 The beach on which we stood, trended abruptly 

 round to the w^est as far as we could see '^, 



Between the intervals of obtaining our 

 sights, we w alked inland, and saw five deen 

 although from the scarcity of vegetation, I 

 could not have supposed there w^as sufficient 

 for their subsistence. Near the numerous 



* Latitude by two nierid. altitudes, 

 Longitude by two sets of sights and 



the mean of six chronometers 

 Dip of the magnetic needle 

 Variation by Gilbert's azimuth com- 

 pass 



Time of high water at full and change 

 Rise at spring tides, about 

 Rise at ordinary tides 



I was surprised at finding the variation to be so small, 

 as our last observation at the ship had given- 52°; but on 

 looking over Captain Franklin's appendix, I find he re- 

 marks that the variation decreased very rapidly as he 

 crossed Hudson's Bay, and at York Fort, in long. 92°, it 

 became easterly. 



