HUDSON'S BAY. 117 



feared that we were still on a bank^ so hauling 1824. 

 up west, under easy sail, we again deepened to Sept. 

 fifty-eight fathoms. It is remarkable that our 

 soundings should have continued so low while 

 standing from the shore, but this may in some 

 measure be accounted for, by our having as- 

 certained beyond a doubt, that there was here 

 a strong and constant easterly set*, which, as 

 the ship had but little way, must have kept 

 her nearly stationary. Hence it may be af- 

 firmed, that what has hitherto been called 

 Southampton Island, is in fact a group of low, 

 shoal, and extremely dangerous isles, between 

 which, possibly through " Evans' Inlet," the 

 strong current set from Sir Thos. Roe's Wel- 

 come into Hudson's Strait ; a momentary 

 glance, however, at the formation and position 

 of the lands on the chart, will more fully ex- 

 plain this than I can do by description. 



At four A.M. on the 18th, with the wind 

 from the northward, we steered south-east by 

 the moon, and had an excellent run. Our 



* During an interval of dead calm, with the deep sea 

 lead at the bottom in forty-five fathoms, the ship was 

 found to drive due east above a knot an hour. 



Vide also August 31, for an account of our setting in 

 the evening towards a point of land near our present 

 situation. 



