426 THE NATUEAL HISTOET EEVIEW. 



followed in Baffin's Bay for many years by fleets of whalers, but of 

 their communications with these people no record has been made. 

 In 1849-50 the " North Star" wintered in Wolstenholme Sound, and 

 her crew had most friendly relations with the natives throughout 

 their stay. In 1850 the " Assistance," Captain Ommaney, commu- 

 nicated with the natives at Cape York. The " Intrepid" also went 

 into Wolstenholme Sound, and took on board a young " Arctic 

 Highlander." The other discovery ships of 1850-1 had also inter- 

 course wdth the people of Cape York. In 1852, Captain Kellett, m 

 the " Eesolute" also touched there ; and in the same year Captain 

 Inglefield, in the " Isabella," visited the natives at the Petowah 

 glacier, and at a settlement about twenty miles from Cape Parry. 

 Dr. Kane did not see them until his schooner was frozen in on the 

 eastern shore of Smith's Sound ; but he afterwards formed most in- 

 timate relations with them in 1853-4-5, one of his officers, Dr. 

 Hayes, living amongst them for several months. Finally, Sir Leopold 

 McClintock, in the " Eox," communicated with eight natives of Cape 

 York in 1858. The flora of their country consists of 44 genera and 

 76 species as yet discovered, amongst which are four kinds of ranun- 

 culus ; fourteen crucifers, including three kinds of scurvy grass, 

 several pretty little stellarias, potentillas, and saxifrages, seven of the 

 heath tribe, a dwarf willow, a fern (Ci/stopteris) , and numerous mosses 

 and grasses. But it is on the condition of the sea, much more than 

 that of the land, that the suitability of a region for human habitation 

 depends within the Arctic zone, and although Greenland is infinitely 

 richer in vegetation, and abounds more in animal life, than the dreary 

 archipelago to the westward, yet without open water in the winter 

 it would be uninhabitable. The ice drifting south in the spring, 

 leaves a large extent of navigable sea at the head of Baffin's Bay 

 during the summer, known as the " North Water," while the cur- 

 rents and the innumerable icebergs always in motion and ploughiDg 

 up the floes keep open pools and lanes of water throughout the 

 winter. Such is the country which supports a multitude of living 

 creatures in a temperature where the mean of the warmest month 

 is 38°, and that of the coldest — 38° ; in a climate subject to furious 

 gales in winter, where the year is divided into one long day and one 

 long night, but where in the glorious summer, in the calm and silent 

 sunny nights, may be seen some of the most lovely scenery on this 

 earth. No rich woodland tints, little diversity of colouring ; all its 

 beauty dependent upon ice and water, and beetling crags, and strange 



