OF THE POLAR SEA. 913 



their base is a fine sandy beach. From Point 

 WolJaston to our present encampment the coast 

 is skirted with trap cliffs, which have often a 

 columnar form, and are very difhcult of access. 

 These cliffs lie in ranges parallel to the shore, 

 and the deer that we killed were feeding in small 

 marshy grassy plats that lie in the valleys be- 

 tween them. 



Being detained by the continuance of the gale, 

 on the 2d of August some men were sent out to 

 hunt, and the officers visited the tops of the 

 highest hills, to ascertain the best channels to be 

 pursued. The wind abating, at ten P.M., we 

 embarked and paddled round the southern end 

 of the island, and continued our course to the 

 south-east. Much doubt at this time prevailed 

 as to the land on the right being the main shore, 

 or merely a chain of islands. The latter opinion 

 was strengthened by the broken appearance of 

 the land, and the extensive view we had up 

 Brown's Channel, (named after my friend Mr. 

 Robert Brown,) the mouth of which we passed, 

 and were in some apprehension of being led 

 away from the main shore ; and, perhaps, after 

 passing through a group of islands, of coming to 

 a traverse greater than we durst venture upon in 

 canoes. On the other hand, the continuous ap- 

 pearance of the land on the north side of the 



