OF THE POLAR SEA. 285 



are on this side were mistaken for islands when 

 seen from the opposite shore ; they are for the 

 most part cliffs of basalt, and are not above one 

 hundred feet high; the subjacent strata are of 

 white sand-stone. The rocks are mostly confined 

 to the capes and shores, the soil inland being 

 flat, clayey, and barren. Most of the headlands 

 shewed traces of visits from the Esquimaux, but 

 none of them recent. Many ducks were seen to- 

 day, belonging to a species termed by the 

 voyagers, from their cry, " caccawees." We 

 also saw some gray geese and swans. The only 

 seal we procured during our voyage, was kiUed 

 this day ; it happened to be blind, and our men 

 imagining it to be in bad health, would not taste 

 the flesh ; we, however, were less nice. 



AYe encamped at the end of twenty-four miles' 

 march, on the north-west side of a bay, to which 

 I have given the name of my friend Capt. Parry, 

 now employed in the interesting research for a 

 North-West Passage. Drift wood had become 

 very scarce, and w^e found none near the encamp- 

 ment ; a fire, however, was not required, as we 

 served out pemmican for supper, and the even- 

 ing was unusually warm. 



On the following morning the breeze was fresh, 

 and the waves rather high. In paddling along 

 the west side of Parry's Bay, we saw several 



