OF THE POLAR SEA. 23a 



proceeding, until the land should be seen trend- 

 ing again to the eastward ; that we might be satis- 

 fied of its separation from what we had conceived, 

 in passing from Cape Barrow to Bathurst's Inlet, 

 to be a great chain of islands. As it was neces- 

 sary, however, at all events, to set a limit to our 

 advance, I announced my determination of re- 

 turning after four days' examination, unless, in- 

 deed, we shouldpreviously meet the Esquimaux, 

 and be enabled to make some arrangement for 

 passing the winter with them. This communica- 

 tion was joyfully received by the men, and we 

 hoped that the industry of our hunters being once 

 more excited, we should be able to add to our 

 stock of provision. 



It may here be remarked that we observed the 

 first regular return of the tides in Warrender's 

 and Parry's Bays ; but their set could not be as- 

 certained. The rise of water did not amount to 

 more than two feet. Course to-day south one 

 quarter east — nine miles and a quarter. 



August 16. — Some rain fell in the night, but 

 the morning was unusually fine. We set forward 

 at five A.M., and the men paddled cheerfully 

 along the coast for ten miles, when a dense fog 

 caused us to land on Slate-clay Point. Here we 

 found more traces of the Esquimaux, and the skull 

 of a man placed between two rocks. The fog 



