240 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



waters into Walker's Bay ; on the banks of which 

 stream he saw a piece of wood, such as the Es- 

 quimaux use in producing fire, and other marks 

 so fresh that he supposed they had recently 

 -visited the spot. We therefore left several iron 

 materials for them. Our men, cheered by the 

 prospect of returning, embarked with the utmost 

 alacrity; and, paddling with unusual vigour, 

 carried us across Riley's and Walker's Bays, a 

 distance of twenty miles, before noon, when we 

 landed on Slate-Clay Point, as the wind had 

 freshened too much to permit us to continue the 

 voyage. The whole party went to hunt, but re- 

 turned without success in the evening, drenched 

 with the heavy rain which commenced soon after 

 they had set out. Several deer were seen, but 

 could not be approached in this naked country ; 

 and as our stock of pemmican did not admit of 

 serving out two meals, we v/ent dinnerless to 

 bed. 



Soon after our departure to-day, a sealed tin- 

 case, sufficiently buoyant to float, was thrown 

 overboard, containing a short account of our pro- 

 ceedings, and the position of the most conspi- 

 cuous points. The wind blew off the land, the 

 water was smooth, and as the sea is in this 

 part more free from islands than in any other. 



