168 THE GEllMAN AKOTJO EXPEDITION. 



the brown colour so often borne by naked rocks ; it 

 may also arise from the weather-beaten stratum of the 

 peculiar granite of which they are built."* The blue 

 atmosphere, in which the rocks rise, enhances the 

 picturesque appearance of this richly-coloured coast 

 scenery. 



The rocks lying almost under Kaningesekasik, are 

 washed perfectly round ; they lie like giant ice-breakers, 

 smooth and polished on all sides. Waves and ice have 

 done their work. These cupola and dome-shaped 

 rocks we now met constantly on our coasting journey; 

 thousands of them lay scattered along the mainland, 

 a stony outwork against the onward-pressing ice. 



Our further voyage showed us a more pleasant land- 

 scape. To the north of the promontory of Igalalik 

 appeared, extending for some distance, green tracts 

 clothed with short grass. Unfortunately it was very 

 foggy weather, .and the clusters of islands, amid which 

 we were now steering to find the entrance to Prince 

 Christian Sound, caused us to miss this mark. The 

 weather had become bad, and the south-east wind setting 

 straight in on to shore drove us to seek protection in the 

 first suitable of the many opening bights. After sailing 

 in it for some time, the water became smoother ; we 

 were evidently in a strait, and that the one we wanted, 

 viz. Prince Christian Sound. Lazily we rowed until 

 two a.m. A flat piece of granite, sloping gently down 

 fco the water, afforded us a capital resting-place. Soon 

 the boats were placed in the usual way, prepared as a 

 tent couch. 



* Is not this coppery colour due to the lichen which overlies the 

 granite, similar to the violet-coloured Bi/ssus iolithes of the Brockeu ? 



