1849. CAPE KRUSENSTERN. 125 



tinued our course towards Cape Hearne, which we reached 

 before noon, and found its extreme point to be in latitude 

 68° 11' 17" N. Basil Hall Bay being filled from side to 

 side with unbroken ice, we encamped here. Next forenoon 

 a light south-south-east breeze opened a crack in the ice, 

 wide enough for the boat to cross to an island in the middle 

 of the bay, on the north side of which we found some open 

 water, which enabled us to get two miles beyond it. At 

 3 p. m. on the 30th, we arrived at Cape Krusenstern, and 

 when opposite its high cliffs a strong breeze sprung up 

 from north-north-east, which drove the ice so forcibly 

 against the rocks, that we were obliged to unload with all 

 haste, and haul the boat up on a drift-bank of snow to 

 save it from being squeezed. Here for the first time this 

 season we found the ice broken up in the offing, caused 

 evidently by the strong currents of the ebb and flood tides; 

 whereas on looking in the direction from which we had 

 come, all, except immediately along shore was smooth, 

 white, unbroken, and apparently as firm as in winter. 



" We were now at the most convenient though not the 

 nearest point for making the traverse to Wollaston Land, 

 passing close to Douglas Island, and there was no necessity 

 for our proceeding further along the shore, even had we 

 been able to do so, which at present was impossible ; the 

 high rocks presenting an insurmountable barrier on the one 

 hand, and the ice by its roughness equally impassable on 

 the other. We pitched our tents on the top of the cliffs, 

 in the ascent of which the before-mentioned snow-bank 

 served as a ladder, and waited for the first favourable 

 change in the ice. 



" A few days afterwards, Albert (the Eskimo interpreter) 

 and one of the men, when some distance inland looking for 

 deer, overtook five Eskimos travelling to the interior with 



