TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 89 
Friday, 13th. — A boat went ashore this forenoon, 
to examine an inlet or creek that appeared in the 
east land, where they found a very good harbour, 
having an island at the entrance of it, that sheltered 
it from the violence of the sea: there was depth 
enough of water in it for a ship of any size, so that 
if this place should ever happen to be frequented by 
shipping, we can assure them of finding at least one 
secure harbour on this coast. It is situated in lati- 
tude 73° 12’ N., and longitude 89° 41’ W. 
The land here is much higher, and the coast bolder 
than to the southward ; it is composed however of the 
same material, viz. limestone. We find also, as I 
have frequently observed before, that the depth of 
the water increases in proportion as the coast becomes 
bolder ; this forenoon when we were only about two 
miles from the shore, we had no less than one hun- 
dred and thirty fathoms water, (soft mud). 
Since we got into deeper water, I observed also that 
the whales have been seen in greater numbers, and 
as for the narwhals they are swimming about at all 
hours of the day in shoals: it would appear from 
what we observe that this is their time for coupling. 
Sunday, 15th. — We are still retarded by the ice, 
which extends, as I mentioned some time ago, 
from the north land to the two islands that lie 
between it and the south-west land. The distance 
between these islands and the nearest part of the 
south-east land (off which we are at present) is found 
to be considerably less than was expected, when we 
went down the inlet in which we have been for some 
days past; from the result of the different angles 
taken for the purpose of determining the width of 
