TO THE ARTIC REGIONS: 209 
i have already observed, very fresh, we built a 
wall between five and six feet high and seven or 
eight long to the windward of the tents. Ina valley 
close to us, there was a small lake of open water 
which appeared to be frequented by wild geese, 
for we saw eight of them flying about in its neigh- 
bourhood. ‘The under part of their body, from 
the breast backwards, was of a dull white colour, 
all the rest of the body was dark. As the wind 
still continued to blow pretty fresh, and the ground 
was covered with snow that had fallen during 
the day, we did not move with the tents in the 
evening, but at six o’clock, P. M., a party started 
to examine the coast more particularly, and at 
eleven o’clock they returned perfectly convinced 
that this was the sea; though the ice was so thick, 
that they could not, with the means they had, pene- 
trate through it. In order, however, to leave no 
room for any person, let him be ever so sceptical, to 
doubt on this point, it is determined to remove the 
tents early to-morrow morning down to the beach, 
and then to employ all hands in making a hole 
through the ice. It is desirable also to determine 
the latitude and longitude of this part of the coast, 
for the state of the weather to-day prevented our 
obtaining either. With respect to the nature of 
the country on this side of the island, there is as 
little to be said in favour of its fertility as for any 
part of it that we have examined; in fact, it is as 
barren as it is possible for land to be: even the hardy 
poppy that abounds on the south side of the island, 
in the worst soil, is not to be found here. The only 
mineral that we have yet seen on this side, is sand- 
P 
