284, A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
(clay-slate,) was remarkably well executed; in fact, 
when we consider that the only instrument they 
were seen to possess, that could be of any use in 
making the different articles they had, was the 
piece of file above mentioned, it is surprising how 
well they finished every thing. Judging, therefore, 
from these circumstances, we have reason to hope, 
that with the means we afforded them, they will 
benefit very considerably for many years to come. 
Among the occurrences of this day, I omitted to 
mention, that the sun was beautifully eclipsed from 
eight to nine o’clock this morning. 
Saturday, 9th.— Nothing of any importance 
occurred during these two days past ; our course. 
has been, along the land, to the southward; but as 
we have had but light winds for most part of the 
time, we have made no great progress. We were 
at noon to-day about the latitude of 693° N. ‘The 
character of the land at this place differs very 
materially from that to the northward, for it is, 
comparatively speaking, low, and even-surfaced. 
Along the coast, indeed, for about a degree to the 
northward from this, the land is low near the sea ; 
but inland it is backed by a range of high hills ; 
here, however, no high land is visible even in the 
interior, as far as we can see. 
Sunday, 10th. — We had a strong breeze of itil 
to-day from the north-west, by compass, so that 
we had, or rather might have had, a good run 
to the southward, but most part of the forenoon 
was occupied in examining a large bay which we 
crossed. At the bottom of it there are six or 
seven high, round-topped islands, one of which is 
