22 Bay of Gael Hamkes. 



the course of the day, men, women, and children found their way 

 to our tent. They brought with them large pieces of" bkibber, 

 being die flesh of the seal and the walrus, which they offered 

 for our acceptance, tearing off large pieces with their hands and 

 teeth in the most disgusting manner. We gave them in return 

 biscuit and salt meat : the latter they immediately spat out. 

 They were much surprised at my ordering one of the children 

 to be washed, for they were so stained with dirt and oil, it was 

 impossible, without this proceeding, to know what was their 

 real colour, which now exhibited a tawny coppery appearance. 

 They had black haii' and round visages ; their hands and feet 

 very fleshy, and much swelled. The expression of their coun- 

 tenances was extremely stupid and unmeaning ; but this was in 

 all probability much increased by their astonishment at every 

 thing they saw. They were clothed in seal-skin, with the hair 

 inwards. 



Knowing that we should again meet them on our return, and 

 being desirous not to lose farther time, which, from the lateness 

 of the season, was now becoming valuable, we left them about 

 4 in the afternoon. We were at this time considerably advanced 

 up the extensive bay or inlet, which, as it agrees exactly in lati- 

 tude with that laid down in the contemporary chart, formerly 

 mentioned, I am convinced is the same which was discovered by 

 Gael Hamkes in 1654 *. At this point it opened into an ex- 

 tensive basin, the circumference of which could not be less than 

 fifty miles. Into this basin we now entered, and found it per- 

 fectly free of ice ; not a piece of it could be seen in this immense 

 sheet of water. We pulled along the northern shore for a dis- 

 tance of twenty miles, and pitched our tents at night on a low 

 sandy beach, being the worst station we had yet occupied. 



" Note by the Editor The Dutch chart referred to is in my possession, and 



is entitled " De Custen van Noorwegen, Finmarken, Laplandit, Spitzber- 

 gen, Jan Mayen, Englandt, Ysland, als mede Hitland," engraved at Am- 

 sterdam by Peter Goos, 166G, being only twelve years subsequent to the 

 voyage of Gael Hamkes, and forms an inlet corresponding so well both in 

 latitude and in the general trending of the coast, from Cape Broer Ruys to ' 

 Cape Desbrowe, that there can be no doubt of its being the same with that 

 explored by Captain Claveriiig. The entrance of this inlet was seen the pre- 

 ceding summer by Captain Scoresby, and by him named Scott's Inlet ; and 

 Gael Hamkes's Inlet, laid down in Latitude 75°, to which it had been shifted 

 by the caprice of modern chart makers. 



