384 Nutlccs respecting New Books. 



* The remains of Esquimaux habitations were found in four 

 different places. Six of these, which Captain Sabine had an op- 

 portunity of examining-, and which are situated on a level sandy 

 bank, at the side of a small ravine near the sea, are described by 

 liim as consisting of stones rudely placed in a circular or rather 

 elliptical form. They were from seven to ten feet in diameter; 

 the broad flat sides of the stones standing vertically, and the 

 v.'hole structure, if such it maybe called, being exactly similar to 

 that of the summer huts of the Escjuimaux, which had been seen 

 at Hare Island the preceding year. Attached to each of them 

 was a small circle, generally four or five feet in diameter, which 

 had probably been the fire-place.' 



The whole encan)pment appeared to have been deserted for 

 several years ; but very recent traces of the rein-deer and musk- 

 ox were seen in many places. The steering of the vessels now 

 became verv difficult, and, says our author, 



' The circumstances under which we were sailing, were, per- 

 haps, such as never occurred since the early days of navigation. 

 To the northward was the land ; the ice, as we supposed, to the 

 southward; the compasses useless; and the sun completely ob- 

 • scurcd by a fog-, so thick that the Griper could only now and then 

 be seen at a cable's length astern. We had literally, therefore, 

 no mode of regulating our course, but by once more trusting to 

 the steadiness of the wind ; and it was not a little amusing, as 

 well as novel, to see the quarter-master conning the ship by look- 

 ing at the dog vane.' 



On the 2nd of September a star was seen, being the first that 

 had been visible for more than two months. Two days after- 

 wards, namely, on the 4th, at a quarter past nine P.M., the ships 

 crossed the meridian of 1 10' west from Greenwich, in the latitude 

 of 74° 44' 20", by which they were entitled to the reward of 

 5000/. In order to commemorate the event, a bluff head- land 

 that they had just passed was called Bounty Cape. On the fol- 

 lowing day they dropjjcd anchor, for the first time since quitting 

 the English coast, in a roadstead, which was called the Bay of the 

 Hecla and Griper, and the crews landed on the largest of a groupe 

 of islands, which was called Melville Island. ' The ensigns and 

 pendants,' says Captain Parry, ' were hoisted as soon as we had 

 anchored, and it created in us no ordinary feelings of ple^asure to 

 see the British flag waving, for the first time, in these regions, 

 which had hitherto been considered beyond the limits of the ha- 

 bitable part of the world.' — They did not remain here many days, 

 before parties ventured on shooting (excursions, and three men, 

 who had niissed their way, were absent ninety-one hours, and ex- 

 posed during three nights to the inclemency of the weather. 



Captain Parrv still attemi)ted to gain a passage to the west- 

 ward, 



