CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 57 



depth of the water upon one and found it to be 15 feet, so that the ship might have sailed over it. Thus it may hap- 

 pen that more ice is destroyed in one stormy season than is formed in several winters, and au endless accumulation is 

 prevented. But that there is always a remaining store every one who has been upon the spot will conclude, and 

 none but closest studying philosophers will dispute. 



Cape North presents the appearance of two small round-topped islands, but a nearer approach 

 shows them to be connected to the mainland by a low, narrow neck of land. Westward of the 

 cape, as far as we could see, the high land approaches the sea and terminates generally in bluff 

 headlands, while to the eastward the coast line is low and intersected by numerous lagoons and 

 lakes, with more elevated laud farther back. The highest and most distant appears to be entirely 

 destitute of vegetation, and, like all of the Arctic mountains, presents a very rugged outline; they 

 are dark, with occasional patches of a reddish color. Whether this was due to the presence of 

 iron or red clay I could not determine. A few patches of snow remained in some of the highest 

 i a vines, particularly on the north side. Many shallow streams emptying into the sea were easily 

 located by the discolored water which extends several miles offshore. The shore, wherever we were 

 able to approach it, was gravel or sbiugled. with but little drift-wood. The lowland adjoining, 

 in addition to the saxifrages, dwarf willow, mosses, lichens, and other plants peculiar to high lati- 

 tudes, was fouud to contain a rank growth of coarse grass, which gave it a decidedly greenish hue, 

 which, taken in connection with the dark browns and reds of the high lands back, and the blue 

 sea in the foreground, dotted with patches of ice with green and bluish tints, made a very pretty 

 picture. Cape North is the farthest point on the Asiatic coast reached by Cook dming his voyage. 

 It is probable, however, that he was not able to take observations there, as the cape and the coast 

 eastward as far as and including Kolatchiu Island, was found to be about 30 nautical miles too 

 far west on the American Hydrographic chart, which is takeu from the Russian and English 

 surveys. 



The latitude of Cape North established by observations by Wraugel during his polar expedi- 

 tion in 1823, is very accurate, but the longitude which was established by reckoning brought for- 

 ward from Cape Jackson, the geographical position of which had been previously determined by 

 lunar observations, was found to be 30 nautical miles too far west. 



On the 5th we stood southeast all day through heavy drift-ice, with a strong breeze from 

 the southward and cloudy weather. The barometer went down to 29.23, the lowest it had been 

 siuce we entered the Arctic Ocean. At 3 p. in. we hauled in for Cape Waukerein, and at 5 o'clock 

 arrived off the cape, and, slowing down outside, felt our w y ay in with the lead between the cape 

 and a small island which lies 1 mile southeast, and is called by the natives " Carcarpco." At 

 5.50 we anchored about 1 mile off the settlement in 3 fathoms of water. Cape Waukerein 

 is a bold headland of granite formation, probably 80 feet high by 2 miles in length from north- 

 west to southeast, and 1 mile wide. It is connected with the mainland on the southwest side 

 by a narrow neck, upon which, half a mile from the cape, is the native settlement of twelve 

 houses. The bay is large and shallow and exposed to easterly and southeasterly gales, but 

 affords good protection in northerly or westerly winds, and would make a good safe harbor for 

 a vessel desiring to winter there, by anchoring inside the cape, and as close to the shore as 

 the draught of water would permit. The rise and fall of the tide appeared to be about 2 feet at 

 the time of our visit. The flood sets along the coast northward, and the ebb southward. Wan- 

 kerem (1 nse the word as spelled on the American chart, although by the natives it is pronounced 

 Oucarenim) is the farthest point along the coast reached by the sledge party, and is the place 

 where the relics from the lost whalers were found. I hoped by spending a few days there to 

 be able to find something more definite, perhaps books or papers, that would throw additional 

 light on the fate of those vessels. 



Boon after anchoring two skin boats approached from the shore, and a dozen natives clambered 

 over the vessel's side. They at once recognized Lieutenants Herring and Reynolds, and seemed 

 quite pleased to see them. Some of the women caused a good deal of merriment by imitating the 

 words and actions of Lieutenant Reynolds in his efforts at dog driving. We made them pres- 

 ents of bread, tobacco, calico, &c, and made them understand, by signs and such words of the 

 Tchuktchi language as we could command, the object of our visit, and promised them liberal 

 S. Ex. 201 8 



