NAVIGATION 291 
through the wide sounds connecting the northern parts of baffin 
bay with the Arctic ocean. Many icebergs discharged from the 
northern glaciers are also found in this heavy ice of the ' middle 
pack' of baffin bay and Davis strait. This Arctic current 
closely follows the eastern shores of Baffin island, branches of 
it sweeping into Cumberland gulf and Frobisher bay. When it 
reaches the latitude of the mouth of Hudson strait, the part 
adjacent to the land turns westward through the channel 
between Resolution island and the north shore of the strait, 
while another stream sweeps westward around the island of 
Resolution, where, meeting the current flowing out of the strait, 
the strong cross currents, tides and ' overfalls ' noted by the 
earliest navigators are formed. 
The main stream of the Arctic current passes southward 
across the mouth of Hudson strait, and forms the northern cur- 
rent of the Atlantic coast of Labrador. It bears on its surface 
the wide stream of ice which in the summer forms the ' middle 
pack ' of baffin bay, and which later in the year passes the 
mouths of Cumberland gulf and Frobisher bay, and in Novem- 
ber, or early in December, closes the eastern entrance to Hudson 
strait. At that time a considerable area of this northern ice 
may enter the eastern part of the strait, but is prevented from 
completely filling the strait by the amount of locally formed ice 
already covering its waters. Continuing southward on the 
current, this stream of ice, often upwards of fifty miles in 
width, blocks the coast of Labrador during the early months of 
the year, and by the end of March arrives off the coasts of New- 
foundland, bearing on its surface an immense number of 
newly-born seals to make the important seal fishery of New- 
foundland. Part of this ice is carried through the Strait of 
Belle Isle into the northern portion of the Gulf of St. Lawrence', 
while the greater portion passes south along the east coast of 
Newfoundland to Cape Race. Here the western part of the  
