1875 PAYER HARBOUR. 59 



Lieutenant Julius Payer, the distinguished and success- 

 ful Arctic traveller, is a most convenient waiting place 

 for vessels attempting to proceed northward by Smith 

 Sound. Brevoort Island, a syenitic rock which attains 

 an altitude of about 500 feet, shelters it completely 

 from seaward. Stalknecht Island and a long penin- 

 sula about 150 feet high protect it from the southward. 

 The harbour has three entrances, one from the north- 

 ward and two from the southward, one of which is 

 sure to be clear of ice, whenever the outside pack, 

 driven off shore by a westerly wind, would permit 

 navigation. The channels being narrow prevent the 

 entrance of large floes ; but, owing to the great depth of 

 water, icebergs readily enter and have to be guarded 

 against. 



During the afternoon Captain Stephenson and the 

 crew of the ' Discovery ' were engaged landing a depot 

 of provisions, consisting of 240 rations, for the use of 

 any sledge-party that might be travelling from the 

 north towards Littleton Island. This depot was 

 placed on the peninsula that forms the southern pro- 

 tection of the harbour. A cairn was built on the 

 summit of Brevoort Island, in which a record paper 

 was subsequently placed. 



Having established our provision depot and record, 

 I felt very desirous of ascertaining how far the water in 

 the middle of Smith Sound would permit our advance 

 to the northward. The ice in the offing being fairly 

 open, I accordingly started with the two ships at 

 10 P.M., just before high- water. We had far greater 

 trouble in pushing our way through the pack than 

 when we passed through it the previous morning, and 



