Across Hudson's Bay. 109 



We saw nothing on the shores of Southampton indicating in- 

 habitants save a few deserted caches, and the ruins of a few long 

 since forsaken Eskimo huts. The island was exceedingly low, flat 

 and barren, much the same as Mansfield. 



At half-past six o'clock on Tuesday morning, we entered a nar- 

 row inlet on the south-west coast of Marble Island, and before seven 

 o'clock were anchored within two hundred yards of the odd-looking 

 quartzite rock, mostly barren, of which the island is composed. It 

 is of a whitish colour, in some degree resembling marble, hence, I 

 suppose, the name of the island. The place has become famous as 

 the wintering quarters of the American whalers. The island is 

 about five or six miles wide and twenty or twenty-five long. The 

 harbour is pretty well sheltered. It is a long, somewhat winding 

 inlet, bordered on either side by rocks, rising out of deep water to 

 the height of thirty or forty feet above the sea. 



Our voyage across Hudson's Bay was exceedingly pleasant. We 

 had fine weather, favourable winds, and, therefore, comparatively 

 smooth water. The temperature was much higher than it had been 

 in the Strait, and the weather was a decided improvement. 



