474 Our North Land. 



nothing whatever of value as to the formation and movements of 

 ice can be ascertained by this station. And yet this is one of the 

 most important points. It is the entrance to Hudson Strait from 

 the north Atlantic where the polar currents meet and mingle with 

 the tidal streams from and to Hudson's Bay. It has been thought 

 by some that vast ice jams occur here early in July, when the ice, 

 moving forward from Davis Strait, is carried into the mouth or 

 entrance of Hudson Strait by easterly winds, and there piled and 

 heaped into mountains or impassable barriers, but that all the while 

 there is a wide channel in the centre of the Strait open. These are 

 conjectures hypothicated on the strength and trend of the currents 

 and winds, but concerning which we have as yet no proof whatever, 

 nor will the lone station at Cape Chidley afford us a single ray of 

 light on the subject. 



Take for another instance the station on the north shore of Prince 

 of Wales Sound, called by Lieutenant Gordon, Stupart's Bay. 

 Prince of Wales Sound is a vast bay or inlet, putting in from the 

 Strait to the southward, about two hundred and fifty miles from 

 Cape Chidley. From Cape Prince of Wales, on the north-west, to 

 Cape Hope on the south-east, of the entrance to the sound, the 

 distance is about twenty-five miles. Stupart's Bay is a small inlet 

 on the north-west side of this sound, about seven miles from Cape 

 Prince of Wales, or seven miles up the Sound to the south-west from 

 the Strait proper. What then will this station be able to tell us of 

 the navigation, formation and movements of ice, etc., in the Hudson 

 Strait ? Simply nothing whatever. It will accomplish one very 

 important task, that of ascertaining the variation of the compass, 

 and the dip of the magnetic needle. It will also record valuable 

 meteorological data, but it will remain in dense and utter ignorance 

 of the character of the navigation of the Strait. The observer will 

 know something of the movements of the ice in the outer portion 

 of Prince of Wales Sound, but nothing concerning the waters of the 

 Strait. 



In the case of Ashe's Inlet, at North Bluff, that station has a 

 decided advantage. It is located on the shore of the Strait proper, 

 and commands a view of the waters of the Strait proper, for say 



