VOYAGE TO THE BAY 'I 



finally sinks into the sea with, the Button islands, which form a 

 group extending some miles beyond the cape. The heavy tides 

 of Ungava bay exhaust themselves in the passages between the 

 islands, and, in doing so, cause very dangerous currents. Gray 

 strait, lying between the cape and the inner islands, would form 

 an excellent ship canal, if it were not for these strong currents, 

 which cause a dangerous sea when the tide is running against 

 the wind, especially when the wind is eastward and the Atlantic 

 swell heaves into the strait. 



Port Burwell is an excellent harbour, sheltered from all 

 but the southwest winds, and, even, with these, distant capes 

 break the force of the wind and sea. The harbour lies on the 

 western side of Gray strait, and about fifteen miles from Cape 

 Chidley. It was originally discovered by Commander Gordon, 

 who erected one of the Observation Stations there in 1885. 

 The surrounding country, although low in comparison with 

 that to the southward, is rugged, with steep rocky cliffs, that 

 rise from 100 to 500 feet above the water of the harbour. There 

 is little level ground in the neighbourhood, and the trading post 

 established there is situated on a small inside harbour, which 

 cannot be seen from the anchorage. Trade is carried on with 

 some dozen families of Eskimos living on the coast, and this is 

 supplemented by the seals caught by the agent. 



This is probably the most convenient and safest place for 

 the establishment of a customs station for the regulation of the 

 shipping trade, entering or leaving Hudson strait, and a small 

 expenditure for lights would make it a safe port of entry at all 

 times. The south side of the mouth of Hudson strait, during 

 the season of ice, is much less embarrassed than the northern 

 side; as a rule, Port Burwell is free of ice early and late in 

 the season. 



Some little trouble occurred in securing the services of Ford 

 as interpreter, he being under employment at the station; but 

 the matter was finally satisfactorily arranged with the agent 



