WINTERING IN THE BAY 33 



supplied, it would probably prove an excellent place for a post 

 from which to control the whale fishery. The water supply, 

 obtained from small pools in the rocks, is rather bad, owing to 

 the number of dogs and natives about. 



Two days were occupied in crossing from Whale point to 

 Southampton island, and as Eoes Welcome was full of floating 

 ice, several exciting moments were experienced when the ice 

 came together with each change of tide, threatening to crush 

 the boats if not quickly hauled out on a convenient heavy pan. 

 The monotony was also broken by the capture of a bear and 

 several large seals. We remained in company with the whalers 

 for two days after reaching the island, and coasted southward to 

 Cape Kendall without seeing any sign of a whale. As our work 

 was chiefly on land, we then determined to part company, they 

 continuing southward while we made inland excursions. The 

 ice was still fast to the shore, from which it extended seaward 

 from two to six miles. The boats were of necessity at the edge 

 of the ice, and the long tramp through deep slush and water 

 to and from the shore was fatiguing and cold. Only the ridges 

 on the land were free of snow, which was still deep in all the 

 hollows. The weather was now suificiently warm to keep the 

 snow soft and wet, and to make a passage from one ridge to 

 another necessitated wading waist deep through the snow. 

 Under these conditions extensive journeys inland were impos- 

 sible, and we were confined to the shores of the island. Good 

 collections of fossils from the limestones of the island were 

 obtained, and a large number of bird skins and eggs were col- 

 lected. It was unfortunately too early in the season for plants. 



The western shores of Southampton are low. The land 

 behind rises in a succession of ridges each a few feet higher 

 than the one immediately in front. These ridges are formed 

 of broken limestone, evidently the surface portion of underlying 

 ledges. Very little vegetation grows on the ridges, but in the 

 wide depressions between them there is a profusion of grasses 



