ARCTIC ISLANDS 119 



low point with shallow water extending from it for several 

 miles. 



Nottingham and Salisbury islands lie in the western entrance 

 to Hudson strait. Their longer axis lies northwest and south- 

 east. Nottingham is the more southward, and is about 

 thirty-five miles long and averages about ten miles across. 

 Salisbury lies to the northeast of JSTottingham, and is separated 

 from it by a deep channel about fifteen miles wide. The north- 

 ern island is the larger, being nearly forty miles long and 

 averaging fifteen miles across. Both are high and rugged, with 

 a number of bays affording good harbours, especially at the 

 southeast and northwest ends. The general altitude of these 

 islands is nearly five hundred feet. 



The second division of the islands of Group I. includes the 

 large island of Southampton, together with Coats, Mansfield 

 and Akpatok islands. 



Southampton is situated in the northern part of Hudson bay, 

 which it divides into Fox channel on its east side and Roes 

 Welcome on the other side, being separated from the mainland 

 at its north end by the narrow Frozen strait. The island attains 

 its greatest length from north to south, covering three degrees 

 of latitude, or a distance of two hundred and ten miles. Its 

 greatest breadth of two hundred miles is across its southern 

 part; its eastern side trends northwest, and its western shore 

 lies north and south, so that the shape is practically a triangle, 

 having an area of 19,100 square miles. The greater part of the 

 island is occupied by flat-bedded limestone, causing the southern 

 and western shores to be generally low and flat, with a margin 

 of shallow water extending several miles from the land. Along 

 the eastern side a band of crystalline rocks extends from Sea- 

 horse point to the north end of the island, and this forms much 

 higher land with bolder water adjoining than is found else- 

 where. 



