NAVIGATION 291 



through the wide sounds connecting the northern parts of Baffin 

 bay with the Arctic ocean. Many icebergs discharged from the 

 northern glaciers are also found in this heavy ice of the ' middle 

 pack ' of Baffin bay and Davis strait. This Arctic current 

 closely follows the eastern shores of Baffin island, branches of 

 it sweeping into Cumberland gulf and Frobisher bay. When it 

 reaches the latitude of the mouth of Hudson strait, the part 

 adjacent to the land turns westward through the channel 

 between Resolution island and the north shore of the strait, 

 while another stream sweeps westward around the island of 

 Resolution, where, meeting the current flowing out of the strait, 

 the strong cross currents, tides and ' overfalls ' noted by the 

 earliest navigators are formed. 



The main stream of the Arctic current passes southward 

 across the mouth of Hudson strait, and forms the northern cur- 

 rent of the Atlantic coast of Labrador. It bears on its surface 

 the wide stream of ice which in the summer forms the ' middle 

 pack ' of Baffin bay, and which later in the year passes the 

 mouths of Cumberland gulf and Frobisher bay, and in Novem- 

 ber, or early in December, closes the eastern entrance to Hudson 

 strait. At that time a considerable area of this northern ice 

 may enter the eastern part of the strait, but is prevented from 

 completely filling the strait by the amount of locally formed ice 

 already covering its waters. Continuing southward on the 

 current, this stream of ice, often upwards of fifty miles in 

 width, blocks the coast of Labrador during the early months of 

 the year, and by the end of March arrives off the coasts of New- 

 foundland, bearing on its surface an immense number of 

 newly-born seals to make the important seal fishery of New- 

 foundland. Part of this ice is carried through the Strait of 

 Belle Isle into the northern portion of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 

 while the greater portion passes south along the east coast of 

 Newfoundland to Cape Race. Here the western part of the ice 



