462 Thirty Tears 



exploring the bed of a rivulet we found several pieces 

 of quartz, containing pyrites of a very bright color, 

 which so much attracted the attention of the crews, 

 that they spent several hours in examining every 

 stone, expecting to have their labor rewarded by the 

 discovery of some precious metal. 



The gale having abated in the evening, we quickly 

 loaded the boats, and pulled them into a lane of water 

 that we had observed about half a mile from the shore. 

 This, however, extended only a short way to the west, 

 and at the end of a mile and a half inclined towards 

 the beach, the ice beyond it being closely packed. 

 Before the boats could be brought to the land, they 

 received several heavy blows in passing through nar- 

 row channels, and over tongues of grounded ice. I 

 walked to the extreme point that we had in view 

 from the tent, and was rejoiced by the sight of a large 

 space of water in the direction of our course ; but up 

 to the point the ice was still compact, and heavy. 

 On my way I passed another Esquimaux village, 

 where there were marks of recent visitors. 



We witnessed the setting of the sun at eleven p.m., 

 an unwelcome eight, which the gloomy weather had, 

 till then, spared us ; for it forced upon our minds the 

 conviction that the favorable season for our operations 

 was fast passing away, though we had. as yet, made 

 so little progress. This was not the only uncomforta- 



