464 Thirty Years 



netted with cords of deer-skin, and were shaped like 

 those used by the Indians near the Mackenzie. A 

 favorable breeze now sprang up ; and having ascer- 

 tained, by mounting one of the Esquimaux stages, 

 that there was still a channel of open water between 

 a low island and the main shore, we set sail to follow 

 its course. At the end of three miles we found the 

 water gradually to decrease from three fathoms to as 

 many feet, and shortly afterwards the boats repeatedly 

 took the ground. In this situation we were enveloped 

 by a thick fog, which limited our view to a few yards. 

 We, therefore, dragged the boats to the land, until 

 we could see our way ; this did not happen before ten 

 in the evening, when it was discovered from the sub- 

 mit of an eminence about two miles distant, that 

 though the channel was of some extent, it was very 

 shallow, and seemed to be barred by ice to the west- 

 ward. We also ascertained that it was bounded to 

 seaward by a long reef. The night proved very 

 Btormy, and we were but scantily supplied with drift 

 wood. 



1 '>'• Though the morning of the 1st of August 

 commenced with a heavy gale from E.N.E., and very 

 weather, we proceeded to the reef, after much 

 fatigue in dragging the boats over the flats, under the 

 supposition that our best chance of getting forward 

 would be by passing on the outside of it. But there 



