OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 19 



would have been attended with no great difficulty, as it was entirely free from ^^-^ 

 ice, as far as the eye coidd reach, except one or two bergs, and those of no 



very large dimensions. These bodies of ice became less and less numerous 

 as we advanced up the strait from Resolution Island, and none were seen after 

 we had proceeded a few leagues beyond our present station. 



As soon as we returned on board, all sail Avas made to windward, the 

 breeze being still from the westward and the sea almost free from ice. On 

 the 25th we had fog occasionally which, however, cleared away in the after- Wed. 25. 

 noon, and at eight P.M., in stretching to the southward, we saw the hills on 

 the Labrador coast, from which our estimated distance was eight leagues. 

 Having then tacked and stood to the northward fifteen miles and a half by 

 the patent log, we considered ourselves eight or nine miles from the nortli 

 shore ; so that the distance across the strait in this part, which is the nar- 

 rowest, appears to be very correctly laid down at about sixteen leagues in 

 Mr. Arrowsmith's chart. 



We continued to stand off and on, according to the tides, during the night, Thur. 26, 

 which was clear and fine ; and found in the morning that we had gained a 

 great deal of ground to the westward, which we continued to do throughout 

 the day, though the wind blev\^ steadily against us. The latitude, by observa- 

 tion at noon, was G2° 32' 27", the longitude, by chronometers, being 71" 36' 30". 

 In the afternoon we stood well in to the land, in order to obtain good 

 angles for the survey. There are, on this part of the coast, several islands 

 and small inlets, one of the latter appearing like a harbour, a little to the 

 eastward of whicli we had ninety-four fathoms at the distance of two miles 

 and a half from the shore. A few miles to the westward of this inlet lies a 

 high and craggy island, remarkable on account of its yellow sand-like colour, 

 by vv'hich it may be distinguished from any of tlie rest of the numerous 

 islands. We saw no ice this day, except a few streams here and there, but 

 the smoothness of the water indicated our near approach to a larger body 

 of it. 



On the 27th, we continued to gain a great deal of ground, the ebb-tides Frid. 2". 

 appearing to obstruct us very little. Indeed, from the very entrance of 

 Hudson's Strait, but more especially to the westward of the Lower Savage 

 Islands, it was a matter of constant surprise to find our dull-sailing ships 

 make so much progress, when beating against a fresh wind from the west- 

 ward ; and I have no doubt of the accuracy of the remark made by our 



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