434 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



\^'^^- soil of the land about the ships, none had yet appeared. Proceeding at 

 '-<->^ eight A.M. on the 8th, we soon met witli numerous tracks of deer upon the 

 SuD, 8. ice, which, together with the seals that lay in great numbers near their 

 holes, expedited our journey very considerably, the dogs frequently sotting 

 off at full gallop on sniffing one of them. Landing at the head of Quilliam 

 Creek at half-past one, we took up an advantageous position for looking 

 about us, in order to determine on the direction of Captain Lyon's route 

 over land, which all the Esquimaux concurred in representing as a laborious 

 one. The land is here almost entirely high, a range of lofty hills stretch- 

 ing in a north-west and so\ith-easl direction at the back of the creek, and 

 intercepting the view to the westward. Much of this rugged land had now 

 lost its snow, and the only route that seemed practicable for a sledge was 

 in about a S.b.E. direction at the foot of the hills, which appeared after- 

 wards to take a more westerly turn. We met with several rein-deer imme- 

 diately on our landing; and while in pursuit of them Captain Lyon dis- 

 covered a lake two or three miles long and a quarter of a mile broad, a 

 short distance from the tents, which we concluded to be that of which I was 

 in search. As some of our party were suffering from snow-blindness and, 

 Avhat is scarcely less painful, severe inflammation of the whole face occa- 

 sioned by the heat of the sun, wc remained here for the rest of this day to 

 make our final arrangements. 

 Mon. 9. At nine A.M. on the 9th we struck the tents, and Captain Lyon set off 

 to the southward, while we drove over to the lake, which is one mile 

 N.N.Vv^ of the head of the creek, and after three or four hours' labour 

 completed a hole through the ice, which was very dark-coloured, brittle, 

 and transparent and, as Toolemak had said, about live feet thick. The 

 water which was eleven fathoms deep flowed up within a coui)lc of inches 

 of the surface, over which lay a covering of snow eighteen inches in depth. 

 In confident hope of now obtaining some fish, we proceeded exactly ac- 

 cording to Toolemak's instructions ; but, after four-and-twenty hours' trial 

 at all depths, not even a single nibble rewarded our labour ; so that after 

 obtaining observations, which gave the latitude of the head of the creek 

 69° 32' :20", and its longitude 1° 33' 14' W. of the Fury, we set off on our 

 return down the creek on the 10th. 

 Wed. U. Coasting the south shore, on which I wished to obtain observations and 

 angles for the survey, we the next day entered a small bay where we pitched 

 our tent ; our whole party being so snow-blind with endeavouring to distin- 



