MARBLE ISLAND. 201 



towards the south and south-west, and also to the north-eastward into 

 Hudson's Straits. The glacial debris, found all around the Bay and 

 in the Straits, has been transported in directions corresponding with 

 this view of the general conditions during the drift period. 



At the east end of Marble Island there is a bay or harbour, with 

 which a very sad history is associated ; and as the events connected with 

 it form an interesting chapter in the progress of discovery in these 

 parts, I may be here allowed to devote a little space to the subject. 

 When the Hudson's Bay Company first established a trading post at 

 the Churchill River, in 1715, the Indians who ranged over the Barren 

 Grounds to the westwai'd of Marble Island frequently brought samples 

 of native copper to the settlement, and stated that they were found 

 near a large river, which afterwards proved to be the Coppermine, 

 flowing into the Arctic Sea. At that time, however, the Companv's 

 people believed the river referred to emptied into Hudson's Bay, as 

 they did not suppose these savages could wander or trade as far as a 

 great river discharging into another sea. In addition to this pure 

 copper, it was supposed that '' gold and other valuable commodities " 

 were to be found " to the northward." To prove this and to discover 

 the North-west Passage, the Company, in 1719, sent out two vessels, 

 the Albany frigate, George Barlow, master, and the sloop Discovery, 

 David Vaughan, master, under the command of Mr. James Knight, 

 " who had been many years governor at the different factories in the 

 Bay, and who had made the first settlement at Churchill River." 



Mr. Knight was then nearly eighty years of age, but nevertheless 

 he appears to have been full of enthusiasm ; and Hearne says " he 

 was so prepossessed of his success and of the great advantage that 

 would arise from his discoveries, that he procured and took with him 

 some large iron-bound chests to hold gold-dust and other valuables 

 which he fondly flattered himself were to be found in these parts." 



Neither of the vessels having returned to England, and the Com- 

 pany feeling alarm for their welfare, in 1722 a sloop called theWhale- 

 bone, John Scroggs, master, was sent from Churchill in search of 

 them, but he returned the same season without having ascertained 

 anything definite as to the whereabouts of the vessels. 



The story of the unhappy termination of this expedition is graphi- 

 cally told by Samuel Hearne in the account of his " Journey from 



