l899-'00 TRANSACTIONS 15 



possession of it in Her Majest^^'s name. Accordingh' Capt. Mc- 

 Clure and m3\self left the ship in the third wlialeboat followed by 

 lyieut. Cresswell and as many officers as could be spared in the 

 first cutter. The morning was cold but with a fine clear atmos- 

 phere and a fresh breeze from the north-east and with joyful 

 hearts we pulled towards the shore. As we approached we found 

 the ice still packed on the shore so that we were obliged to get 

 out and haul the boat over the floes into clear water which led us 

 on to a fine pebbly beach eastward of the cape, extending out for 

 some distance and it could be distinctly seen to be of great depth 

 from its perfect transparency." 



"On landing we unfurled a red ensign and planting the flag- 

 staff in the soil took formal possession in the name of our most 

 gracious Sovereign with three hearty cheers and one cheer more, 

 bestowing on our discovery the name of Baring after the first I^ord 

 of the Admiralty under whose auspices the expedition had been 

 fitted out. A scroll containing the ship's name and those of the 

 officers, &c., war. placed in a bottle and carefully secured in a cask 

 fixed in the soil, with a pole fifteen feet high attached, to attract 

 the attention of an}' subsequent visitors to Baring Land. The 

 appearance this bold headland presented while we approached the 

 shore in the boat and when viewed in profile was exceedingly fine. 

 Indeed I ma}- state that its sublimity and grandeur were only 

 equalled by its picturesque beaut}', producing an effect I have 

 seldom seen surpassed and recalling forcibly to mind, but on a 

 scale of greater magnitude, the finest of our old gothic structures 

 and castellated mansions according as its position varied' with our 

 progress. ' ' The headland thus described was 850 or 900 feet high 

 and gives an idea of the character of the scener)" of the land to 

 which tourists of the future may go to spend their holidays. 



HOW DID OUR ARCTIC PROVINCE BECOME GREAT BRITAIN'S 



SO THAT THE SUZERAIN HAD POWER TO 



TRANSFER IT TO CANADA ? 



Bo3'd Thacher sa3's "When we study the first westward sail- 

 ings of hardy English navigators we are only reading the title 

 deeds of our beloved countr}-." 



This is true of all North America. It is emphaticalh' true 

 of Canada, and most emphatically true of the Northern fringe of 

 this portion of the British Empire committed to our care b}' 

 solenni instrument bearing the signature of our beloved Queen, 



In order to answer the question asked let us study for a while 

 the "sailings of the hardy navigators." 



