ECLIPSE HARBOR M^LELAN STRAIT. 753 



Kamaktorvik (Louse bay) is said to be a good harbor, and New- 

 foundland fishing craft anchor in it, but the approaches do not look 

 inviting. 



Southwestward of this bay at some little distance inland is a high, 

 broad mountain, about 4,000 feet high. 



Four peaks are four very high mountains situated between 

 Kamaktorvik and Eclipse harbor, the northern peak being separated 

 from the others by a deep valley. This is the highest land on the 

 coast of Labrador, being from 5,000 to 6,000 feet high, and it is very 

 noticeable. 



Eclipse harbor is situated at about 4 to 5 miles within the northern 

 inlet at Aulezavik island, in latitude 59° 48' north, and longitude 64° 

 7Y west of Greenwich. The inlet has a width of from f mile to 2 

 miles, and it is said to afford excellent anchorage in 4 to 12 fathoms, 

 with good holding ground. 



It was named by the United States expedition which visited the 

 harbor for the purpose of observing the total eclipse of the sun on 

 July 18, 1860. 



Ice formed in Eclipse harbor on July 14. Part of the western 

 shore had an ice pool 3 to 4 feet thick, which remained during the 

 stay of the expedition; and there were immense fields of ice on the 

 sides of the mountains, with streams of water running constantly 

 from them. 



Tides. — The rise of the tide is 5 feet at springs. 



Headland. — At about halfway between Eclipse harbor and cape 

 Chidley is a square headland that falls steeply on its northeastern 

 side and is noticeable on northwesterly bearings. 



Bank. — A line of soundings, with depths of 54 to 97 fathoms, ex- 

 tends eastward nearly 70 miles from Razorback point, and a curved 

 line of soundings, with depths of 70 to 87 fathoms, extends between 

 10 miles eastward of Razorback point and cape Chidley, attaining 

 northeastward of Eclipse harbor a distance of nearly 30 miles from 

 the shore ; these soundings indicate the existence of a large bank, but 

 its limits have not been ascertained. 



McLelan strait is a passage that enters the land at some 12 miles 

 southward of cape Chidley and leads through the Chidley peninsula 

 into a bay about 2^ miles southward of port Burwell, a distance of 

 about 10 miles. The western part of this passage was examined by 

 the navigating officer of H. B. M. S. " Scylla " in 1905, who found a 

 shoal with 3 fathoms least water over it, at about 2 to 3 miles from its 

 eastern entrance, but otherwise it was clear. The Atlantic or eastern 

 part and entrance were not examined. The width of the passage at 

 its western end is about 200 yards, and its sides are steep dark hills of 

 bare rock. 



76846—09—48 



