HERALD ISLAND DISCOVERED. 425 



captain followed his example, hoisted the jack, and took possession of the 

 island with the usual ceremonies, in the name of Her Most Gracious Majesty- 

 Queen Victoria. . . . There can be no doubt," continues Seemann, 

 "that we had found an unknown country, and that the high peaks we 

 observed were a continuation of the range of mountains seen by the natives 

 off Cape Jakan, as mentioned" by Wrangel in his 'Polar Voyages.' That 

 land, according to a belief current in Siberia, quoted by Cochrane, is inhabited 

 by a people of whom we are at present entirely ignorant." 



The island thus taken possession of was named "Herald Island." It is four 

 and a half miles long and two and a half broad, is triangular in shape, and is 

 situated in lat. 71° 17' 45" K, long. 175° 24' W. It may be described as one 

 huge granite cliff, rising to the height of 900 feet, and inaccessible, except at 

 a few spots, from the steep, almost perpendicular frontage of the rocks. It 

 is the haunt of innumerable flocks of black and white divers, but was un- 

 marked by any traces of human inhabitants. The "Great Land" seen 

 beyond this isle was named Plover Island. "Its position," says Mr Augustus 

 Petermann, "very nearly corresponds with that described by Admiral 

 Wrangel off Cape Jakan, and is no doubt connected with it, and probably 

 the same as that said to have been reached by Andreyew in 1762, called 

 Tikigen, and inhabited by a race named Kraihai." 



On the 2d September the "Herald," "Plover," " Nancy Dawson," and 

 two of the boats that had been despatched to Mackenzie Eiver but had been 

 sent back, were all together at anchor in Kotzebue Sound. Here Com- 

 mander Moore -had resolved to remain for the winter, and a large party, 

 including the carpenters of the " Herald," were told off to erect a winter 

 house for the ofiicers and crew of the " Plover." Meantime it was considered 

 advisable to visit a number of chiefs who were known to live at a consider- 

 able village some distance up Buckland River, which enters the sound from 

 the east, and as it was possible that these might make themselves trouble- 

 some to the- wintering party. Captain Kellett determined to visit them and 

 secure their respect and friendship. " Accordingly, on the 9th September," 

 says Seemann, " we started with the ' Owen ' — the ' Plover's ' decked boat — ■ 

 the ' Herald's ' cutter, and two gigs, their crews and several oflBcers. The 

 first night we bivouacked at Elephant Point, and the whole crew roamed over 

 the ice-cliffs for fossils but could not find many. The second night we stayed, 

 at an Eskimo encampment of twenty-two tents and about a hundred and 

 fifty people. We pitched our tents close to those of the natives, had our 

 coppers, pots, kettles, axes, saws, etc., on shore, but although at times we 

 had a third of their numbers about us, not an article was lost ; and they 

 were not troublesome when we told them we wished them to go away. They 

 brought us wood and water, gave us fish and venison, and offered us whale 

 blubber and seal flesh. The natives were highly amused, and joined our 

 8 8h 



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