PROGRESS EASTWARD. 439 



and when on the meridian, about two degrees above the horizon. The 

 weather was now most beautiful. The thermometer stood at 44° in the air, 

 but a heavy dew fell, which made it rather cold ; and the frosty look of so 

 much ice about us added, I daresay, somewhat to the feeling. On one or 

 two occasions, I am confident we must have passed over a sleeping walrus, 

 or, at all events, gone very near it, for they rose close under our stern, 

 looked at us with astonishment, and seemed very well disposed to try their 

 strength against us. . . . 



" On the morning of the 28th it was almost calm when we landed off a 

 low, shingly beach, in lat. 70° 66' N., to replenish our water casks. Inside 

 the shore was a large sheet of water, but it had no outlet to the sea fit 

 for boats of any description, and seemed to be entirely formed by streams, 

 which, having their origin in the melting of the snow, flowed into the lake 

 from the several gullies at the head of it. The country round formed an 

 extensive plain, rising a little to the eastward, and covered with dry withered 

 grass, except just about the water. After we had filled our casks, we 

 embarked again, and at nine p.m. weighed, and partly by towing, and partly 

 by taking advantage of the light northerly wind, when it favoured us, reached 

 Refuge Inlet about midnight. I pulled into it with one of the whale-boats, 

 but, owing to the shallowness of the water, could only advance a very short 

 distance. The channel was very narrow and winding — three feet deep at 

 the bar, immediately inside of it only two, and then one, so that I considered 

 it quite unfit for our large boats, particularly as a westerly wind would raise 

 a very heavy surf. A better shelter, should we require it, might be found 

 under the lee of some of the grounded floes, many of which we were likely 

 to meet on our course to the northward. 



" On the northern shore of the inlet stood an Eskimo camp, which we 

 visited, and round which we walked, looking into the tents, and examin- 

 ing everything that seemed worth noticing, at which procedure the inhabit- 

 ants seemed greatly pleased. They brought out their skins for the purpose 

 of barter, and would have favoured us with a dance, but that our time was 

 too precious to wait, and the light wind was favourable. After giving them 

 a few beads and tobacco, we returned on board, and ran to the northward, 

 keeping close along shore in from one and a half to two fathoms water. 

 Previous to our getting up to Eefuge Inlet, about ten p.m. we had seen a 

 sail in the oflfing standing in for the land. 



" The wind was now veering to the eastward and the Ice becoming much 

 heavier ; while the shore was completely covered with snow. Large flocks of 

 ducks and geese were continually passing us, and immense numbers of the 

 diver tribe were generally congregated close up under the ice. 



"At 1.15 A.M., Sunday 29th, passed Cape Smyth within a cable's length 

 of the shore, and saw the main pack apparently close in to the land, and 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



