208 Thirty Years 
the harbor, and carried the canoes and cargoes about 
a mile and a half across the point of land that forms 
the east side of it; but the ice was not more favor- 
able there for our advancement than at the place we 
had left. It consisted of small pieces closely packed 
together by the wind extending along the shore, but 
leaving a clear passage beyond the chain of islands 
with which the whole of this coast is girt. Indeed, 
when we started we had little hope of finding a pas- 
sage ; and the principal object in moving was, to em- 
ploy the men, in order to prevent their reflecting upon 
and discussing the dangers of our situation, which we 
knew they were too apt to do when leisure permitted. 
Our observations place the entrance of Detention 
Harbor in latitude 67° 53' 45", longitude 110° 41’ 
20" W., variation 40° 49'34” E. It-is a secure 
anchorage, being sheltered from the wind in every di- 
rection ; the bottom is sandy. 
July 28.—As the ice continued in the same state, 
several of the men were sent out to hunt; and one of « 
them fired no less than four times at deer, but un- 
fortunately without success. It was satisfactory, 
however, to ascertain that the country was not desti- 
tute of animals. We had the mortification to dis- 
cover that two of the bags of pemmican, which was 
our principal reliance, had become mouldy by wet. 
Our beef, too, had been so badly cured, .as to be 
