ACEOSS THE SUB-AKCTICS OF CANADA 



tingham or to the south of the Digges Islands, between whieh 

 and the mainland at Cape Wolstenholme there is deep water. 

 The prevailing direction of the movement of the ice at this 

 locality is from the north, so that it frequently happens that 

 though drift-ice may be hard ashore on the north side of 

 Nottingham, there is open water to the south of it. The 

 extreme sluggishness of the magnetic compass is also a 

 source of difficulty to the mariner in this quarter, but the 

 establishment of lights and bell-buoys would largely over- 

 come this. 



The next point where difficulties in navigation are likely 

 to be encountered is about half way through the strait, at 

 or south of Big Island. Here there is a strong prevailing 

 set of current to the west along the north shore and to the 

 east along the south shore, and these facts require to be care- 

 fully regarded by the navigator, as also the direction of the 

 prevailing winds, which very largely control the position of 

 any drifting ice that may be in those waters. 



It is notable that during the systematic taking of observa- 

 tions on both sides of the strait in 1885-86, when " ice " was 

 observed upon the one side " open water " was the rule upon 

 the other, and vice versa. The most advantageous channel 

 would therefore seem to be fairly central, inclining to the 

 north or south, depending upon whether the wind is 

 northerly or southerly. 



The third point of contraction is at the eastern entrance 

 to the strait, betAveen Eesolution and the Button islands, and 

 to this locality the above observations regarding currents and 

 wind apply with equal force. 



We cannot get away from the fact that a considerable 

 quantity of drifting field-ice is likely to be encountered in 

 the strait throughout the month of July, and of course 

 earlier; but by that time it is found to be so broken and 

 softened by the action of the weather and water as to be of 

 little danger to ships — which, vdth average steam power and 



248 



