OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



39 



during the night. When the boat first touched the beach, we observed an 18 2i. 

 innumerable quantity of the little fish called sillocks, swimming about, se- ^i-^- 

 veral of which were killed by the boat-hooks or taken in the hand. A great 

 number of white whales, seals, and narwhals, were also playing about near 

 the beach during the night. The white whales were the most numerous ; 

 the noise these animals made resembled a hoarse low-toned barking more than 

 any other to which I can compare it; and we remarked that their colour was 

 whiter than any we had before seen. 



The weather continued clear and fine, enabling us to obtain good observa- 

 tions by the moon and stars. The latitude by two meridian altitudes was 

 65° 28' 13"; the longitude, by chronometers 84° 40' 07" ; and the variation of 

 the magnetic needle 50° 18' 26" westerly. The aurora borealis was visible 

 during the whole of the night, consisting of many luminous patches, or 

 nebula;, having, when viewed together, a tendency to form an arch, and ex- 

 tending from south by east to south-west and sometimes to west, its height 

 in the centre being 15°. From this arch pencils of rays shot upwards towards 

 the zenith. It differed from any other phenomenon of this kind, that I have 

 seen, in being at times of a beautiful orange colour. 



As soon as it was daylight, Mr. Ross and myself ascended the hill above Thur. 16. 

 our sleeping-place, from whence we could perceive land stretching round to 

 the westward and northward, so as apparently to leave no opening in that 

 quarter. We were much surprised at the low and yellowish appearance of 

 this land, both of which circumstances we were at a loss to reconcile with 

 Captain Middleton's description of the bold shore of the American conti- 

 nent, on the western side of the Welcome about this latitude. It was 

 pleasing, however, to observe a large expanse of sea wholly unencumbered 

 with ice, in the direction we were now about to pursue ; and we, therefore, 

 hastened to the beach to continue the survey of the strait, that no time 

 might be lost in taking advantage of this favourable circumstance. We here 

 noticed several Esquimaux circles of stones, but all very old ones, nor could 

 we discover any recent traces of inhabitants, notwithstanding the smoke 

 which we thought we had observed from the ships, at no great distance from 

 this spot. In the fissures and hollows between the rocks, the moss, sorrel, 

 ground willow, and a few other plants were abundant, and specimens of 

 every kind were brought on board. On our return to the beach we found 

 the boat's crew amusing themselves in catching sillocks, of which they had 

 discovered great numbers left by the tide in pools upon the rocks, and had 



