42 



SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



August brought on DOar d- A splendid specimen of the colymbus arcticus, and also a 

 v^rx-/' red-throated diver ( colymbus septentrionalisj were obtained by the gentlemen 

 of the Hecla. The former though very wild were numerous, as were also 

 plovers of two kinds, the characlrius phwialis, and hiaticula. Nine or ten deer, 

 of which several were fawns, with a large buck as usual bringing up the rear 

 of the herd, were met with by some of our people, but they would not suffer 

 themselves to be approached within gun-shot. A great number of fine black 

 whales were playing about near the beach, and, from the total absence of 

 ice, would have afforded a rich and easy harvest to a fishing ship. Several 

 seals were also seen, and we were in hopes of finding some sillocks near the 

 shore, but had no success with the seine, which was twice hauled upon the 

 beach. We met with the remains of several Esquimaux habitations in 

 different places along the shore, and in one spot a conspicuous mark 

 had been left by these people, consisting of several stones placed one over 

 the other. The beach being favourable for measuring a base, we ran 

 off one above a mile in length, and obtained the necessary angles for the 

 survey, together with the usual observations for fixing our geographical 

 position. The latitude of our landing-place was 65° 27' 37", the longitude, by 

 chronometers, 85° 15' 35", the dip of the magnetic needle 87° 27' 52", and the 

 variation 47° 34' 05" westerly. It was low water by the shore at forty-three 

 minutes past eight in the morning, by which and the preceding night's ob- 

 servation, the time of high water on full and change days of the moon 

 appears to be about twenty minutes past twelve. The perpendicular fall 

 of tide this morning measured rather more than sixteen feet, so that the 

 highest spring tides will probably amount to eighteen. 



The weather having gradually cleared up as the sun got higher, we 

 returned on board at half past nine and, getting immediately under way, 

 stood under all sail to the N.N.E., where alone, as on the preceding even- 

 ing, there appeared the smallest chance of finding any outlet. Our late 

 excursion on shore had served, among other objects of interest, to furnish 

 some clue to the mystery respecting the place into which we had found our 

 way, and which had evidently never before been visited by Europeans. Our 

 parties who went farthest inland reported that they could see no termination 

 to this kind of shore to the westward, nor any appearance of high land beyond 

 it. It was now evident, therefore, that this low shore was the same as that 

 which Captain Middleton described as " a low shingly beach, like Dun- 

 geness," and along the western side of which he sailed up the Welcome, 



