88 , SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



1821. directions for Mr. Sherer, and at three P.M. being doubtful of the best route 

 •«*-r>J to pursue, landed to obtain a better view. There was here an inlet near a 

 mile wide within, but having an entrance not more than forty yards across 

 and very shoal, out of which the water was rushing with great rapidity. Ima- 

 gining this to be a river, Mr. Ross and myself hastened to the bank to taste 

 the water, which proved so intolerably salt as to set aside any further conjec- 

 tures of this nature. We found here as usual many deserted habitations of 

 Esquimaux, and numberless upright stones, especially on the banks of the 

 stream just mentioned. 



On the northern shore, directly opposite to us, was some of the highest 

 land we had yet seen next the sea hereabouts ; and as our present sta- 

 tion did not afford a satisfactory view we rowed over to the other side, 

 for the purpose of ascending the hills, by which means much time and 

 labour may often be saved in exploring places of this nature. This plan now 

 also seemed the more eligible as, in case of the inlet still extending to the 

 westward, it would be necessary to wait somewhere for Mr. Sherer to over- 

 take us, so that both these objects might thus be advantageously combined. 

 The night was cold, but beautifully clear and serene, and while the last 

 rays of the sun still tinged the western horizon, the moon appearing upon 

 the cloudless sky exactly opposite the door of our tent, with her beams 

 reflected from the unruffled surface of the water, created one of those tranquil 

 scenes where all nature seems hushed into repose, and of which, without 

 knowing precisely why, the mind very long retains the remembrance. 

 Mon. 10. Early on the morning of the 10th I ascended the hill, accompanied by two 

 of the men, leaving Mr. Ross at the tents to obtain the usual observations. 

 From the top of this hill, which is not less than seven hundred feet above the 

 level of the sea, I had an extensive and commanding view of the lands around 

 us, and found that we might still proceed to the westward, in which direction 

 there seemed more than one opening between islands. The water that ap- 

 peared at the back of the isthmus on which the tents stood proved to be a 

 shoal and narrow branch of the sea, of which we could now trace the extent. 

 Having obtained angles for every object in sight I returned to the tents about 

 noon, and was soon gratified by the arrival of Mr. Sherer, accompanied 

 by Mr. Bushnan, whose knowledge of Gore Bay was likely to prove of 

 service, should this inlet, as now seemed not unlikely, be found to communi- 

 cate with the land in that neighbourhood. The latitude of the tents was 

 66° 59' 06", and the longitude, by chronometers, 84° 59' 35". It was low water 



