106 



SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



Sept.' of Gore Bay ' is hi S h at the back ' but with a stri P of low land at th e foot 

 y^r^f of the hills, affording abundant pasturage for the numerous rein-deer that 

 frequent it. The stone circles of above twenty Esquimaux tents were met 

 with upon the isthmus, but they all appeared to have been long deserted. 

 We saw several black whales and a few seals near the beach, upon which 

 a number of masses of ice were aground, though there was none afloat in 

 the bay. The isthmus is composed of small loose fragments of gneiss, granite, 

 feldspar, quartz, hornblende, and some limestone. The latitude by obser- 

 vation was 66° 24' 33" ; the longitude, by chronometer, 84° 39' 50" ; and the 

 variation of the magnetic needle 56° 19' 52" westerly. 



A breeze springing up from the south-east just as we embarked, rather 

 retarded us on our return down the bay, the entrance of which we reached 

 however soon after sunset, and were about to land upon one of two islands 

 that lie close of Point Farhill, when we heard a shouting, which appeared 

 to proceed from some people on Georgina Island. Rowing in that direc- 

 tion we heard the same kind of shouting once or twice repeated, after 

 which all remained silent. Landing just before dark upon the north-west 

 end of Georgina Island, we with some difficulty made our way to a shingly 

 beach, by removing and cutting away a part of the grounded ice with which 

 it was lined. Immediately on landing I sent Messrs. Ross and M'Laren 

 to look round from the hill above us ; but as nothing could be seen or heard, 

 we concluded that the Esquimaux must have been frightened at our approach 

 and purposely remained quiet. 



Being apprehensive that the south-east wind Avould bring in the ice and 

 Thur. 20. obstruct our return to the ships round Cape Martineau, I gave orders for 

 moving at break of day on the 20th ; and had scarcely launched the boats 

 when my apprehensions were confirmed, by observing a great deal of close 

 ice a little below the island. The navigation of boats among ice is pecu- 

 liarly perplexing, in consequence of being placed so near the level of the 

 water that there is no possibility of seeing the best " leads." On this 

 account it is often more advantageous to land and look round from a greater 

 height, than blindly to persevere in picking out a slow and uncertain pas- 

 sage. With this intention, after in vain endeavouring for two hours to. 

 penetrate the ice, we put on shore at eight A.M., towards the eastern 

 point of Georgina Island, where Ave shortly ascertained that we could make 

 no progress without first retracing some of our steps to the north-west, in 



