332 



SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



Sept a ^ we SaW °^ an * ma ^ ^ e during this afternoon's walk ; but the tracks of deer, 

 ^y^u all going to the southward, were everywhere seen upon the snow. We ob- 

 tained on every eminence a distinct view of the ice the whole way down to 

 Neerlo-nakto, in which space not a drop of clear water was discernible ; the 

 whole of Richards' Bay was filled with ice as before. 

 Wed. 4. We moved at six P.M. on the 4th, and soon came to a number of lakes 

 from half a mile to two miles in length, occurring in chains of three or four 

 together, round which we had to walk at the expense of much time and 

 labour. All these terminated towards the sea in inlets, one of which 

 that we came to at nine A.M., and which I named after Mr. Halse of 

 the Fury, was three or four miles in length, and detained us two hours in 

 Avalking round the head of it. These inlets were still filled with ice of the 

 last winter's formation, except close round the shores, where a narrow space 

 of open water had been formed by the warmth of the land. We halted at a 

 quarter past eleven, having made good four miles and a half in a S.b.W. di- 

 rection, and found ourselves by observation at noon in latitude 69° 32' 58". 

 Continuing our journey at three P.M. we soon arrived at the shores of ano- 

 ther inlet like the former, two or three miles in length, up which we had to 

 walk above two before we could make any southing. We were then for the 

 first time enabled to proceed almost directly to the southward, our only in- 

 terruption being occasioned by the numerous steep and craggy hills which 

 every where presented themselves. At half-past live we suddenly came in 

 sight of a high and remarkably level piece of table-land, immediately to the 

 southward of us, and extending for several miles in an east and west direc- 

 tion. Along the upper part ran a narrow perpendicular ridge having a dark 

 appearance, and the rest formed a yellow shelving slope, as if composed of 

 the debris falling uniformly from above. At half-past six, on gaining a sight 

 of the sea from the top of a hill, we immediately recognised to the eastward 

 the numerous islands of red granite described by Captain Lyon ; and now 

 perceived what had before been surmised, that the south shore of Richards' 

 Bay formed the northern coast of the inlet, up which his journey with the 

 Esquimaux had been pursued. Our latitude by account from noon being 

 now 69° 28', we felt confident that a short walk directly to the south must 

 bring us to any strait communicating with that inlet, and we therefore 

 pushed on in confident expectation of being near our journey's end. At 

 seven P.M., leaving the men to pitch the tent in a sheltered valley, Mr. 

 Richards and myself ascended the hill that rose beyond it, and on reaching 



