444 



SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



June snow to wa ^ ** or better weather ; thermometer 40°. Towards evening 



the snow ceased, and at six P.M. we again moved forward over a plain so 

 flat that I fancied it was a lake, until by accidentally breaking through the 

 deep crust of snow which covered it, we saw moss and grass. At thirty 

 minutes after eight the weather again thickened, but before it did so we 

 were enabled to observe that the low land ran for several miles in a southerly 

 direction. The granite mountains at this part assumed a more rounded 

 form and were entirely covered with snow. Having travelled in the course 

 of this day above eight hours, S.S.E., we tented for the night on the snow. 

 A heavy gale with thick snow and drift continued to render us very uncom- 

 fortable at a temperature of 25°. 



30. " This severe weather continued until five P.M. on the 10th, when the 

 snow ceased, but the sky was so cloudy, and the view so limited that we 

 remained completely in the dark as to our road. Determining however to 

 attempt to make some westing, we ascended some high and rounded hills in 

 nearly a west direction. The recently fallen snow was so deep that the dogs 

 were buried to their bellies, and even our snow-shoes were but of little assist- 

 ance to us. A flock of seven ducks passed us flying to the south-west. After 

 two hours' extreme exertion we reached the summit of the smooth hills, and 

 thence saw a chain of mountains lying immediately across our path at about 

 three miles' distance. 



46 Heavy snow and calm weather obliged us to tent on the hills, which, on 

 clearing away the snow for a sleeping-place, we found to be covered with 

 shingle limestone on a bed of yellow marl. Thermometer, at ten P.M., 20°. 



31- Heavy snow all night ; and on the 11th it still continued to fall thickly until 

 thirty minutes after three P.M., when clearing a little, I determined on 

 attempting to pass through a small opening in the mountains about W.S.W. 

 of us. The snow which had now fallen with but little intermission for two 

 days and nights was so deep, that we proceeded very slowly and with great 

 labour, and the mountains were as completely covered as in the middle of 

 winter. After two hours' toil in ascending a steep hill Ave arrived on what 

 we conceived was good table land, when we suddenly found ourselves on the 

 brink of a precipice, and a chain of mountains extending from north to S.E. 

 On stopping the sledge it sank so deep in a wreath of snow that all our 

 efforts to move it were in vain ; the dogs were quite overcome, and we were 

 quite at a stand. We therefore unloaded it and threw away about one hun- 

 dred weight of such things as could be spared, after which about half an 



