466 



SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



™ did we notice any during the whole time of our stay. The Esquimaux had 

 informed us of a large fall, but as we neither saw nor heard any thing of it, 

 it must be a good way higher up, our point of view extending full fifteen 

 miles, when it terminated in two bluff points, between which the stream 

 seemed to wind. To these points, to all appearance, it continued about the 

 same breadth, and from the colour of the water it must be deep enough for 

 ships of large burden. The land on each side was high, and where we stood 

 was more closely covered with vegetation than any spot I had ever seen in 

 these regions. The dwarf willow grew to a height and size almost entitling 

 it to be called a shrub, and the Andromeda tetragom was in the greatest 

 abundance. 



26 " On the 26th I sent one of my men to the top of a high hill behind our tent, 

 but his view from thence was not more extensive than what we had already 

 procured. After stopping to get the meridional altitude, which gave the 

 lat. 70° 06' 42" N., the longitude, by chronometer, being 0° 39' 48" W. of 

 the ships, we set out on our return. As the ice was broken up for two miles 

 below us, we endeavoured to get on the solid floe by a narrow neck about 

 one hundred yards broad ; but having got half way it proved so thin and 

 rotten that I considered it better to return, than to run the risk of crossing 

 it. The dogs dragged the sledge along shore until we came to the firm ice* 

 performing their task much better than we expected. We now returned 

 down the river, and, having picked up the things left on the island, arrived 

 at the Esquimaux tents at half-past eight. They received us very kindly, 

 assisting to unload the sledge and carry the things to the top of the hill. 

 We purchased of them some very fine salmon, which they caught in a 

 small rivulet emptying itself into a bay about a quarter of a mile from the 

 tents.. 



27. " The 27th proving a fine day, the men all went out with their fishing- 

 spears at high-water, but returned in a short time, saying there were no fish, 

 from which it is probable that they only come here occasionally, resorting 

 at other times to other places of the same description, with which the river 

 abounds. The latitude of this station is 70° 0' 13" N. ; longitude, by chrono- 

 meter, 0° 5' 40" W. of the ships. We left our friends about one P.M. ; they 

 continued civil to the last, although the temptation to rob us was too great for 

 them to resist. This, however, they did in a sly sort of way, removing things 

 from where we had placed them with the idea, perhaps, that we should not miss 



