OF THE POLAR SEA. 213 



name of Banks' Peninsula, in honour of the 

 late Right Honourable Sir Joseph Banks, 

 President of the Royal Society, and round- 

 ing Point Wollaston at its eastern extremity, 

 opened another extensive sheet of water ; 

 and the remainder of the afternoon was 

 spent in endeavouring to ascertain, from the 

 tops of the hills, whether it was another 

 bay, or merely a passage enclosed by a 

 chain of islands. Appearances rather fa- 

 vouring the latter opinion, we determined 

 on proceeding through it to the southward. 

 During the delay four more deer were 

 killed, all young and lean. It appeared 

 that the coast is pretty well frequented by 

 rein-deer at this season ; but it was rather 

 singular, that hitherto we had killed none, 

 (excepting the first) but young ones of last 

 season, which were all too lean to have 

 been eaten by any but persons who had no 

 choice. 



We paddled along the western shore with 

 the intention of encamping, but were pre- 

 vented by the want of drift wood on the 

 beach. This induced us to make a traverse 



