214 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



to an island, where we put up at midnight, 

 having found a small bay, whose shores 

 furnished us with a little fire-wood. A 

 heavy gale came on from the westward, at- 

 tended with constant rain, and one of the 

 squalls overthrew our tents. The course 

 and distance made this day were north-east 

 sixteen miles and a half. I may here men- 

 tion, that Arctic Sound appeared the most 

 convenient, and perhaps the best place for 

 ships to anchor that we had seen along the 

 coast; at this season especially, when they 

 might increase their stock of provision, if 

 provided with good marksmen. Deer are 

 numerous in its vicinity, musk-oxen also 

 may be found up Hood's ""River, and the 

 fine sandy bottom of the bays promises 

 favourably for fishing with the seine. The 

 hills on the western side are even in their 

 outline and slope gradually to the water's 

 edge. The rocks give place to an alluvial 

 sandy soil, towards the bottom of the 

 Sound ; but on Banks' Peninsula rocky 

 eminences again prevail, which are rugged 

 and uneven, but intersected by valleys, at 



