OF THE POLAR SEA. 215 



this time green; along their base is a fine 

 sandy beach. From Point Wollaston to 

 our encampment the coast is skirted with 

 trap cliffs, which have often a columnar 

 form, and are very difficult of access. 

 These cliffs lie in ranges parallel to the 

 shore, and the deer that we killed were 

 feeding in small marshy grassy plats that 

 lie in the valleys between them. 



Being detained by the continuance of the 

 gale, on the 2d of August some men were 

 sent out to hunt, and the officers visited 

 the tops of the highest hills, to ascertain 

 the best channels to be pursued. The 

 wind abating, at ten P.M., we embarked 

 and paddled round the southern end of the 

 island, and continued our course to the 

 south-east. Much doubt at this time pre- 

 vailed as to the land on the right being the 

 main shore, or merely a chain of islands. 

 The latter opinion was *strengthened by the 

 broken appearance of the land, and the ex- 

 tensive view w T e had up Brown's Channel, 

 (named after my friend Mr. Robert Browti,) 

 the mouth of which we passed, and were in 



