OF THE POLAR SEA. 



223 



bear, which had a slight fishy taste, but was 

 deemed very palatable. 



August 10. — We followed up the east 

 border of the inlet about twenty-four miles, 

 and at length emerged into the open sea ; a 

 body of islands to the westward concealing 

 the channel by which we had entered. Here 

 our progress was arrested by returning bad 

 weather. We killed a bear, and its young 

 cub of this year, on the beach near our 

 encampment. We heartily congratulated 

 ourselves at having arrived at the eastern 

 entrance of this inlet, which had cost us nine 

 invaluable days in exploring. It contains 

 several secure harbours, especially near the 

 mouth of Back's River, where there is a 

 sandy bottom in forty fathoms. 



On the 3d and 4th of August we ob- 

 served a fall of more than two feet in the 

 water during the night. There are various 

 irregular and partial currents in the inlet, 

 which may be attributed to the wind. I 

 have distinguished it by the name of 

 Bathurst's Inlet, after the noble Secretary 

 of State, under whose orders I had the 



