230 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



on this side were mistaken for islands when 

 seen from the opposite shore ; they are for 

 the most part cliffs of basalt, and are not 

 above one hundred feet high ; the subjacent 

 strata are of white sand-stone. The rocks 

 are mostly confined to the capes and shores, 

 the soil inland being flat, clayey, and barren. 

 Most of the headlands shewed traces of 

 visits from the Esquimaux, but none of 

 them recent. Many ducks were seen, be- 

 longing to a species termed by the voyagers 

 from their cry, " caccawees." We also saw 

 some gray geese and swans. The only 

 seal we procured during our voyage, was 

 killed this day; it happened to be blind, 

 and our men, imagining it to be in bad 

 health, would not taste the flesh ; we, how- 

 ever, were less nice. 



We encamped at the end of twenty-four 

 miles' march, on the north-west side of a 

 bay, to which I have given the name of my 

 friend Capt. Parry, now employed in the 

 interesting research for a North- West Pas- 

 sage. Drift wood had become very scarce, 

 and we found none near the encampment; 



