44 Journal of a Voyage through the 



an observation which gave 69. 1. North latitude. From 

 the point that has been just mentioned, we continued the 

 same course for the Westernmost point of an high island, 

 and the Westernmost land in sight, at the distance of fifteen 

 miles. 



The lake was quite open to us to the Westward, and out 

 of the channel of the river there was not more than four 

 feet water, and in some places the depth did not exceed 

 one foot. From the shallowness of the water it was impos- 

 sible to coast to the Westward. At five o'clock we arrived 

 at the island, and during the last fifteen miles, five feet 

 was the deepest water. The lake now appeared to be 

 covered with ice, for about two leagues distance, and no 

 land a-head, so that we were prevented from proceeding 

 in this direction by the ice, and the shallowness of the water 

 along the shore. 



We landed at the boundary of our voyage in this direc- 

 tion, and as soon as the tents were pitched I ordered the 

 nets to be set, when I proceeded with the English chief to 

 the highest part of the island, from which we discovered 

 the solid ice, extending from the South- West by compass 

 to the Eastward. As far as the eye could reach to the 

 South- Westward, we could dimly perceive a chain of 

 mountains, stretching further to the North than the edge 

 of the ice, at the distance of upwards of twenty leagues. 

 To the Eastward we saw many islands, and in our pro- 

 gress we met with a considerable number of white par- 

 tridges, now become brown. There were also flocks of 

 very beautiful plovers, and I found the nest oLone of 

 them with four eggs. White owls, likewise, were among 

 the inhabitants of the place : but the dead, as well as the 

 living, demanded our attention, for we came to the grave 

 of one of the natives, by which lay a bow, a paddle, and 

 a spear. The Indians informed me that they landed on a 

 small island, about four leagues from hence, where they 

 had seen the tracks of two men that were quite fresh; they 

 had also found a secret store of train oil> and several bones 

 of white bears were scattered about the place where it was 

 hid. The wind was now so high that it was impracticable 

 for us to visit the nets. 



My people could not, at this time, refrain from expres- 

 sions of real concern, that they were obliged to return 

 without reaching the sea : indeed, the hope of attaining 

 this object encouraged them to bear, without repining, 



