SHORES OF THE POLAR SEA. 245 



sea coast — the very shallow sea washing 

 that coast, which at the distance of three or 

 four miles, in some places, was found to be 

 scarcely deep enough to float their boats — 

 and the numerous masses of ice brought 

 down by the northerly winds, and grounded 

 everywhere along this low coast — there is a 

 constant exhalation of moisture during the 

 summer months, which the vicinity of the 

 Rocky Mountains prevents being carried 

 away, and which is therefore condensed into 

 a thick fog. 



It was the 16th of August before the 

 boats had reached the half-way point be- 

 tween the Mackenzie River and Icy Cape. 

 At this early period the young ice began to 

 form at night on the pools of fresh water ; 

 the summer, if a constant succession of north- 

 erly gales and fogs could be so called, was 

 nearly at an end, as experience on a former 

 voyage had taught Franklin to conclude. 

 He had then witnessed at a day later, and 

 at two degrees more southerly, the com- 

 mencement of severe storms of wind and 

 snow, and found that, in the course of ano- 



