374 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



We then ran along the eastern shore of Arctic Sound, distinguished 

 by the name of Banks' Peninsula, in honour of the late Right 

 Honourable Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society ; and 

 rounding Point Wollaston at its eastern extremity, opened another 

 extensive sheet of water ; and the remainder of the afternoon was 

 spent in endeavouring to ascertain, from the tops of the hills, 

 whether it was another bay, or merely a passage enclosed by a chain 

 of islands. Appearances rather favouring the latter opinion, we 

 determined on proceeding through it to the southward. During the 

 delay four more deer were killed, all young and lean. It appears 

 that the coast is pretty well frequented by rein-deer at this season ; 

 but it is rather singular, that hitherto we have killed none (ex- 

 cepting the first) but young ones of last season, which were all too 

 lean to have been eaten by any but persons who had no choice. 



We paddled along the western shore with the intention of en- 

 camping, but were prevented by the want of drift wood on the 

 beach. This induced us to make a traverse to an island, where we 

 put up at midnight, having found a small bay, whose shores fur- 

 nished us with a little fire- wood. A heavy gale came on from the 

 westward, attended with constant rain, and one of the squalls over- 

 threw our tents. The course and distance made to-day were 

 north-east sixteen miles and a half. I may here mention, that 

 Arctic Sound appears to be the most convenient, and perhaps the 

 best, place for ships to anchor that we have seen along the coast; at 

 this season especially, when they might increase their stock of pro- 

 vision, if provided with good marksmen. Deer are numerous in its 

 vicinity, musk-oxen also may be found up Hoods River, and the 

 fine sandy bottom of the bays promise favourably for fishing with 

 the seine. The hills on the western side are even in their outline 

 and slope gradually to the water's edge. The rocks give place to 

 an alluvial sandy soil, towards the bottom of the Sound ; but on 

 Banks' Peninsula rocky eminences again prevail, which are rugged 



