OF THE POLAR SEA. 



381 



operations was hastening away ; but after rounding Cape Croker 

 the wind became so strong that we could proceed no further. The 

 distance we had made being only six miles on a north-east by east 

 course. The shore on which we encamped is formed of the debris 

 of red sand-stone, and is destitute of vegetation. The beach fur- 

 nished no drift wood, and we dispensed with our usual meal rather 

 than expend our pemmican. Several deer were seen, but the 

 hunters could not approach them; they killed two swans. We 

 observed the latitude 68° 1' 20", where we halted to breakfast this 

 morning. 



August 13.— Though the wind was not much diminished, we were 

 urged, by the want of fire-wood, to venture upon proceeding. We 

 paddled close to the shore for some miles, and then ran before the 

 breeze with reefed sails, scarcely two feet in depth. Eoth of the 

 canoes received much water, and one of them struck twice on 

 sunken rocks. At the end of eighteen miles we halted to breakfast 

 in a bay, which I have named after Vice- Admiral Sir William 

 Johnstone Hope, one of the Lords of the Admiralty. 



We found here a considerable quantity of small willows, such as 

 are brought down by the rivers we have hitherto seen ; and hence 

 we judged, that a river discharges itself into the bottom of this 

 bay. A paddle was also found, which Augustus, on examination, 

 declared to be made after the fashion of the White Goose Esqui- 

 maux, a tribe with whom his countrymen had had some trading 

 communication, as has been mentioned in a former part of the 

 Narrative. 



This morning we passed the embouchure of a pretty large stream, 

 and saw the vestiges of an Esquimaux encampment, not above a 

 month old. Having obtained the latitude 68° 6' 40" N., we recom- 

 menced our voyage under sail, taking the precaution to embark all 

 the pieces of willow we could collect, as we had found the drift 

 wood become more scarce as we advanced. Our course was directed 



