IMPOKTANT DISCOVEKIES. 



427 



The heavens were cloudless, there was a fine breeze from the 

 northwest, and the boat bounded along rapidly toward the isl- 

 and. Around us was high land, white with its winter dress, and 

 beneath, an immense forest of sea vegetation, over which we 

 sailed. We soon reached the shore, and I immediately landed 

 to examine the place as well as the short time at my disposal 

 would permit. 



I soon came across an excavation, which was probably the com- 

 mencement of a mine dug by Frobisher, though the Innuits, judg- 

 ing only from what they saw, called it a reservoir for fresh water, 

 a quantity of which collected in it at certain seasons. This ex- 

 cavation was at some distance from the ruins of the stone houses, 

 and was eighty-eight feet long and six feet deep. 



On the shore of the north side of the island I found also an ex- 

 cavation which I called a ship's trench, for the Innuits said that 

 was where a ship had been built by the white men. It had been 

 dug out of stone, which was of such a nature as to yield to the 

 persevering use of pickaxe, sledge-hammer, and the crowbar. 

 The bottom of the trench, which was one hundred and ten feet in 

 length, was an inclined plane, running from the surface of the 

 ground to a depth of twenty -five feet at the water's edge. 



ONE OF FKOBISIIEE'S GOLD MINES, CALLED BY THE NATIVES SHIP'S TRENCH. 



On the top of the island I found the ruins of a house, which had 

 been built of stone, cemented together with lime and sand. The 

 foundation still remained, and was of " lyme and stone." It was 

 about twelve feet in diameter, and every portion of it was cover- 

 ed with aged moss. From appearances, some of the stones had 

 been turned over, as if done by Innuits seeking treasure. 



A few feet east of this house was a sort of stone breastwork, 



