18 
tion, corapleted the geographical, and in a large degree also the geological, know- 
ledge about these parts of the Arctic Archipelago. The botanical results are due 
principally to Dr. Walker, whose plantcollection is treated by Hooker in Journ. 
Linn. Soc. 1861. In the Narrative of M'Clintock plants are scarcely mentioned 
and tliere is no botanical appendix. A rather important geological one by S. 
Haughton, however, is to be found. 
After the return of M'Clintock in 1859 the islands lying to the west and 
Southwest of Lancaster Sound have only been visited in a few cases. In 1873 
Captain A. H. Maekham took part in the whaling-expedition of the »Arctic» of 
Dundee and during the voyage found opportunities of collecting plants on the 
north coast of Baffin Land and in N. Somerset. They are enumerated in an appen- 
dix to bis account of the cruise. In 1876 Allén Young in the »Pandora» pene- 
trated down Peel Strait to the western entrance of Bellot Strait The only botanical 
note in bis book is, howevei-, about the occurrence of Cochhmria in the Cary Islands 
in Stnith Sound. VVben Captain Roald Amundsen in 1903—06 in the littie yacht 
»Gjöa» accomplisbed the north west ])assage,^he took bis way from Beechey Island 
through Peel Strait and east of King Williams Land. After passing two years in 
Gjöa Harbour on the southeastern coast of this island, he followed the continenlal 
coast to Bering Strait. Tlie narrative of Amundsen contains no botanical notes, 
nor hardly any reference to vegetation at all, hut plants were collected by two 
members of the expediton, Mr. A. H. Lindström and Mr. G. Hansen. These 
collections have been determined by Dr. Ostenpeld (Gjöa Exp.) and form now a 
very valuable contribution to the flora of this region. From Victoria Land, whcre 
most part of the remaining unknown shorehne was mapped, no collections exist. 
In 1908--09 the Canadian Government steamer »Arctic» under the command 
of Captain J. E. Bernier made a cruise in the Arctic Archipelago and wintered in 
Parry'8 old quarters at Mel ville Island. Here Mr. J. G. M'Millan brought together 
a collection of plants, which is treated by J. M. Macoun in an appendix to the 
report of Bernier. The report also contains some photographs, showing vegetation 
in Mel ville Island and other localities. 
If the contributions to the botanical knowledge about most parts of the western 
islands of the Archipelago, brought home after the end of the Franklin search, 
have been rather small, this is not, however, the case as far as the eastern islands 
are concerned, viz., Baffin Land, North Devon, and Ellesmereland. The most 
important contribution to our knowledge about the flora of Baffin Land certainly 
is due to Dr. James Taylor, surgeon on board of different whaling ships in 
iSöt)— 63, who bad occasion to visit several points on the east coast from Cumber- 
land Gulf northward to Cape Adair in lat. 7P20' N. and zealously collected or 
noted all plants he eould find there. 1 have bad opportunity to look over bis 
specimens and thus to verify that, in most cases, his identifications are rehablo. 
During the search for Franklin most expeditions sailed as far north as the »north 
water», viz , the southern broader part of Smith Sound, and Inglefield in 1852 
