74 
VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 
1819. Griper, affords very secure shelter with the wind from E.N.E., round by 
north, to S.W., and we found it more free from ice than any other part of 
the southern coast of the island. 
I had great reason to be satisfied with our having anchored the ships, as 
the wind shortly after blew a hard gale from the northward. In the evening 
I sent Captain Sabine and Messrs. Edwards and Nias on shore to examine 
the country, and to collect specimens of its natural productions ; they re- 
turned at ten P.M., having landed on a low point a little to the westward of 
the ships, which they found to be a very barren and unproductive spot ; 
several flocks of ducks were seen, and some glaucous gulls and tern ; 
the dung and foot-tracks of the deer and musk-ox were also observed in many 
places ; and some addition was made by our gentlemen to our collection of 
marine insects. The rocks are composed entirely of sandstone, but a few 
small pieces of granite, flint, and coal, were also among the specimens brought 
on board. This island, on which our boats had now landed for the second 
time, and which is much the largest of the group we had lately discovered, I 
honoured with the name of Melville Island, after Viscount Melville, the 
First Lord of the Admiralty. 
The bay of the Hecla and Griper was the first spot where we had dropped 
anchor since leaving the coast of Norfolk ; a circumstance which was rendered 
the more striking to us at the moment, as it appeared to mark, in a very de- 
cided manner, the completion of one stage of our voyage. The ensigns and 
pendants were hoisted as soon as we had anchored, and it created in us no 
ordinary feelings of pleasure to see the British flag waving, for the first time, 
in these regions, which had hitherto been considered beyond the limits of the 
habitable part of the world. 
