290 
VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 
1820. examining the large inlet which opens to the southward of Cape Kater. It 
now became obvious, that what had been mistaken for banks near Cape 
Kater on the preceding voyage were, in reality, only the regular shore sound- 
ings, which are in no respect different from those which occur in the whole 
space between this inlet and the river Clyde, at the same distance from the 
land. These soundings had appeared to indicate banks in 1818, because we 
came into them from an offing of several leagues ; whereas, had we been running 
along shore, as in the present instance, we should have found a similar depth 
for near a hundred miles to the northward of Cape Kater, except at the 
mouths of the inlets where the water is always very deep. 
There was a great deal of loose ice, and many bergs on this part of the 
coast ; but we did not meet with the same obstruction off Cape Kater as on 
the former voyage. . Several young black Avhales and a seal were seen in 
the course of the day. 
Sun. 10. The wind being fresh and squally down the inlet, on the morning of the 
10th, a press of sail was carried, for the purpose of examining it ; but in the 
course of the forenoon we were obliged to close-reef the topsails, and send 
down the top-gallant-yards. We found this immense bay crowded with 
islands, which, together with its numerous openings, would require a con- 
siderable time to survey them accurately, and of the position of which, there- 
fore, only a general idea is given in the annexed chart. Towards noon, a haze 
which had been resting over the western horizon cleared away, and we saw 
the land nearly all round the bay ; but the distance at which we were was too 
great to enable us to ascertain satisfactorily its absolute continuity. Such, 
indeed, was the appearance of this magnificent inlet, of which the width of 
the entrance is not less than fifteen leagues, that it is highly probable some 
outlet may be found through it from Baffin’s Bay into the Polar Sea ; the 
strong westerly wind, and the intention I had formed of exploring this coast 
in a lower latitude, particularly about Cumberland Strait, prevented any 
further examination of it on this occasion. We crossed over, therefore, to 
the south shore, where we stood off and on till day-light should enable us 
to proceed to the southward. We passed, in the course of the, day, the carcass 
of a dead whale, on which the fulmar petrels and ivory-gulls were feeding, in 
great numbers. 
Mon. 11, As soon as day-light appeared, we took advantage of a light westerly 
breeze to stand to the south-east under all sail, but had soon the mortifica- 
tion to perceive that a compact body of flpe-ice obstructed our passage to 
