74 
VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 
1819. 
Sept. 
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 returned 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. 
