Si 8 Mr Jameson's Narrative of a Voyage to Davis Straits, 
ally they might be seen flying past the ship in flocks innumer- 
able. I have before observed, that this bird seldom leaves the 
ice. The quantity of broken up floes floating about, will, per- 
haps, account for these birds being seen in such numbers. The 
other birds were the same with those which occur more to the 
southward. I should, however, mention one species which I do 
not recollect of having before seen. It is a species of Tringa, 
with pinnated webbed feet, like the red Phalarope ( Tringa 
hyperborea ;), but differs from this species not only in colour but 
in several more important distinctions. 
Having sailed along the east coast to about Lat. 76° 10' 
without seeing any whales, we stood to the westward ; and ha- 
ving sailed for about 250 miles in this latter direction, we came 
in sight of the west coast. Its appearance is different from that 
of the east land, being much more low, but rising gradually in 
the back ground into mountains of a considerable height. There 
are here several extensive bays and sounds, the most considerable 
of which is Lancaster Sound, in about Lat. 74° 30'. We entered 
it on the 1st of August, but having proceeded up for fifteen 
miles only, we could draw no inference respecting the possi- 
bility of a NW. Passage, nor did we hear any thing of the Dis- 
covery Ships. We observed the current to run invariably out- 
wards, at the rate of about three one-half knots. The land on 
both sides rises very high, and is covered with an immense body 
of snow and ice. The shores are flat, and apparently worn 
smooth by the action of the water poured down from the high- 
er land. The animals on the coast were bears and walrusses ; 
the former very numerous, which had been probably allured by 
the number of whales which might occasionally be seen close to 
the land. There were other ships which penetrated much far- 
ther into the Sound than we did, and the acounts they bring of 
the possibilities of a passage by this Sound are, on the whole, 
favourable. 
On the 12th August we returned to the east land ; and ha- 
ving taken in a supply of water from an iceberg, we made the 
best of our way down the Straits. On the 3d September we 
doubled Cape Farewell, and, on the 23d, arrived at Hull, with 
twelve fish. 
