378 
APPENDIX NO. V. 
After this delay we started, in the hope of being able to reach the 
cape to the north of us. At the very lower end of the bay there was 
still a little old fast ice, over which we went without following the 
curve of the bay up the fiord, which shortened our distance consider¬ 
ably. Hans became tired, and I sent him more inland, where the 
travelling was less laborious. As I proceeded toward the capo ahead 
of me, the water came again close in-shorc. I endeavored to reach it, 
but found this extremely difficult, as there were piles of broken rocks 
rising on the cliffs, in many places to the height of one hundred feet. 
The cliffs above these were perpendicular, and nearly two thousand feet 
high. I climbed over the rubbish; but beyond it the sea was washing 
the foot of the cliffs, and, as there were no ledges, it was impossible for 
me to advance another foot. I was much disappointed, because one 
hour’s travel would have brought me round the cape. The knob to 
which I climbed was over five hundred feet in height, and from it 
there was not a speck of ice to be seen. As far as I could discern, the 
sea was open, a swell coming in from the northward and running 
crosswise, as if with a small eastern set. The wind was due N.,— 
enough of it to make white caps,—and the surf broke in on the rocks 
below in regular breakers. The sky to the N.W. was of dark rain- 
cloud, the first that I had seen since the brig was frozen up. Ivory- 
gulls were nesting in the rocks above me, and out to sea were molle- 
moke and silver-backed gulls. The ducks had not been seen N. of the 
first island of the channel, but petrel and gulls hung about the waves 
near the coast. 
June 25.—As it was impossible to get around the cape, I retraced 
my steps, and soon came up to Hans, who had remained a short distance 
behind. 
When we returned to the spot where the bears were killed, the dogs 
had another feed; they had not followed us any farther, but remained 
near the carcass of the bear. Three of them were lying down, having 
eaten so much they were unable to run. 
After a difficult passage around the southern cape of the bay, we 
arrived at our camp, where we had left the sledge at 5 P.M., having 
been absent thirty-six hours, during which time we had travelled 
twenty miles due north of it. 
June 26.—Before starting I took a meridian-altitude of the sun, 
(this being the highest northern point I obtained it except one, as 
during the last two days the weather had been cloudy, with a gale 
blowing from the north,) and then set off at 4 p.m. on our return down 
the channel to the south. 
