FIRST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
95 
the natives, a man was sent to the mast head to look out for them. 
The natives however not appearing, the ships cast loose from 
the ice, and made sail from Prince Regent’s Bay. Capt. Ross 
giving the name of the Arctic Highlands to the country, being 
situate between the latitudes of 76° and 77° 40 north, and the 
longitudes of 60° and 7*2° west. 
On the 17th, the course was continued along the land at the 
distance of five or six miles, among numerous icebergs, and 
pieces of loose ice. It was now discovered, that the snow on 
the face of the cliffs presented an appearance both novel and in¬ 
teresting, being apparently stained or covered by some substance, 
which gave it a deep crimson colour. Many conjectures were 
formed concerning the cause of this appearance, and a party was 
despatched from the ship to bring off some of the snow. It was 
found that the snow was penetrated in many places, to a depth 
of ten or twelve feet by the colouring matter, and that it had the 
appearance of having been a long time in that state. On being 
brought on board, the snow was examined by a microscope, 
magnifying 110 times, and the substance appeared to consist of 
particles, resembling a very minute round seed, all of them be¬ 
ing of the same size, and of a deep red colour. On being dis¬ 
solved, the water had the appearance of muddy port wine, and 
in a few hours it deposited a sediment, which was again exa¬ 
mined by the microscope, and on being bruised, it was found to 
be composed wholly of red matter, which, when applied to 
paper, produced a colour resembling that of Indian red. It 
was the opinion of Dr. Wollaston, that this was not a marine 
production, but a vegetable substance produced on the moun¬ 
tain immediately above it. 
In the evening they came in sight of Cape Dudley Digges, 
where the situation of the ice obliged them to pass very close to 
the land, and as they approached the coast, a considerable swell 
was perceived for the first time, which was considered as rather 
a favourable omen. Cape Dudley Digges was found to be a few 
miles to the southward of the situation in which Baffin has laid 
it down; it appeared to form a precipice of about eight hundred 
feet in height, was perfectly clear of snow, and presented a yel- 
