this time migrating to the southeast, or in the opposite direction with respect to the line of coast that we had observed the eider ducks and brent geese proceeding a few days previously near Cape Bathurst.

About a mile and a half to the westward of Point Deas Thomson, the projecting point of a deep cove is perforated, forming a natural bridge, and not far from it another projection exhibits a less striking opening.

A detached column of limestone, inclosing masses and layers of chert or quartz rock, is also cut through, forming a pointed arch. The whole coast is composed of limestone, forming high cliffs at intervals. The quartz rock beds acquire occasionally a pistachiogreen color, as if from the presence of epidote. A similar stone occurs at Pigeon River on the north shore of Lake Superior; and the limestones and sandstones of the latter district, with their associated trap rocks, as at Thunder Mountain, correspond in most respects with those between Cape Parry and the Coppermine River; and consequently, if we can rely on lithological characters, they may be considered as the oldest members of the silurian series, or as the rocks on which that series is deposited, to which epoch the Lake Superior formation has been assigned. If we had been able to trace up the limestone spurs of the Rocky

Mountains which traverse the Mackenzie, they would most probably have been found running up to and connected with the limestone of this coast.

At six in the afternoon the wind veering round to the southwest, we embarked again, and continued under sail till three in the morning of the 18th, when the wind failing us we dropped anchor in the mouth of Roscoe River. We resumed our voyage at 8 A.M., after preparing an early breakfast.

A little to the westward of Point de Witt Clinton, a range of basalt and limestone cliffs extends for a mile along the beach, under which there lay a talus of unmelted drift-snow. In 1826, though we passed along this coast nearly a month earlier in the season, we observed much fewer of this kind of memorial of the preceding winter, and that year, the flowering plants were more plentiful, and the vegetation generally more luxuriant. The deterioration of the climate after rounding Cape Parry became daily more and more evident to us, though we had decreased our latitude above a degree since leaving Cape Bathurst. The presence of a large body of warmer water, carried into the Arctic Sea by the Mackenzie, may have some influence in ameliorating the temperature within the limits of that wide estuary; but I am inclined to think that Wollaston and Banks's Lands, by detaining much drift-ice in the channels which separate them from one another and from the main shore, have a still more powerful effect in lowering the summer temperature.

At Point de Witt Clinton the cliffs are formed of flesh-colored beds of limestone interleaved with bluish-gray beds, and containing fibrous and compact gypsum in veins. These cliffs are forty

or fifty feet high, and are covered to a considerable depth with diluvial loam, containing fragments of sandstone, limestone, and trap rocks, some of them rolled, others angular. The surface of the loam is undulated; and, about a quarter of a mile from the beach, cliffs of basalt protrude, at the height of two hundred and fifty feet above the water. A short way to the westward also of the point, cliffs of basalt rise from the beach. This stone breaks up here into cubical blocks, many of which are piled up at the foot of the cliff. These fragments and the basaltic shelves at the base of the cliff, are sculptured by fine acute furrows, and polished by the action of ice and gravel, the scratches being generally perpendicular to the line of coast, but occasionally crossing each

POINT TINNEY.-DRIFT-ICE.

173

other. The Melville Range is about five miles distant from this part of the shore, and presents many mural precipices and ravines on its acclivity. The highest points did not appear to rise more than seven or eight hundred feet above the sea. An undulated grassy country intervenes between the range and the shore.

In the evening we encamped on a point situated in latitude 69° 30′ N., to the westward of Point Tinney. The sea-bank shelves down from the general level of the country here one hundred and fifty or two hundred feet, and, being cut by ravines, shows conical eminences when seen from a boat. The diluvium is at least forty feet thick.

August 19th.-This morning we crossed the mouth of Buchanan River, which is a very small stream in this month, but the channel which it fills in time of flood is one hundred yards wide. I have mentioned, in the preceding narrative, that when we visited Fort Good Hope, no rain had fallen there this season, and a few short showers only occurred after we came to the coast. The banks of this stream gave further evidence of the dryness of the summer, in the clayey soil being cracked every where into round flat cakes, on which the foot-prints of geese, which had walked over them while yet muddy from the melting snow, were sharply impressed. Were such a surface to be covered by drift-sand, the foot-prints might be preserved as in the ancient sandstones. In the present instance the winter frosts set in without any heavy rains having fallen to obliterate the traces, which would consequently remain hard until the following spring.

Mr. Rae brought, in two fine reindeer, and several seals also were killed; but none of the men relishing the dark flesh of the seals, while they had abundance of excellent venison, I gave directions that no more should be shot. A meridional altitude was obtained in lat. 69° 19′ N.

To-day we passed through much drift-ice by very devious channels, and not without risk of the boats being crushed, but fortunately without damage. Croker's River issues from a triangular, level valley, three or four miles wide at the beach, and extending about five miles backward. Over this the stream spreads when flooded, but when low, filters out by narrow channels, barred across by sand-banks. The valley is bounded on the east and west by elevated banks of sand, diluvial loam and boulders, which meet at the Melville Range. The valley at this time presented

a singular scene of desolation; for though the summer was now far advanced, its flat bottom was entirely covered with large floes of ice, which had been probably driven over the sand-bar from the sea by northerly winds.

A brood of long-tailed ducks (Harelda glacialis) were seen swimming in one of the streams, with the mother bird in the van. Her wariness did not prevent us from laying her flock under contribution for our evening meal.

August 20th.—This day also our voyage was performed among crowded floes of ice, and was consequently slow. When we landed to prepare breakfast, Mr. Rae killed a fine buck reindeer. In this quarter, a skillful hunter, like Mr. Rae, could supply the whole party with venison without any loss of time. A meridional observation was obtained in lat. 69° 9' N. between Point Clifton and Inman's River, and about two miles from the latter; the variation of the compass, by the sun's bearing at noon, being 611° E., and Point Clifton bearing north 26° west, distant a mile and a quarter.

A little to the eastward of Point Clifton, there are cliffs of limestone, from whence to Inman's River the beach is alluvial and shingly. The river flows between high gravel banks and alluvial cliffs; and to the eastward of it, the limestone rises in successive terraces to the height of four hundred feet above the sea. The eminences which this formation produces are long and roundbacked, and it abounds in narrow deep ravines or fissures.

At Point Wise, the cliffs are composed of crumbling earthy limestone, containing chert in layers and nodules. From this point, at sunset, Wollaston Land was distinctly seen at the distance apparently of thirty miles.

On the morning of the 21st, we passed two ranges of high limestone cliffs, at the second of which, lying to the eastward of Hoppner River, we put ashore to prepare breakfast. The ice under

this cliff was loaded with many tons of gravel. Wollaston Land, as seen from hence, appeared to have its summits and ravines covered with snow, but the channel being filled with ice, the iceblink rendered the true form and condition of distant land very ncertain.

One of our boats having been injured by the ice and rendered leaky, we put ashore early .t Cape Young to repair the damage, which was effected in th ourse of the evening.

A STORM.-SLOW PROGRESS.

175

August 22d.-On embarking this morning in rather thick weather we struck across Stapylton Bay, for three hours, and then, getting sight of Cape Hope, bearing east-northeast, hauled up for

it. The sky was dark and lowering, with occasional thick haze and heavy showers, and a water-spout, seen in-shore, gave intimation of an approaching storm. Ice floes lying close off Cape Hope caused us no little trouble, the passages among them being very intricate, and the perpendicular walls of the masses being too high to allow of our landing, or seeing over them. In the afternoon we passed Cape Bexley, running before a stiff breeze, and at 5 P. M., a storm coming suddenly on, we were compelled to reduce our canvas to the goose-wing of the main-sail, under which we scudded for an hour, and then entering among large masses of ice, about two miles from Point Cockburn, found shelter under some pieces that had grounded. The shore was too flat to admit of our bringing the boats near enough to encamp; the ice-cold sea water, chilled the men as they waded to and fro; there was no drifttimber on the beach; and we passed a cold and cheerless night in the boats, the wind being too strong to admit of our raising any kind of shelter. I afterward learned that this storm began at Fort Simpson at 6 A. M. on the 23d, or, making allowance for the dif ference of longitude, about thirteen hours and a half later. It commenced on the Mackenzie by the wind changing from northeast to northwest, and the sky did not clear up till nine in the morning of the 24th. At the same date an earthquake occurred in the West India Islands, which did much damage.

During the night much ice drifted past, and in the morning of the 23d the sea as far as our view extended was one dense close pack. By 10 A. M. the wind had moderated considerably, and the rising tide having floated some of the stranded pieces of ice, we were enabled to advance slowly along the shore, by moving them aside. In this way every small indentation of the coast-line required to be rounded, and as these were numerous the direct distance made good was small. We encamped, on the tide falling again, at 2 P. M., on a gravel point lying about ten miles to the westward of Chantry Island. Snow, which fell in the night, did not wholly melt this day, and the distant rising grounds were white. The weather continued very cold; drift-wood proved to be exceedingly scanty; and in the night we had high winds and much sleet. The coast-line is more deeply indented in this quar