pound chronometer, and also a pocket sextant. In my hand I carried a compass tripod and azimuth compass. Charley had his double-barreled gun, ready for rabbits or any other game. After getting to the summit the view was very extensive. To the N.W. the appearance was as if the bay continued on between two headlands, one the termination of the ridge of mountains on the Kingaite, or Mela Incognita side, and the other the termination of the ridge running on the north side of Frobisher Bay. The coast of Kingaite was in full view, from the "Great Gateway"* down to the "President's Seat," a distance of one hundred nautical miles. A line of islands — their number legionshoot down from "Frobisher's Farthest" to the Kingaite coast. At noon and afterward the weather was exceedingly beautiful, and the water as smooth as a mirror. Kingaite side was showing itself in varying tints of blue, its even mountain range covered with snow, throwing a distinct shadow across the surface of the bay. The sun was warm, and yet casting a subdued light on all around. The rocks and mountains upon our right were bare, and of a red hue, while far to the southeast were the eternal snows of the Grinnell glacier. We encamped, as before, among the friendly Innuits who had accompanied us, and on the next morning, (August 23d), at an early hour, I went by myself for a walk among the hills. Mountains near the coast on that side of the bay had disappeared, the land being comparatively low and covered with verdure. I was delighted to find this such a beautiful country; the waters of the bay were teeming with animal life, and I thought that here was indeed the place to found a colony, if any one should ever renew the attempt in which Frobisher failed. Before I came back from my walk I perceived the camp-fires sending up their clouds of smoke, and I was soon after partak ing of a hearty breakfast, cooked and served in Innuit fashion. Abundance was now the rule. Seals and blubber were so plentiful that quantities were left behind at our encampment. Even whole seals, with the exception of the skins, were frequently *The opening between the two headlands alluded to above, which are about ten miles to the northwest of the head of the Bay of Frobisher, I named the "Great Gateway." The most conspicuous mountain on the coast of Frobisher Bay I named President's Seat, after the chief executive officer of the United States government. President's Seat is in lat. 62° 39' N., long. 66° 40' W. Our eleventh encampment was in lat. 63° 38' N., long. 68° 10' W. HEAD OF FROBISHER BAY. 391 abandoned. Thus these children of the icy North live-one day starving, and the next having so much food that they care not to carry it away. We started at 10 A.M., and passed in sight of more low land, some of which was covered with grass. Seals and ducks were so numerous that it was almost an incessant hunt—more from habit, on the part of the natives, than from necessity. The signs of reindeer being in the neighborhood were such that the males of my boat's crew landed to seek them. Some of the Innuits of the other boat had done the same, and frequent reports of fire-arms gave evidence that the game was in view. Presently Koojesse returned, having killed one of the largest of the deer, and after some trouble we got some portions of it on board—saddle, skin, hoofs, horns, and skull. My boat soon after carried at her bow not only the American flag, but also the noble antlers of the deer. I felt at home, with the flag of my country as my companion and inspiring theme. Early in the day, before the shooting of the reindeer, I heard what seemed to be the roar of a cataract, and perceived that we must be approaching some large river. Presently I was astonished by Suzhi saying to me, " Tar-ri-o nar-me" (this is not sea-water). She then took a tin cup, reached over the boat's side, dipped up some of the water, and gave it to me, after first drinking some herself, to show me that it was good. I drank, and found it quite fresh. It was clear that the river was of considerable size, or it could not throw out such a volume of fresh water to a considerable distance from its mouth against a tide coming in. After a while we came to an estuary where the waters were alive with salmon. My Innuit crew were in ecstasies, and I too was greatly rejoiced. On a point of land at the mouth of this fine river we pitched our tents,* and away went the men for another hunt. They were out all night, and on the next morning, August 24th, returned with two more deer. This, with what had been shot on the previous day, made our list of game four reindeer, besides several seals and sea-birds. We might have had more, but the Innuits were now indifferent to every thing but the larger sort. * Our twelfth encampment was in lat. 63° 43' 30", long. 68° 25'. It was on the west side of Sylvia Grinnell River, on a narrow strip of land called Tu-nu-zhoon, the south extreme of which is Ag-le-e-toon, which I named Tyler Davidson Point, after Tyler Davidson, of Cincinnati, Ohio. While at this, our twelfth encampment, there was quite an excitement occasioned among the Innuits by chasing a "rat." There they were, when I went out of my tent, with clubs and stones, ready for battle with the little animal. But lo! in a few moments the rat proved to be a leming—an arctic mouse. It was hunted out of its hiding-place and speedily killed. Shortly after another one was seen, chased, and killed in like manner. Both of them had very fine fur, and two of the Innuit women skinned the pretty little animals for me. I asked Tweroong if her people ever ate such creatures. With a very wry face, she replied in broken English, "Smalley" (little, or seldom). While we staid here, Tweroong employed herself in my tupic drawing, with remarkable skill, a rough outline of Frobisher Bay, Resolution Island, and other islands about it, and the north shore of Hudson's Strait. Too-loo-ka-ah also sketched the coast above and below Sekoselar. Every half minute he would punch me with a pencil I had given him, so that I might pay attention to the Innuit names of places. As soon as he had sketched an island, bay, or cape, he would stop, and wait until I had correctly written down the name. At first he was very loth to make the attempt at drawing a map, but the inducement I held out— some tobacco—succeeded, and, for the first time in his life, he put pencil to paper. His sketch was really good, and I have preserved it, together with Tweroong's, to the present time. The whole of this day, August 24th, and the following day, were passed at the same encampment. All the Innuit men went out hunting, and killed an abundance of game, now valued not for food, of which there was plenty, but for the skins, of which there was very soon quite a large stock on hand. The women were employed in dressing these skins,* and in such other work as always fell to their lot. I was engaged in my observations and in making notes. The weather was delightful, and the scenery around fine. But as I am now writing of that period when I was able to determine the question as to a Frobisher "Strait" or Bay, I will copy my diary as written on the spot. 'August 25th, 1861, 3 30 A.M. Another and another is added to the number of beautiful days we've had since starting on this expedition. . Can it be that such fine weather is here generally * The skins of the reindeer killed in August and September are valued above others, for the reason that winter dresses can be made only of them. At the time mentioned they are covered with long, thick, and firmly-set hair. |