After breakfast next morning we pulled round the east end of some rocks
near which we had lain at anchor during the flood tide, and kept on our
course across Whale Cove. Some small pieces of ice were seen floating
about; the thermometer in the shade 55°, water 36°. A fog, which had
been thick all the morning, cleared up at half-past ten, and we saw some
islands at no great distance right ahead, and a smoke a few miles inland
on our beam, probably made by Esquimaux, but we could not see any tents.
Our latitude by observation was 62° 11' 23" N. Temperature of air 55°,
of water 37°.
The weather was very variable, with calms and light breezes alternately.
At a little after 7 in the evening we were off the south point of
Corbet's Inlet. It rained hard almost all night; we, however, continued
our course, and at 7 A.M. got among a number of reefs and islands that
lie near the south point of Rankin's Inlet. In attempting to pass
between two of these our boat got aground, and as the tide was ebbing
she could not be shoved afloat again; but, as the greater part of the
cargo was carried on shore before the water fell very far, no damage was
done. An excellent observation of the sun gave latitude 62° 35' 47" N.,
variation 6° 6' W., Marble Island bearing east by compass. The black
guillimot was in such numbers here that four or five were killed at one
shot. Many eggs were collected, and one nest was found having two eider
and three long-tailed ducks' eggs in it. The eider had possession, but
whether the birds had a mutual understanding, or whether the stronger
had driven out the weaker possessor, it is difficult to say.
At 4 P.M. we floated and ran across the inlet, the traverse being 15
miles. We landed at its north point, as the wind and tide were both
against us. There were numerous signs that this place is often visited
by the Esquimaux; the bones of various animals and the remains of some
stone "caches" being every where visible. A little before midnight a
deer was shot by Corrigal. During a walk I fell in with a large white
owl (_strix nyctra_). As is usually the case it was very shy, and could
not be approached within gun-shot.[3]
The rise of the tide was 14 feet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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