Bidding adieu to our companions who were to return to Fort Hope, we
commenced our journey at half-past 8 P.M., each of my men being laden
with about 70 lbs., whilst I carried my instruments, books, and some
other articles, weighing altogether 40 lbs. This was but a light burden
for me, but as I had to examine different objects on the route, and also
to lead the way, I found it quite enough.
As soon as we had fairly rounded Cape T. Simpson, the coast turned to
the eastward, and became indented with narrow but deep inlets, all of
which were packed full of rough ice. Walking became most difficult. At
one moment we sank nearly waist-deep in snow, at another we were up to
our knees in salt water, and then again on a piece of ice so slippery
that, with our wet and frozen shoes, it was impossible to keep from
falling. Sometimes we had to crawl out of a hole on all fours like some
strange-looking quadrupeds; at other times falling backwards we were so
hampered by the weight of our loads, that it was impossible to rise
without throwing them off, or being assisted by one of our companions.
We therefore found it better to follow the shores of the inlets than to
cross them, although by doing so we had double the distance to go over.
Numerous traces of hares were seen, but we could not afford to lose time
in following them.
After passing four inlets having some small islands lying outside of
them, we came to a rocky point rather higher than any we had yet met
with on this side of the bay. The coast to the eastward of Point Cowie
(so named after an old friend) became more level, and instead of
granite, was covered with mud, shingle, and fragments of limestone. At
half-past 3 A.M., all of us being sufficiently tired with our night's
work, we built our snow hut and a small kitchen for cooking. This was
our usual practice when we had found, or were likely to find, fuel. In
the present instance, we had the good fortune to collect enough to boil
a kettle of chocolate, and we consequently enjoyed an excellent supper,
if I may so term a meal taken about six in the morning.
The weather had been fine until midnight, when it began to snow and
drift, with a strong breeze from the north. Thermometer +13°. At noon
the sky was too much overcast to obtain an observation. Our latitude was
67° 24' 20" N., longitude 86° 37' W. both by account.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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