When we resumed our journey, at 7 o'clock in the evening of the 17th,
there was still a strong breeze from N.N.W. with snow drift, the
temperature being +18°. Our snow hut of the previous day we now found to
be on the shore of a large bay, the most distant point of which bore
nearly due north. To follow the coast would have cost us a great deal of
additional walking; I therefore determined to attempt the traverse of
the bay towards the point above referred to. All along the coast there
was a belt of rough ice about two miles broad, over which we were forced
to pass before reaching some that appeared smoother outside. To cross
this barrier occupied us more than two hours, and gave us more violent
exercise than all the remainder of the day's journey. It was half-past 3
A.M. when we arrived at the north point of the bay, which was low and
level, with some hills a few hundred feet high, three or four miles
inland. We had passed two small rocky islands to seaward in the first
part of the night, and there was another close to a bluff point on the
south side of the bay. To this cape I gave the name of Watt. The bay was
called after Lieut. (now Captain) Lefroy of the Royal Artillery, whose
name is well known to the scientific world, and of whose kindness in
aiding me in my astronomical studies I retain a most grateful
remembrance.
We crossed over to Cape W. Mactavish (so named after William Mactavish,
Esquire, chief trader, an intimate friend, to whom I am much indebted
for assisting me in fitting out the expedition,) and stopped about three
miles beyond it. Here we built our snow hut, which was found by meridian
observation to be in latitude 67° 42' 22" N.; the variation of the
compass 80° 35' W., and the longitude by account 86° 30' W. Directly
opposite our encampment, and extending for about seventeen miles to the
northward of it, there was a large island of table land, with not a
single rock _in situ_ to be seen on it. Its southern extremity bore
nearly west (true) from us, and the strait which separated it from the
mainland was not more than a mile and a half wide. This island was
honoured with the name of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and a
smaller one to the south of it was named after Colonel Sabine.
Not a single living animal had been seen all day, but some traces of
deer proceeding northward were noticed. We were again fortunate enough
to find a little fuel.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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