As the Goose Hunt House (a small hut where one of the Company's servants
and some Indians go every spring and autumn to shoot and salt geese,)
was at no great distance, I visited it, but found that the people had
taken their departure for the Factory--a certain sign that the geese and
ducks had gone farther north. Numbers of the Hudsonian godwit (_limosa
Hudsonica_) were flying about, apparently intending to breed in the
neighbourhood.
The boats floated at a quarter after 10 A.M., and we got under weigh
with a fine light breeze from the S.E. The temperature of the air was
62° and the water 40°. There were many pieces of ice floating about, and
a great quantity close-packed about half a mile outside. At mid-day we
were in latitude 57° 25' 93" N. After running by Massey's patent log for
10¾ miles north, we were stopped by ice at a few minutes after 1 P.M.,
when we made fast to a large grounded mass, which protected us from the
smaller floating pieces as long as the tide was ebbing; but as soon as
the flood made, it required all our exertions to prevent the boats being
damaged. We now found the great advantage of some sheet copper that had
been nailed on their bows, as it completely protected them from being
chafed. At 11 next forenoon, finding our situation rather dangerous, as
soon as the tide flowed far enough, we pushed inshore, and beached the
boats on a fine smooth surface of mud and gravel. With the exception of
a heavy shower of rain at 6 A.M., the weather continued fine all day,
but the sky was too cloudy to permit any observations to be made.
On the 16th we advanced only 1½ miles. The temperature of the air 42°
and the water 34°. By an azimuth of the sun the variation of the
compass, 10° 54' east, was obtained.
As it was only at, or near, high-water that we could make any progress,
we crept along shore about four miles during the morning's tide, and in
the evening we put into Rupert's Creek, which afforded us good shelter,
and also fresh water, of which we were getting rather short. A fresh
breeze from the east brought in much ice, which completely blockaded our
harbour. The morning of the 18th was very fine, but the easterly wind
still continued, and such was the effect produced by it that not a spot
of open water was to be seen. The latitude 57° 32' 18" was observed, and
an observation of the sun's azimuth yesterday gave the variation of the
compass 9° 56' E. Some partridges (_tetrao saliceti_), ducks, and a
flat-billed phalarope (_P. fulicarius_) were shot.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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