the
eastward for some fifteen miles, having in its centre a
peculiarly-shaped rock, which the seamen immediately christened "Prince
Albert's Hat," from its resemblance to a marine's shako. The numerous
traces here of Esquimaux were perfectly startling; their tent-places,
winter abodes, caches, and graves, covered every prominent point about
us. Of what date they were, it was impossible, as I have elsewhere
said, to form a correct idea. The enamel was still perfect on the bones
of the seals which strewed the rocks, the flesh of which had been used
for food. On opening one of the graves, I found the skeleton of an old
man, with a good deal of the cartilage adhering to the bones, and in
the skull there was still symptoms of decaying flesh; nothing, however,
was seen to denote a recent visit of these interesting denizens of the
north. Each cache, or rather, circle of stones, had a flat slab for a
cover, with a cairn near it, or else an upright mass of stone, to
denote its position; and some of the graves were constructed with a
degree of care and labour worthy of a more civilized people: several
had huge slabs of stone on the top, which it must have required a great
many men to lift, and some ingenuity to secure.

Scurvy-grass in great abundance, as well as another antiscorbutic
plant, bearing a small white flower, was found wherever we landed; and
I likewise observed London-pride, poppies, sorrel, dwarf willow,
crow-feet grass, saxifrage, and tripe-de-roche, besides plenty of turf,
which, with very little trouble, would have served for fuel,--and this
in latitude 76 deg. 52' N. Large flocks of geese and ducks were flying
about; the great northern diver passed overhead, and uttered its shrill
warning cry to its mate, and loons, dovekies, and plalaropes, in small
numbers, gave occasional exercise for our guns.

[Headnote: _VISIT FROM ESQUIMAUX._]

The coast was all of granitic formation: and if one might judge from
the specimens of iron pyrites and copper ore found here and there, the
existence of minerals in large quantities, as is the case about
Uppernavik, may be taken for granted.

The 22d, 23d, 24th, and 25th of August passed without a favourable
change taking place; indeed, by this time our retreat, as well as
advance, had been barred by the pack. Pressed up from Baffin's Bay by
the southerly gales of this season of the year, the broken floes seemed
to have been seeking an outlet by the north-west. The winter was