e as
that which Frobisher had brought from Meta Incognita and the voyagers
had been warned. Of vegetation there was nothing but scant grass and
birch and willow growing like stunted shrubs close to the ground.
Eskimos were seen plying along the coast in their canoes of seal skin.
They called to the English sailors in a deep guttural speech, low in
the throat, of which nothing was intelligible. One of them pointed
upwards to the sun and beat upon his breast. By imitating this
gesture, which seemed a pledge of friendship, the sailors were able to
induce the natives to approach. They presently mingled freely with
Davis's company. The captain shook hands with all who came to him, and
there was a great show of friendliness on both sides. A brisk trade
began. The savages eagerly handed over their garments of sealskin and
fur, their darts, oars, and everything that they had, in return for
little trifles, even for pieces of paper. They seemed to the English
sailors a very tractable {26} people, void of craft and double dealing.
Seeing that the English were eager to obtain furs, they pointed to the
hills inland, as if to indicate that they should go and bring a large
supply. But Davis was anxious for further exploration, and would not
delay his ships. On August 1, the wind being fair, he put to sea,
directing his course to the north-west. In five days he reached the
land on the other side of Davis Strait. This was the shore of what is
now called Baffin Island, in latitude 66 deg. 40', and hence considerably
to the north of the strait which Frobisher had entered. At this season
the sea was clear of ice, and Davis anchored his ships under a great
cliff that glittered like gold. He called it Mount Raleigh, and the
sound which opened out beside it Exeter Sound. A large headland to the
south was named Cape Walsingham in honour of the queen's secretary.
Davis and his men went ashore under Mount Raleigh, where they saw four
white bears of 'a monstrous bigness,' three of which they killed with
their guns and boar-spears. There were low shrubs growing among the
cliffs and flowers like primroses. But the whole country as far as
they could see was without wood or grass. Nothing was in sight except
the open iceless sea to the east and on the land side {27} great
mountains of stone. Though the land offered nothing to their search,
the air was moderate and the weather singularly mild. The broad sheet
of open water, of the v