ll running slowly with us to the N.W., we rowed
several miles close along the shore, and entered at dusk a little
cove, where the tents were pitched and the boats moored for the
night.
The night being cold, clear, and nearly calm, a quantity of
"bay-ice," half an inch in thickness, had, on the morning of the
19th, formed in the cove, and for some distance outside of it,
which again cut the boats' planks very much, besides occasioning
great loss of time in getting through it. This symptom of
approaching winter, which had now for the first time occurred to
us, rendered it expedient in future to select the most open
beaches for our resting-places at night. After tracing every bend
of the shore which here occurred, we landed at the point called by
Captain Lyon POINT FARHILL, and, ascending the hill to take
angles, obtained a view of Gore Bay, easily recognising every
other feature of the lands discovered by Captain Lyon. A mile or
two of coast was now all that remained to be examined, in order to
determine the connexion of Gore Bay with the rest of the land
recently explored. Proceeding, therefore, as soon as our
observations were finished, we soon after entered the bay, and in
the course of an hour had satisfied ourselves on this point.
The ice remained closely packed on the 21st, as far as we could
see along shore, so that we were still detained in the same place.
Some snow which fell in the course of the preceding night, lightly
powdering the land, had entirely disappeared before evening,
except in places having a northern aspect, where it now
permanently remained for the winter.
On the morning of the 22d the ice was not only as close as ever,
but had forced its way much higher up towards Gore Bay. A party
was therefore sent out to endeavour to procure game farther
inland; and another employed in gathering ground-willow, which was
here abundant and in good condition for fuel. Two bears, a female
and her cub, being probably attracted by the smell of our cooking,
came towards the tents upon the ice, but, upon hearing our voices,
set off in the opposite direction. A good deal of snow fell in
partial showers in the course of the day; it was nearly of that
fine kind which usually falls during the winter of these regions,
but we had flake snow and even light rain some days after this.
The snow, however, now remained undissolved upon the land in all
situations. Our hunting party returned late in the evening without
suc
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