being desirous to get rid of his visitors,
took an effectual method by tacking from the shore; our friends then
departed apparently in high glee at the harvest they had reaped. They
paddled away very swiftly, and would, doubtless, soon reach the shore
though it was distant ten or twelve miles.

Not having encountered any of the ice, which usually arrests the
progress of ships in their outward passage through the Straits, and
being consequently deprived of the usual means of replenishing our stock
of water, which had become short, the Captain resolved on going to the
coast of Labrador for a supply. Dr. Richardson and I gladly embraced
this opportunity to land, and examine this part of the coast. I was also
desirous to observe the variation on shore, as the azimuths, which had
been taken on board both ships since our entrance into the Straits, had
shewn a greater amount than we had been led to expect; but, unluckily
the sun became obscured. The beach consisted of large rolled stones of
gneiss and syenite{7}, amongst which many pieces of ice had grounded,
and it was with difficulty that we effected a landing in a small cove
under a steep cliff. These stones were worn perfectly smooth; neither in
the interstices, nor at the bottom of the water, which was very clear,
were there any vestiges of sea-weed.

The cliff was from forty to fifty feet high and quite perpendicular, and
had at its base a small slip of soil formed of the debris of a bed of
clay-slate. From this narrow spot Dr. Richardson collected specimens of
thirty different species of plants; and we were about to scramble up a
shelving part of the rock, and go into the interior, when we perceived
the signal of recall, which the master had caused to be made, in
consequence of a sudden change in the appearance of the weather.

On the evening of the 19th, we passed Digge's Islands, the termination
of Hudson's Strait. Here the Eddystone parted company, being bound to
Moose Factory at the bottom of the Bay. A strong north wind came on,
which prevented our getting round the north end of Mansfield, and, as it
continued to blow with equal strength for the next five days, we were
most vexatiously detained in beating along the Labrador coast, and near
the dangerous chain of islands, the Sleepers, which are said to extend
from the latitude of 60 deg. 10' to 57 deg. 00' N. The press of sail, which of
necessity we carried caused the leak to increase and the pumps were kept
in