the land throughout the summer; and when it does break away,
it is carried but a short distance to seaward, and is brought back
whenever a strong wind blows on the coast. If there be any channels in
these parts, they are unsafe for boats, as the ice is continually
tossing about." "We wonder, therefore," they said, "that you are not
provided with sledges and dogs, as our men are, to travel along the
land, when these interruptions occur." They concluded by warning us not
to stay to the westward after the stars could be seen, because the
winds would then blow strong from the sea, and pack the ice on the
shore. On further inquiry we learned that this party is usually
employed, during the summer, in catching whales and seals, in the
vicinity of the Mackenzie, and that they seldom travel to the westward
beyond a few days' journey. We were, therefore, not much distressed by
intelligence which we supposed might have originated in exaggerated
accounts received from others. In the evening Augustus returned with
them to their tents, and two of the men undertook to fetch a specimen of
the rock from Mount Fitton, which was distant about twenty miles. The
following observations were obtained:--Latitude 69 degrees 1 minute 24
seconds N.; longitude 137 degrees 35 minutes W.; variation 46 degrees 41
minutes E.; dip 82 degrees 22 minutes.

The party assembled at divine service in the evening. The wind blew in
violent squalls during the night, which brought such a heavy swell upon
the ice, that the larger masses near the encampment were broken before
the morning of the 10th, but there was no change in the main body.

[Sidenote: Monday, 10th.] The Esquimaux revisited us in the morning,
with their women and children; the party consisted of forty-eight
persons. They seated themselves as before, in a semicircle, the men
being in front, and the women behind. Presents were made to those who
had not before received any; and we afterwards purchased several pairs
of seal-skin boots, a few pieces of dressed seal-skin, and some
deer-skin cut and twisted, to be used as cords. Beads, pins, needles,
and ornamental articles, were most in request by the women, to whom the
goods principally belonged, but the men were eager to get any thing that
was made of iron. They were supplied with hatchets, files, ice chisels,
fire-steels, Indian awls, and fish-hooks. They were very anxious to
procure knives, but as each was in possession of one, I reserved the few