rom N.W. by N., to S.E. by S.; but from our
present situation we discovered that they were separated from each other
by a deep valley, and a rivulet, and that their longest direction was
N.N.E. and S.S.W. The same order prevailed in the three ranges behind
the Buckland chain; and the highest of their mountains, like Mount
Conybeare, were round and naked at the top; the vallies between them
were grassy. We erected a pile of stones of sufficient height to be seen
from the sea, and deposited underneath it a note, containing the
latitude, longitude, and some particulars relative to the Expedition.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 22nd.] The 22nd was a calm sultry day, the
temperature varying between 58 degrees and 63 degrees, and we were
tormented by musquitoes. The ice remained very close to the beach.
[Sidenote: Sunday, 23rd.] Impatient of our long detention, we gladly
availed ourselves, at three in the morning of the 23rd, of a small
opening in the ice, to launch the boats, and push them forward as far as
we could get them. We thus succeeded in reaching a lane of water,
through which we made tolerable progress, though after two hours and a
half of exertion, we were gradually hemmed in, and forced again to
encamp at the mouth of a small stream westward of Sir Pulteney Malcolm
River. We had, however, the satisfaction of finding, by the
observations, that we had gained ten miles. Latitude 69 degrees 36
minutes N.; longitude 140 degrees 12 minutes W.; variation 45 degrees 6
minutes E. The temperature of the water at the surface a quarter of a
mile from the shore was 40 degrees, that of the air being 49 degrees.
The water was two fathoms deep, ten yards from the beach.

The coast here was about fifteen feet high; and from the top of the bank
a level plain extended to the base of the mountains, which, though very
swampy, was covered with verdure. At this place we first found boulder
stones, which were deeply seated in the gravel of the beach. They
consisted of greenstone, sandstone, and limestone; the first mentioned
being the largest, and the last the most numerous. Having seen several
fish leaping in the river, a net was set across its mouth, though
without success, owing to the meshes being too large. Two men were
despatched to examine the state of the ice; and on their return from a
walk of several miles, they reported that, with the exception of a small
spot close to the beach, it was quite compact. They had observed, about
two mil