in lakes and rivers, which are too shallow to be entered by
anything but a baidar. The greater part of the coast is thickly
inhabited by Esquimaux, who have their winter-habitations close to the
beach.

"The barge had not been off this point sufficiently long to complete the
necessary observations, when the same westerly wind, which had induced
me to proceed round Cape Lisburn, brought the ice down upon the coast,
and left the boat no retreat. It at the same time occasioned a current
along shore to the northward, at the rate of three and four miles per
hour. The body of ice took the ground in six and seven fathoms water,
but pieces of a lighter draft filled up the space between it and the
shore, and, hurried along by the impetuosity of the current, drove the
barge ashore, but fortunately without staving her. By the exertions of
her officers and crew she was extricated from this perilous situation,
and attempts were made to track her along the land wherever openings
occurred, in execution of which the greatest fatigue was endured by all
her crew. At length all efforts proving ineffectual, and the spaces
between the ice and the shore becoming frozen over, it was proposed to
abandon the boat, and the crew to make their way along the coast to
Kotzebue Sound, before the season should be too far advanced.
Preparations were accordingly made; and that the boat might not be
irrevocably lost to the ship, it was determined to get her into one of
the lakes, and there sink her, that the natives might not break her up,
and from which she might be extricated the following summer, should the
ship return. During this period of their difficulties they received much
assistance from the natives, who, for a little tobacco, put their hands
to the tow-rope. Their conduct had, in the first instance, been
suspicious; but in the time of their greatest distress, they were well
disposed, bringing venison, seal's flesh, oil, &c., and offered up a
prayer that the wind would blow off the shore, and liberate the boat
from her critical situation. Before the necessary arrangements were made
respecting the barge, appearances took a more favourable turn; the ice
began to move off shore, and after much tracking, &c., the boat was got
clear, and made the best of her way toward the sound; but off Cape
Lisburn she met with a gale of wind, which blew in eddies so violently,
that it is said the spray was carried up to the tops of the mountains;
and the boat, du