Page:Furcountryorseve00vernrich.djvu/146

 78 THE BUR COUNTRY, territory, scarcely two square miles — in fact it was rather a lagoon, or large pond of sweet water, than a lake. The sledges went on easily and rapidly, and the appearance of the country was most encouraging to the explorers. It seemed that the extremity of Cape Bathurst would be a most favourable site for the new fort, as with this lagoon behind them, and the sea open for four or five months in the warm season, and giving access to the great highway of Behring Strait, before them, it would be easy for the exiles to lay in fresh provisions and to export their commodities. On the 5th June, about three o'clock in the afternoon, the party at last halted at the extremity of Cape Bathurst. It remained to ascertain the exact position of this cape, which the maps place above the seventieth parallel. It was, however, impossible to rely upon the marine surveys of the coast, as they had never yet been made with exactitude. Jaspar Hobson decided to wait and ascertain the latitude and longitude. " What prevents us from settling here % " asked Corporal Joliffe. " It will seem more inviting still if you get double pay here, my worthy Corporal," replied Hobson. '* No doubt," said JoliflFe ; " and the orders of the Company must be obeyed." " Then wait patiently till to-morrow," added Hobson ; " and if we find that Cape Bathurst is really beyond 70° north latitude, we will pitch our tent here." The site was indeed admirably suited for the foundation of a new settlement. The wooded heights surrounding the lagoon would supply plenty of pine, birch, and other woods for the construction of the fort, and for stocking it with fuel. The Lieutenant and some of bis, companions went to the very edge of the cape, and found that towards the west the coast-line formed a lengthened curve, beyond which icebergs of a considerable height shut out the^ view. The water of the lagoon, instead of being brackish, as the] expected from its close vicinity to the sea, was perfectly sweet but had it not been so, drinkable water would not have failed the little colony, as a fresh and limpid stream ran a few yards to the south-east of Cape Bathurst, and emptied itself into the Arctic Oce through a narrow inlet, which, protected by a singular accumul tion of sand and earth instead of by rocks, would have afforded
 * ' You will own, Lieutenant, that it is a very inviting spot."