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 A TOUR OF THE ISLAND, 1 87 name, like those we gave to the other parts of the peninsula, may turn out unfortunate too. We have lost Port Barnett and Paulina River ; who can tell whether Cape Esquimaux and Walruses' Bay may not also disappear in time ? " " They too will disappear, madam," replied Hobson, " and after them the whole of Victoria Island, for nothing now connects it with a continent, and it is doomed to destruction. This result is inevit- able, and our choice of geographical names will be thrown away ; but fortunately the Royal Society has not yet adopted them, and Sir Roderick Murchison will have nothing to efface on his maps," " One name he will," exclaimed the Sergeant, " Cape Bathurst," replied Long. " Ah, yes, you are right. Cape Bathurst must now be removed from maps of the Polar regions." Two hours' rest were all the explorers cared for, and at one Wclock they prepared to resume their journey. Before starting Hobson once more looked round him from the jummit of Cape Esquimaux ; but seeing nothing worthy of notice, le rejoined Mrs Barnett and Sergeant Long. " Madam," he said, addressing the lady, " you have not forgotten tie family of natives we met here last winter ?" " Oh no, I have always held dear little Kalumah in friendly reuembrance. She promised to come and see us again at Fort Hoje, but she will not be able to do so. But why do you ask me aboit the natives now 1 " " because I remember something to which, much to my regret, I did not at the time attach sufficient importance.'* " What was that ? " " Yoi remember the uneasy surprise the men manifested at find- ing a faBtory at the foot of Gape Bathurst." " Oh ^es, perfectly." " You remember that I tried to make out what the natives meant, aid that I could not do so ? " " Yes, I remember." "Well,' added Hobson, "I know now why they shook their heads. Fiom tradition, experience, or something, the Esquimaux knew what the peninsula really was, they knew we had not built on firm ground. But as things had probably remained as they
 * ' Which ? " inquired Hobson.