Page:Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Volume 1 (2nd edition).djvu/235

Rh reached in the Blossom's barge was named Point Barrow.—It lies 126 miles to the north-east of Icy Cape, and is only 146 miles from the extreme of Captain Franklin's discoveries, in his progress westward from the Mackenzie River. The bay, which appeared to be formed to the eastward of this point, was named Elson's Bay. To the nearest conspicuous object to the southward of Point Barrow Captain Beechey gave the name of Smyth; and other points and inlets to the southward are also named. A chain of sandy islands, lying some distance from the mainland off Cape Franklin, were called Sea-horse Island; and beyond, a bay, formed by the junction of this chain of islands with the mainland, was called Peard Bay. The land from Cape Smyth, which was about forty-five feet in height, slopes gradually down to Barrow Point, which is very low. Thus, by the expedition of the Blossom's barge, about seventy miles have been added to the geography of the polar regions; and the distance between Captain Franklin's discoveries and those of the Blossom has been brought within so small a compass as to leave very little room for further speculation on the northern limits of the continent of America. The actual distance left unexplored is reduced to 146 miles; and there is much reason, Captain Beechey says, to believe, from the state of the sea about Point Barrow, and along that part of the coast which was explored by Captain Franklin, that the navigation of the remaining portion of unknown coast, in boats, is by no means a hopeless project.

In his voyage in the ensuing year in these seas, and on his return to the southward, Captain Beechey discovered Port Clarence and Grantley Harbour. To the southward of Cape Prince of Wales, the coast trends to the east and assumes a totally different character to that which leads to Schismareft Inlet, being bounded by steep rocky cliffs and broken by deep valleys, while the other is low and swampy ground. To a bold promontory, which advances into the sea beyond this, the name of York was given; to the eastward of which is a low spot of land projecting about ten miles from the coast, forming a right angle, and having a channel about two miles wide between its extremity and the northern shore, which is the entrance to Port Clarence. At the 'north-east angle of this harbour is an opening leading into Grantley harbour, which is ten miles in length by two and a quarter in width, with an almost uniform depth of two and a half and three fathoms water, beyond which there is a strait, in all probability communicating with a large inland lake. To the points at the entrance of Port Clarence, Captain Beechey gave the names of Spencer and Jackson.

Captain Beechey weighed anchor from Kotzebue Sound on the 13th of October, 1826; and, passing Cape Krusenstern, and