Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/148

 terminated abruptly, leaving us completely embayed in the ice, which was driving rapidly westward. Our only resource was to gain the land, which, after much shoving and cutting, we effected at 5, near Point Manning. The reef bore numerous recent foot-prints of Esquimaux, probably bound on their annual westward journey to Barter Island. We had in the course of the afternoon seen several people on the shore, but they did not venture off. The lofty peaks of the Romanzoff Mountains seemed to look scornfully down upon the little party that now sat at their humble evening meal. Finding a fine open space of water within the reef, we carried the boats and cargoes across it, and again set sail. Steering outside of Barter Island, we saw on its western extremity a single tent, the inmates of which were asleep; while a large dog stood sentinel, but let us pass without alarming his friends within. The wind increased as we stood across Camden Bay.

We sailed without material interruption till between 2 and 3 of the 17th, when a great pack of ice, stretching out to seaward, obliged us to put in near a considerable camp of the na- tives. These soon visited us, to the number of twenty men, and twice as many women, lads, and children. A place was assigned, and a fire made