Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/301

Rh watched an opportunity to possess themselves of these strange animals; but the lively little fellows would never approach within gunshot. Everywhere there were old marks of Esquimaux, but none recent. The beach was strewed with seaweed and mussel-shells—certain indications of a clearer sea, in some seasons, than that which we navigated last year. As the day advanced the weather became sultry, and we were tormented on the water by swarms of musquitoes. Reindeer and musk-cattle were seen. Some of the former, to escape the persecution of the flies, were standing breast-high in the water, or running upon and swimming amongst the ice. At 5 P.M. we were stopped by an impenetrable field, after having advanced thirty-five miles. The water during the whole of this day's journey was fresh, or very nearly so, owing to the contiguity and rapid dissolution of the ice, aided by the discharge of many small rivers and streams. Scarcely had we unloaded our boats, and drawn them up on the beach, when a violent thunderstorm, that had been for some hours gathering, burst over us, attended with torrents of rain.

Compact ice and continued rain detained us till 7 in the evening of the 19th, when the wind veering to the west-south-west opened a passage, and we set sail. A dense fog shrouded sea and