Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/305

Rh Our progress next day was comparatively unimpeded by the ice, which, under the influence of the continued fine weather, began to dissolve along the edge of the rocks, whose turnings and sinuosities we were, of course, obliged to follow. In crossing Gray's Bay to Hepburn Island we were met by a strong current from the eastward. A legion of gulls, with their young, occupied the clefts in the precipices of the island, which spring abruptly from the deep to a considerable height. The seals were unusually inquisitive, and we shot several; but, after struggling for a moment, the creatures invariably sunk before we could lay hold of them, leaving the water dyed with blood. Some days afterwards we fished up a small one in two fathoms, which had been shot through the head; and the Indians were gratified with its skin. From Hepburn Island we found a tolerably open lead to the mouth of a stream flowing into the bay, three miles from Wentzel River, and of similar size. Its waters were very foul, in consequence of traversing lofty mud-banks immediately after its descent from the naked granite hills that bind this iron coast. The roar of a distant cataract proclaimed the suddenness of this change in its career. The banks of this river seemed quite a nest of wolves; and we pursued two females, followed by half a score of T 2