Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/309

Rh the complete circuit of Moore Bay. There was a thick fog at the time, which cleared off as the day advanced, and revealed to view shores still rocky, but enlivened by verdant valleys and declivities, which on a near approach seemed carpeted with flowers—ephemeral glories strangely contrasted with the cold and savage scene of their birth! We made our way out of the labyrinth of islands which here environ the coast, through a strait thirty or forty yards wide. A breeze springing up from the north-east, we sailed across Arctic Sound, and at 8 P.M. encamped on Woolaston Point, close to the margin of the ice. Two fine deer were shot by our Indians during the night.

Very early on the 31st I observed, from the summit of the rocks, the gradual formation of a narrow lane of water, stretching across towards Barry Islands. We immediately embarked, and effected the traverse in two hours; but found our farther progress arrested by the main body of ice, which covered the inlet. Next day a gale from the north-east broke up a large section of this unwelcome covering, and brought it down with crushing force upon our island.

On the 2nd of August we extricated ourselves from the ice, and, the northerly winds continuing, we sailed round the south side of the