Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/330

300 their assistance to reach Ross's Pillar; but we bad already explored a hundred miles of coast without encountering an inhabitant. The site of three lodges, with a little fire-place of stones apart, was found here, but they were not of this year. Cold and famine, I fear, are gradually wasting away that few in numbers and widely-scattered people. A rapid stream discharged its waters into the bay, two miles to the southward of our encampment, and was called the "Beaufort," after the learned hydrographer to the Admiralty; while the group of islands beyond received the name of the first Lord of the Admiralty, the Earl of Minto.

The morning of the 25th was devoted to the determination of our position, and the erection of a pillar of stones on the most elevated part of the point; then, hoisting our union-jack, I took formal possession of the country in her Majesty's name. In the pillar I deposited a brief sketch of our proceedings. It is in lat. 68° 43′ 39″ N., long, (reduced by the watch from Boathaven) 106° 3′ 0″ W.; and the variation was 60° 38′ 23″ East.

Our present discoveries were in themselves not unimportant; but their value was much enhanced by the disclosure of an open sea to the eastward, and the suggestion of a new route—along the