Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/335

Rh at a distance by Sir John Franklin. Some of the northern passages were blocked up with ice, but everywhere else there was a clear sea among these islands. They are all of the trap formation, like those farther down the gulph. Another traverse of ten miles extends to some islands on the eastern side, within fifteen miles of Cape Barrow. From thence we were favoured with a fine passage on an open sea; but there was a frequent fall of snow, the weather was cold and wintry, and we had some rough sailing during the dark nights. At a rocky cape, where we landed to sup at midnight, I noticed a quantity of phosphorescent substances in the water. We met no natives; and at 6 P.M. on the 3rd of September we safely re-entered the Coppermine River.

The Esquimaux had ventured back during our absence, and carried away everything except their sledge and stone kettles; leaving marks on the hillock, pointing to the seaward islands as the place of their retreat. To evince our friendly disposition, and compensate the loss of their dogs, we left them a copper kettle, two axes, as many ice-trenches, with an assortment of knives, files, X