Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/409

Rh had the honour of naming after her Majesty Queen Adelaide. As we passed down, in a south-westerly direction, M'Kay and Sinclair pointed out to us the sandy knoll—called Mount Barrow—from whence they returned, when sent forward by Sir George Back from Point Ogle to view the coast.

The following day we got no further than Point Richardson, under shelter of the land.

From thence we crossed over, on the 24th, to what had from the continent looked like islands, but which I had rightly conjectured to be part of the southern shore of Boothia. This shore we had the satisfaction of tracing, for nearly sixty miles, till it turned up to the north, in lat. 68° 41′ 16″ N., long. 98° 22′ W., only fifty-seven miles from Captain James Ross's Pillar. The dip of the needle, here, was 89° 28′ 45″ N.; the variation four points easterly; and the magnetic pole bore N.N.E., distant ninety miles—which was our nearest approach to that mysterious spot. The objects seen on this coast are easily enumerated. A limestone country, low and uninteresting, but abounding in reindeer, musk-cattle, and old native encampments. To seaward a good deal of ice appeared, and vast numbers of snow-geese passed high overhead in long triangular flights, bound for milder skies. While employed in