Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/415

Rh in shingle slopes or steps, scarred by dry ravines, to the height of a hundred or a hundred and fifty feet. Next day, at noon, we found ourselves nearly opposite Cape Franklin, at a distance, by observation, of twenty miles. Then crossing Byron Bay, which is nine miles wide, and was named after the immortal bard, the land turned down south-west. We traced it till it began again to diverge to the northward of west, at the farthest high point seen by me from Cape Franklin the year before, and honoured with the name of his Majesty King Louis-Philippe.

We had now explored the southern shore of this vast island, including the eastern and western visible extremes,—respectively denominated Point Back and Point Parry, in compliment to these celebrated navigators,—for the space of one hundred and fifty-six geographical miles. It probably exceeds Boothia in size, and is separated from it by a wide arm of the sea, down which came the heavy press of ice that detained us in the beginning of August at White Bear Point. From the quantities of ice that linger between the Coppermine and Bathurst Inlet, I should infer that Victoria Land is, in like manner, divided, on the western side, by another wide opening from Wollaston Land, the last of the 2 C