Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/418

388 business to find a landing-place on the exposed coast, half-way between Cape Barrow and our desired refuge, the Coppermine River.

Stress of weather sadly retarded our return. The last of the Canada and snow geese quitted the shores of the Polar Sea, and our deer-hunters' excursions were fruitless, the animals having already made a move inland. One night there was a most superb display of the aurora, without the prismatic tints; and on another, that was pitch-dark, the flashing of the sea almost rivalled that strange lustre of the heavens. We pursued our way unremittingly night and day, fair and foul, whenever the winds permitted; and on the 16th, in a bitter frost, and the surrounding country covered with snow, we made our entrance into the Coppermine, after by far the longest voyage ever performed in boats on the Polar Sea, the distance we had gone not being less than 1408 geographical, or 1631 statute miles.