Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v3p1.djvu/36

 The discoveries made by this canoe expedition, will be best understood by an inspection of the well executed chart attached to Captain Franklin’s published narrative. We shall merely observe, that Point Turnagain was the only part of the coast seen by him that extended as high as the latitude of 681/2°; and that the shores between Cape Barrow and Cape Flinders, may be comprehended in one great gulf, running to the southward as low down as 661/2°, or the Arctic circle; every where studded with islands, and indented with deep sounds, extensive bays, and convenient harbours. This he has distinguished by the appellation of “George IV’s Coronation Gulf.”

After proceeding only thirteen miles from the first rapid of Hood’s River, the expedition arrived at a magnificent cascade about 250 feet in height, beyond which the river appeared so rapid and shallow, that it seemed useless to attempt advancing any farther in such large canoes. Captain Franklin therefore determined on taking them to pieces, and constructing out of their materials two smaller ones, of sufficient size to contain three persons, for the purpose of crossing any lakes or rivers that might be found to obstruct his progress, in as direct a line as possible, to the part of Point Lake opposite his spring encampment, which was then distant 149 miles. Every part of the luggage that could possibly be dispensed with, was left near the cascade; the officers carried such a portion of the stores as their strength would permit, and the weight of each man’s load was thus reduced to about ninety pounds. The canoes were finished by the 31st of August, and the march through this barren and hitherto unknown country, commenced at an early hour on the following day, the party advancing at the rate of about a mile an hour, including rests. In the evening a lean cow was secured, out of a large drove of musk oxen; but the men were too much laden to carry more than a small portion of its flesh.

The evening of the 4th of September was warm, but dark clouds overspread the sky. Heavy rain commenced at midnight, and continued without intermission for five hours,