II
I re
C H A P . of the Sea Horse Islands.
of the
Barge.
landed upon several of these for observations ; and tracking the boat
Narrative aloiig the shore, at eight in the evening they arrived at the point to
which I transferred the name of Cape Franklin, on the main land to
which I had originally given that name, when I found by the discoveries
of Mr. Elson that the cape was not actually the coast line *. From
Cape Franklin, the coast, still consisting of a chain of sandy islands lying
offthe main land, turned to the south-east and united with the main
land, forming a bay on which I bestowed the name of my first lieutenant,
Mr. Peard. Two posts were found erected on Cape Franklin, upon
which another notice was painted. The surface of the beach was a fine
sand, but by digging a few inches down it was mixed with coal; there
was here also, as at their former station, a great quantity of drift wood.
Off these islands they were visited by several baidars, the people in
which behaved in a very disorderly manner, attempted several depredations,
and even cut a piece out of one of the sails of the boat while
itAvas lying upon the gunwale. Finding the natives inclined to part
with one of their baidars, she was purchased for tAvo hatchets, under the
impression that she might be useful to the boat hereafter. Having run
tAventy-nine miles along the coast to the N . E., they again landed and
obtained some lunar observations. The coast here assumed a different
aspect, and consisted of clay chffs about fifty feet high, and presented
an ice formation resembling that which has been described in Escholtz
Bay. The interior of the country was flat, and only partially covered
with snow. A short distance to the northward of them a river discharged
itself into a lake Avithin the shingly beach which was about
twenty yards -wide, and the water being perfectly fresh, they obtained a
supply, and pursued their course to the north-east. Their latitude Avas
70° 58'43" N .; and no ice had as yet been seen, even from the hills.
This excited the greatest hopes in our adventurous shipmates, Avho
advanced quite elated at the prospect; but they had not proceeded
many miles further before some bergs Avere seen in the offing nearly in
the same parallel in Avhieh the margin of the ice had been found by the
See th e Chart.