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38 SOUNDINGS BETWEEN GREENLAND AND LABRADOR.
the first sounding between Greenland and the mouth-of Hamilton’s Inlet, in
north lat. 59‘’ 22' and west long. IS'’ 54', the depth indicated being II7 7 fathoms.
Aug. 23.—Inclusive of the soundings taken on the I8 th inst., the depth has
been ascertained fifteen times between Cape ITarewell and our position at noon
today. With the exception of the last sounding, taken at 9 a.m. in 280 fathoms,
the depths have ranged between II5 0 and 2032 fathoms, bottom having been
brought up four times. In a distance of about seven or eight miles between
the 280-fathom sounding and that immediately preceding it, there is a rapid
decrease in depth from II9 0 to 280 fathoms—being at the rate of about 700
feet per mile, or nearly identical with the dip which occurs off the west coast of
Ireland in the mid-Atlantic line.
A sounding made this morning with Brooke’s apparatus brought up only two
grains of bottom,—a small stone, about half an inch in length by a third in width
and thickness, having stuck in the valve and permitted the escape of whatever
other material may have occupied the cavity of the cylinder.
Aug. 24.—On approaching Hamilton’s Inlet, the coast to the north and south
of it presented a singularly unattractive character. Instead of the bold rugged
cliff-scenery of Greenland, nothing was to be seen but an unbroken succession of
low rounded hills, with scarcely a trace of vegetation on their surfaces. This
afternoon we passed the Esquimaux Islands, lying off the entrance to the in le t;
and at 6 P.M. the ‘ Bulldog ’ anchored at Indian Harbour.
CHA P T ER IV.
INDIAN HARBOUR.—COAST-FORMATION.—BLUFP-HEAD COVE.— RIGOLETTE.— THE
NARROWS.—NORTH-WEST RIVER.—CLIMATE.—NUMBER OF SETTLERS.—MARL
BED.—SPRINGS.—HAMILTON’S RIVER.—CULTIVATION AT NORTH-WEST RIVER.
—BOUIDERS.—EXTENT OE INLET.—NATURE OE ITS BED.—PROCEED TO SEA.
—CAPE BRETON.-RETURN TO INDIAj^T HARBOUR.—SHOAL.—DEEP-SEA SOUNDINGS.—
ICEBERGS— ARRIVAL AT JULIANSHAAB.
I n d i a n H a r b o u r is situated in a sheltered channel between the mainland and
one of the largest of the group of islands at the mouth of the inlet. An extensive
cod-fishery is carried on here duiiiig the four summer months. At present
it is drawing to a close, and only a few small vessels remain to complete their
cargoes. Mr. Norman, a Newfoundland merchant, who comes to reside on
the spot during the continuance of the fishery, informs me that the present
has been aii unusually stormy season, and that the quantity of cod taken has
been far short of the average. On the other hand, the quantity of ice met ■with
on the coast has been unusually small, the long prevalence of south-easterly
gales having tended to drive the ice close in shore, higher up the coast of
Labrador, so as to be beyond the influence of the descending arctic cun-ent.
He says that although a vast number of bergs drift to the south-ward or gi-ound
in shoal water near the outer islands, they very rarely enter the inlet. Some of
the fishermen, however, state that whilst the larger bergs cannot pass inside,
moderate-sized ones ai*e to be seen, at times in considerable numbers. But as
the place appears to be altogether deserted during winter, in consequence of th e
severity of the climate, it is somewhat difficult to make out how far these
assertions depend on actual observation, and how far on mere supposition or
hearsay.
The entire coast seems to be composed of a grey disintegrated granite, in
which there is a large preponderance of felspar, with vast basaltic dykes sometimes
cutting the islands and hills longitudinally, sometimes constituting the
entire mass. An island to the left of the entrance to our present anchorage
presents a very remarkable dyke, of the kind referred to, just above and parallel