ind increased to a fresh breeze on the morning of the 31st,
which prevented our making much way to the westward. We stood in
towards Cape Byam Martin, and sounded in eighty fathoms on a rocky
bottom, at the distance of two miles in an east direction from it.
We soon after discovered the flagstaff which had been erected on
Possession Mount on the former expedition; an object which, though
insignificant in itself, called up every person immediately on
deck to look at and to greet it as an old acquaintance.

The land immediately at the hack of Possession Bay rises in a
gentle slope from the sea, presenting an open and extensive space
of low ground, flanked by hills to the north and south. In this
valley, and even on the hills, to the height of six or seven
hundred feet above the sea, there was scarcely any snow, but the
mountains at the back were completely covered with it. Some pieces
of birch-bark having been picked up in the bed of this stream in
1818, which gave reason to suppose that wood might be found
growing in the interior, I directed Mr. Fisher to walk up it,
accompanied by a small party, and to occupy an hour or two while
the Griper was coming up, and Captain Sabine and myself were
employed upon the beach, in examining the nature and productions
of the country.

Mr. Fisher reported, on his return, that he had followed the
stream between three and four miles, where it turned to the
southwest, without discovering any indications of a wooded
country; but a sufficient explanation respecting the birch-bark
was perhaps furnished by his finding, at the distance of a quarter
of a mile from the sea, a piece of whalebone two feet ten inches
in length and two inches in breadth, having a number of circular
holes very neatly and regularly perforated along one of its edges,
which had undoubtedly formed part of an Esquimaux sledge. This
circumstance affording a proof of the Esquimaux having visited
this part of the coast at no very distant period, it was concluded
that the piece of bark above alluded to had been brought hither by
these people. From the appearance of the whalebone, it might have
been lying there for four or five years. That none of the
Esquimaux tribe had visited this part of the coast since we landed
there in 1818, was evident from the flagstaff then erected still
remaining untouched. Mr. Fisher found every part of the valley
quite free from snow as high as he ascended it: and the following
fact seems to r