ford a very insecure footing. From the top of this
hill, which is about six or seven feet above the level of the sea,
and commands an extensive view to the westward, the prospect was
by no means favourable to the immediate accomplishment of our
object. No water could be seen over the ice to the northwest, and
a bright and dazzling blink covered the whole space comprised
between the islands and the north shore. It was a satisfaction,
however, to find that no _land_ appeared which was likely to
impede our progress; and we had been too much accustomed to the
obstruction occasioned by ice, and too well aware of the
suddenness with which that obstruction is often removed, to be at
all discouraged by present appearances.

On the top of this hill we deposited a bottle containing a short
notice of our visit, and raised over it a small mound of stones;
of these we found no want, for the surface was covered with small
pieces of schistose limestone, and nothing like soil or vegetation
could be seen.

On the 17th we had a fresh breeze from the S.S.W., with so thick a
fog that, in spite of the most unremitting attention to the sails
and the steerage, the ships were constantly receiving heavy shocks
from the loose masses of ice with which the sea was covered, and
which, in the present state of the weather, could not be
distinguished at a sufficient distance to avoid them. On the
weather clearing up in the afternoon, we saw for the first time a
remarkable bluff headland, which forms the northeastern point of
the entrance into Prince Regent's Inlet, and to which I gave the
name of CAPE YORK. A little to the eastward of Cape Fellfoot, we
observed six stripes of snow near the top of the cliff, being very
conspicuous at a great distance, when viewed from the southward.
These stripes, which are formed by the drift of snow between the
buttress-like projections before described, and which remained
equally conspicuous on our return the following year, have
probably at all times much the same appearance, at least about
this season of the year, and may, on this account, perhaps, be
deemed worthy of notice as a landmark.

There being still no prospect of getting a single mile to the
westward, in the neighbourhood of Prince Leopold's Islands, and a
breeze having freshened up from the eastward in the afternoon, I
determined to stand over once more towards the northern shore, in
order to try what could there be done towards effecting our
pass