but thought the flavour very disagreeable. Until I was
aware of their being acquainted with the use of it, I prohibited my men
from smoking in their presence, and afterwards from offering their pipes
to the Esquimaux at any time. At the conclusion of this conference, our
visitors assured us, that having now become acquainted with white
people, and being conscious that the trade with them would be
beneficial, they would gladly encourage a further intercourse, and do
all in their power to prevent future visitors from having such a
reception as we had on our arrival in these seas. We learned that this
island, which has been distinguished by the name of Herschel, is much
frequented by the natives at this season of the year, as it abounds with
deer, and its surrounding waters afford plenty of fish. It is composed
of black earth, rises, in its highest point, to about one hundred feet,
and at the time of our visit was covered with verdure. The strait
between it and the main shore, is the only place that we had seen, since
quitting the Mackenzie, in which a ship could find shelter; but even
this channel is much interrupted by shoals. Latitude 69 degrees 33-1/2
minutes N.; longitude 139 degrees 3 minutes W.; were observed at the
encampment.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 18th.] On the morning of the 18th the fog was so
thick that we could not see beyond the beach. It dispersed about noon,
and we discovered that there was a channel of open water near the main
shore, though in the centre of the strait the ice was heavy, and driving
rapidly to the north-west. We embarked at once, in the expectation of
being able to penetrate between the drift ice and the land, but the
attempt was frustrated by the shallowness of the water; and the fog
again spreading as thick as before, we landed on a sand-bank. We were
soon visited by another party of the Esquimaux, who brought deer's meat
for sale; and although the whole quantity did not amount to a deer, we
had to purchase it in small pieces. This practice of dividing the meat
among the party, we found to prevail throughout the voyage; and they
avowed as their reason for it, the desire that every one might obtain a
share of the good things we distributed. One of the men drew on the sand
a sketch of the coast to the westward, as far as he was acquainted with
it; from which it appeared that there was a line of reefs in front of
the coast the whole way; the water being deep on the outside of them,
but on th