destination. Through the various causes of detention on these encumbered shores, and particularly the heavy and continued fogs, the sixteenth of August had arrived, when they had made only ten degrees of longitude, or half of their way to Kotzebue's Inlet, where Captain Beechey with the Blossom, passing beyond Icy Cape, was prepared to receive them. Yet symptoms of approaching winter were already perceived. The sun set at eleven o'clock,-thick ice was formed during the night,and the flocks of geese commenced their autumnal flight to the southward. It was obvious, therefore, that Kotzebue's Inlet could only be reached this season, on the very improbable supposition, that in all this great range of unknown coast, no obstacle should intervene to stop their progress. It was evidently a thousand to one that this would not be the case; and, if they met but one half of the impediments they had already encountered, they must inevitably be overtaken by the polar winter, when any attempt to return would in all likelihood have exceeded the measure even of their former disasters. It was a matter, therefore, not so much of prudence as of necessity, to renounce this bold and hopeful attempt at completing the round of America, and to take measures for securing their return. Intelligence afterwards received from the Blossom completely justified this resolution. Captain Beechey had advanced considerably beyond his appointed station in Kotzebue's Inlet; and, when the ship could proceed no farther, he sent forward a boat, which reached to 156° 21' west longitude, or about 160 miles from the point, in 149° 37', whence Captain Franklin turned back. There it found a narrow neck, or spit, as it is termed, of land, which ran suddenly out into 71° 23', forming, so far as yet known, the most northerly point of America. The ice, however, had grounded on it so heavily, that the boat was not only unable to proceed, but even to extricate itself. It was, therefore, deliberately sunk, in hopes of being fished up in some future voyage, and the crew made their way overland to the ship.-Meantime, Dr Richardson, more fortunate than his associate, completed the line marked out for him,-reached the mouth of the Coppermine river, and thence the shores of Bear Lake; where, after a somewhat alarming delay, he was met by a boat appointed to be in waiting, and conveyed to the wintering station.

Such are the important general results of this last expedition, into the details of which we do not feel much temptation to en

ter.

The character of these shores is marked by a vast and dreary monotony. There is little to distinguish one from another, among the range of naked and frozen capes, and ice-encumbered inlets, through which the expedition was doomed to wind

its toilsome and perilous way. Our travellers, excellent nautical observers, do not seem to have felt much of those poetical impressions which sometimes give so brilliant a colouring to the narratives of voyages of discovery, and which may even arise in the minds of many readers, in musing on these dark and distant shores, the solitary grandeur of the objects which border them, -and the dark mists through which they are descried. In truth, the severe realities which press on an Arctic navigator, and place life itself in almost hourly jeopardy, are not quite so favourable for this play of the fancy as the circumstances under which we peruse his narrative by our comfortable firesides. The rocks, headlands, and icy pinnacles, seen dimly through mist, are to him but sources of anxiety, remembrancers of peril, or calls to excessive toil; and, when forced to bear up among breakers, or to watch the drifting of the midnight ice, he is probably in the very worst of all possible moods for dwelling upon their picturesque appearance, or sublime effect. The very safety produced by their laudable vigilance and successful labours, renders the history of their adventures less intensely interesting.

This im

The most remarkable natural feature seen in this voyage, and which accompanied Captain Franklin in his whole progress westward, is the prolongation of the Rocky mountains. mense chain, after crossing, under various denominations, the whole length of America from north to south, turns here to the westward, and faces the ocean. These mountains were always separated from the coast, however, by a level and swampy plain of considerable extent, which prevented the expedition from subjecting them to very close examination or survey. Nothing almost was left of that lofty and formidable aspect which they present on the plains of Quito or Mexico, or even on the shores of the northern Pacific. They appeared even no longer as one great continuous chain; but in successive groups, each separated by a certain interval from the other. Those bordering on the Mackenzie river did not rise higher than two thousand feet; and Mount Conybeare, the only peak reached from the sea-coast, did not exceed eight hundred feet. At the point where Captain Franklin's navigation terminated, they had either sunk entirely, or receded so far to the south as to be no longer visible. It seems not improbable, however, that those seen may be only branches, or spurs, from loftier and more continuous ranges in the interior; since lateral views, obtained at the end of the ranges, showed a succession of chains behind each other, with separating valleys,-and one Indian interpreter reported fifteen successive chains, as intervening between the Mackenzie river and the ocean.

The coast surveyed by Dr Richardson between the Mackenzie and Coppermine rivers, has no such remarkable feature, yet is, in general, of a bolder character, presenting cliffs that rise to the height of several hundred feet. The most striking phenomenon upon this coast is its burning cliffs, which were seen in several places, and often on a great scale, giving out their warm vapours to mingle with the freezing air of the icy sea. The process is chemical, taking place in a species of bituminous shale, impregnated with sulphur existing in a state which causes it to have a strong attraction for oxygen, and thus often gives rise to spontaneous combustion. The result is the formation of alum, of which these rocks form thus a vast natural manufactory.

The Esquimaux were found in the exclusive occupation of the whole range of coast traversed by both expeditions. They agreed with those observed by Captain Parry, and with those of Greenland, not only in visage, form, and habits, which might have been formed by similarity of circumstances, but in language, which leaves no doubt that this one original race peoples the whole shores of the icy sea. Yet they present themselves here under some peculiar aspects. A greater number exist together, and they have arrived at some forms of polity unknown to the wandering natives of Melville Peninsula. One village, visited by Dr Richardson, was found to contain a tolerably large building, with an apartment twenty-seven feet square, apparently intended for the assembly-room of the tribe. They approach in other respects more nearly to the character of the Indian savage, being imbued with a fierceness and propensity to violence unknown to the good-humoured visitants of Winter Island. They made repeated attempts to possess themselves of the splendid treasures which they saw in the boats; knives, nails, hooks, hatchets, bits of iron, and blue beads. On the very first meeting at the mouth of Mackenzie river, there took place a very formidable encounter, the particulars of which are so singular, that they shall be given in Captain Franklin's own words. After various forms of begging and stealing, they at length retired to arrange a plan of attack, the first step of which was to drag the boats on shore.

As we neared the beach, two oomiaks full of women arrived, and the vociferation was redoubled. The Reliance was first brought to the shore, and the Lion close to her a few seconds afterwards. A numerous party then drawing their knives, and stripping themselves to the waist, ran to the Reliance, and having first hauled her as far up as they could, began a regular pillage, handing the articles to the women, who, ranged in a row behind, quickly conveyed them out of sight. Lieutenant Back

and his crew strenuously, but good-humouredly, resisted the attack, and rescued many things from their grasp, but they were overpowered by numbers, and had even some difficulty in preserving their arms. One fellow had the audacity to snatch Vivier's knife from his breast, and to cut the buttons from his coat, while three stout Esquimaux surrounded Lieutenant Back with uplifted daggers, and were incessant in their demands for whatever attracted their attention, especially for the anchor buttons which he wore on his waistcoat. In this juncture, a young chief, coming to his aid, drove the assailants away. In their retreat they carried off a writing-desk and cloak, which the chief rescued, and then seating himself on Lieutenant Back's knee, he endeavoured to persuade his countrymen to desist by vociferating teyma, teyma, and was indeed very active in saving whatever he could from their depredations. In a short time Duncan called out to me that the Esquimaux had now commenced in earnest to plunder the Lion, and I found the sides of the boat lined with meu as thick as they could stand, brandishing their knives in the most furious manner, and attempting to seize every thing that was movable; while another party was ranged on the outside, ready to bear away the stolen goods. The Lion's crew still kept their seats, but as it was impossible for so small a number to keep off such a formidable and determined body, several articles were carried off.

In the whole of this unequal contest, the self-possession of our men was not more conspicuous than the coolness with which the Esquimaux received the heavy blows dealt to them with the buts of the muskets. But at length irritated at being so often foiled in their attempts, several of them jumped on board, and forcibly endeavoured to take the daggers and shot-belts that were about the men's persons; and I myself was engaged with three of them who were trying to disarm me. Lieutenant Back, perceiving our situation, and fully appreciating my motives in not coming to extremities, had the kindness to send to my assistance the young chief who had protected him, and who on his arrival drove my antagonists out of the boat. I then saw that my crew were nearly overpowered in the fore part of the boat, and hastening to their aid, I fortunately arrived in time to prevent George Wilson from discharging the coatents of his musket into the body of an Esquimaux. No sooner was the bow cleared of one set of marauders, than another commenced its operations at the stern. My gun was now the object of the struggle, which was beginning to assume a more serious complexion, when the whole of the Esquimaux suddenly fled, and hid themselves behind the drift timber and canoes on the beach. It appears that by the exertions of the crew, the Reliance was again afloat, and Lieutenant Back wisely judging that this was the proper moment for more active interference, directed his men to level their muskets, which had produced that sudden panic. The Lion happily floated soon after, and both were retiring from the beach, when the Esquimaux, having recovered from their consternation, put their kayaks in the water, and were preparing to follow us; but I desired Augustus to say that I would shoot the first man who came within range of our muskets, which prevented them.

I cannot sufficiently praise the fortitude and obedience of both the boats' crews, in abstaining from the use of their arms. In the first in

stance, I had been influenced by the desire of preventing unnecessary bloodshed; and afterwards, when the critical situation of my party might have well warranted me in employing more decided means for their defence, I still endeavoured to temporize, being convinced that as long as the boats lay aground, and we were beset with such numbers, armed with long knives, bows, arrows, and spears, we could not use fire-arms to advantage. The howling of the women, and the clamour of the men, proved the high excitement to which they had wrought themselves; and I am still of opinion, that mingled as we were with them, the first blood we had shed would have been instantly revenged by the sacrifice of all our lives.'

On another occasion, when one of the boats in Dr Richardson's expedition had been stranded, a similar plan of attack seems to have been fully matured, and was only averted by a general presentation of muskets. They seem to have been much emboldened in many instances by a belief, that the British sailors were females! Among the Esquimaux, the women only row; and on seeing our men thus employed, they were led into this very odd mistake. One of them even asked if all the white women had beards.

The nomenclature of the frozen regions is a task which has exercised the ingenuity of all their explorers, from Frobisher downwards. On the Oriental and other civilised coasts, the native names, modified so as to become less grating to our ears, have been almost universally retained. This system certainly gives to the places so named, the most genuine and local stamp. On the northern shores, however, the limited intercourse with the natives, and ignorance of their language, have prevented any general adoption of it. To Captain Parry's intimate communica tions with the Esquimaux, we are, however, indebted for Amitioke, Ooglin, Owlittewek. But, in general, British names have been given to the whole range of the Arctic coasts. When the discoverer chooses to connect his own name with his discovery, his claim cannot be for a moment disputed. Hudson's and Baffin's Bays, Davis' and Frobisher's Straits, hold their titles by indefeasible right. We would not even complain, when he gives to the object a name expressive of its aspect, or of the impression produced on his mind; as Cape Comfort, Cape Desolation, Cape of God's Mercies; nor even when he makes it express the varied emotions which agitated his mind in the course of his adventurous career, as Resolution Point-Hold with HopeHope Checked. But the complimentary system is that which seems now universally established. The discoverer distributes his capes, his gulfs, and his islands, among his patrons, or on such eminent men as he thinks to have deserved well of science and of the world. It does not seem very possible, even here, to dis