Still keeping on a direct line for the foot of the bluffs of the northern point, one and one-half miles from camp brought us on to sea ice, and as the snow was soft and deeper on this, and there was more water on it, I gave up my “bee-line” course and kept off to the left on the ice of the Strait.
At twenty miles we touched the ice-foot at a low bluff point, and found quite a deep bay (five miles at least) separating this from the northern point.
The snowshoeing had been very heavy thus far, our shoes sinking deeply into the saturated snow, and coming up at each step loaded with several pounds of it; but from here it was worse, the snow still softer and underlaid with water, and the last two miles of the five to the cape, over hummocky ice was almost continuous wading through one pool after another.
This bay makes up into a wide low valley between the mountains on the east coast, and the mountains extending back from the north point.
As the region seemed rather inviting, it was carefully examined with the glasses, and tracks of musk-oxen or deer made out in the snow. This was very pleasing to me as my dogs are sadly in need of an addition to their pemmican ration.
Just before stepping on the gravel of the foreshore which makes out from the bluffs of the north point, I saw two hare, a step or two farther three more, then another. At 3.50 A. M. I stepped ashore, followed a few minutes later by my men. A little before this, a flock of nineteen brant flew over us.
I sent Egingwah away at once after the hare, told Ooblooyah to look after the dogs, and slinging the binoculars over my shoulders, started west for the crest of the foreshore to see what was beyond.
There was more moss on the gravel here than at any place we touched on the Grant Land coast, also an occasional tuft of grass and frequent purple flowers. In the calm air, and brilliant sunshine, the place had a very warm and inviting look (heightened by the sound of running water) which even my aching legs and ankles, and icewater-saturated feet could not lessen. Only a few steps and I came on the recent tracks of six deer in a patch of snow, and this put me on the alert and made me go cautiously.
About a mile from the sledges as I rose over a gravel ridge, there were four deer, two close by, a doe and fawn farther on.
I dropped down at once, watched them a moment or two, then turned to signal to Egingwah.