The Esquimaux pitched their tents on shore, but we slept on board.

The situation of this place is remarkably beautiful.  The strait is about an English mile broad, and four or five in length.  Both shores are lined with precipitous rocks, which in many places rise to a tremendous height, particularly on the Kaumayok side, from whence several waterfalls rush into the sea, with a roar, which quite fills the air.  The singular appearance of these cataracts is greatly increased when illuminated by the rising sun, the spray, exhibiting the most beautiful prismatic colours.  Below them huge masses of ice are formed, which seem to lean against the sides of the rocks, and to be continually increasing during the winter, but when melted by the power of a summer’s sun, and disengaged by their weight, are carried off by the tides, and help to form floating ice-mountains.  The coast lies S.W. by N.E.

26th.  Being detained here by the state of the ice, and the weather fine and warm, Brother Kmoch and Ogiksuk rowed across the straits to the nearest great cataract, and were able, notwithstanding the steepness of the ascent, to get pretty close to it.  It falls fifty or sixty feet perpendicular, and the noise is terrible.  The spray ascending from it, like the steam of a huge cauldron, wetted the travellers completely.  They amused themselves some time by rolling large stones into the fall, which by its force were carried along towards the sea, down the sloping torrent below.  Our people meanwhile caught three seals, and made a hearty meal, of which we also partook, hunger, on this occasion, overcoming our dislike to seal’s flesh.  A sallad of scurvy-grass was made for supper.

27th.  We left this harbour about four A.M. with a favourable wind at West, but as it soon died away, we took to our oars, and reached the north point of Kaumayok, at the northern extremity of the strait.  By an observation taken by Brother Kohlmeister, this point is situated in 57 deg. 59’ N. latitude.  Though calm, there was a great swell from the sea, and the rolling of the boat affected our brave captain not a little, to the diversion of the other Esquimaux.  About two P.M. the wind shifted to the N.W.  By tacking we got to Kupperlik, about the middle of Kaumayok, but having the skin-boat in tow, could not weather the point, and were at length obliged to return to our former anchorage in the strait.

28th.  The wind being North we could not proceed.  We therefore ascended the mountain of Cape Mugford.  It is a barren rock, though here and there a solitary plant or a tuft of moss clings to its steep sides, and is difficult of access.  The numerous waterfalls on the Kaumayok, which still rose above us, were full in view, and we now discovered several small lakes which supply them.  Some of them fall from a great height perpendicularly into the sea.

We could here discern the island of Okkak, to the S.W. to the East, the boundless ocean, and to the N.E. three high, barren, and steep islands, called Nennoktuts by the Esquimaux, (White mountains.)