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109 in the Western Arctic Sea. which hovered round the tents, like sparrows, all the time wc halted. It had been formerly remarked, that the surface of the Table Hill, like all the country we had traversed, consisted of sandstone,having on it manymassesoflime-stone of different colours; we were, there fore, attentive to discover where the lime-stone began ; but none appeared until within a few hundred yards of the hill, where some small pieces were found, mixed with granite and feldspar, scattered on the surface of the sandy soil. Halting at the foot of the Table Hill, about 10 A. M., we waited till noon to ascer tain the position of the highest point by observation. It was found to be in N. lat. 74° 48'33", and W. long. Ill 0 H' 49", the variation of the compass 123° 05' 30" easterly. The most easterly of the Table Hills, for there are two eminences, is the most remarkable object in that part of Melville Island ; the peo ple were, therefore, set to work to collect stones for a monument, the better to point out the harbour in which the ships lay, should any vessel ever pass that way and be in want of a safe station. This monument was round and conical, ten feet in diameter at the base, and between ten and eleven feet in perpendicular height. In the centre was deposited a piece of parchment with the date and the names of the ships; but a sloping passage was left at the bottom, through which a copper case can be introduced, to be prepared when we get to the ships, containing a full ac count of the expedition. After finishing this monument the party rested till past 3 P. M., when, having the mortification to discover no opening in the sea to the westward, we marched on to Winter Harbour, and arrived well and hearty on board our re spective ships at seven in the evening. LETTER XIV. Baffin’s Buy, 1st September, 1820. At last, my dear Thomas, we have closed the multiplied dan gers of the narrow seas : we are now again in a branch of the great northern ocean, and on our way for Old England. Of the various and contradictory feelings by which all on board were agitated, before the resolution to relinquish the attempt to pro secute our intended voyage to the westward was adopted, it would be idle in me to give you a statement. If a due con sideration of the situation in which we were placed, previously to our coming to that mortifying determination, be insufficient to convince you and other friends at home not only of its propriety but of its absolute necessity, for me to imagine that any thing in my power to say could have a greater effect would be the height of