The age-herald., 1897-11-07
UNKNOWN BAFFINLAND.
Dr.. Bells Exploration of the Third Greates
 Island of the World.

Ottawa, Nov. 1-Much interesting infor-
 nation has been received regarding the | exploration trip of pr. Robert Bell, of the Dominion Geological Survey, during the summer in connection with the Hudsons
 Bay expedition. The steamer Diana crWsed to Big Island and launched pr. Bells yacht in Ashe Inlet on July 20. 1t was arranged that the Diana should call for Dr. Bell at the same inlet on Sept. 10. In the meantime he was to explore the coast to the northwest as far as pos slble and return. This he managed to to do very successfully in spite of many dangers and difficulties. He also ex- plored some of the vast interior of Baf- finland and returned to Big Island ten days before the appointed date. The interval was filled up by extending his explorations east of Bib Island as far as Icy Cove.
 The northern side of Hudson Strait is the southern coast of Baffinland, which
 is the third largest island in the world, being 1,l50 miles in length. Greenland and Australia alone exceed 1t in length. Hudson Strait is about 800 miles in length and averages about 100 miles in width.
 Big Island, which les near the north
 s.de, is thirty miles long and twenty
 miles wide. Both shores of the strait are mountainous and destitute of trees being
 beyond the limit of the northern forests Tha land along the western half of the south shore is higher and bolder than
 any other part of these coasts, and rises
 to a height of between 1000 and 2000
 feet above the sea. The eastern half of
 the south coast is rather low, and is not broken by any mountain range. Dr. Bell says:
 1.-The whole north shore is rugged but 1t rises more gradually as we go back
 from the s,sa, and attains a general ele-
 vat.on of 1000 to 1,500 feet at distance
 of ten to twenty miles inland. In the spring cold, ice-laden current, flowing
 in from Davis Strait, passes up the north side of Hudson Strait, while the warmer water of Hudson Bay flows out along
 the south shore. The north s'de has
 therefore a more Arctic character than the south."
 At the outset of his journey Dr. Bell
 was fortunate enough to find an Eskimo
 who knew something of the coast and understood English fairly well. The
 greater part of the coast to be explored
 was so completely unknown that it was not indicated on the charts, even by a dotted line. Passing to the northwest of Big Island and the mainland soon be-
 came fringed with many islands, and a little further on the whole coast seemed
 to be broken up into innumerable noun tainous islands of all sizes, from single hills of rock surrounded by water to ranges several miles in length. This
 border of islands is from ten to twenty miles wide.
 It was difficult to determine when the mainland was finally reached. Even when the explorers ascended a mountain they could see many channels of the sea running in all directions among the high hills. Besides the channels and shore separating the islands, a number of large lords running far inland were discov- cred and explored. These geographical cond tions are due to the geological struc- ture of a great developinent of crystal line rocks, their extensive erosion and partial submergence. Dr. Bell does not recall so striking an example of this kind of topography in any other part of the world. Here glaciation has reduced the general surface to a low level and com paratively even outline.
 The channels of this great archipelago
 of Southern Baffinland have an angular
 and zigzag character, which adds to the difficulty of following them. Owing to the vast extent and complicated nature of the channels. if the little party had met with any accident while exploring | this labyrinth of islands it would have l been impossible fer others to have found ] them, and they would inevitably have | perished when the long winter came on. l The greatest difficulties they had to con tenQ Witn were Jne HOeS Ol HSdry iS-, which were constantly driven with ir- resstible force hither and thither by the strong currents, due to the high | tides In the course of his westward l exploration the ice at one time com pleely barred Dr. Bells progress. While | waiting for an open passage through | 1t, he determined to make journey in- l land to visit, If possible, the great lakes reported to exist there. Accompanied by | three of his men he walked over the bare mountainous country and fixed the po- sit.on of two of these large lakes whose l southern shores come within fifty or six l ty miles of Hudson Strait. This proved | a very interesting exploration. the inter- vening country being picturesque and | full of clear lakes and streams. Two | small glaciers were also passed.
 Only a small number of Eskimos were | met by Dr. Bells party. In this region these people retain most of their prim- | itive habits. and they dress in clothing
 made from the skins of seals and rein deer.
 Fog in Germany