Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/419

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NOMENCLATURE.

  • field, from the Grinnell Land of my former exploration,

of course, remains to be proven; but, that such is the fact, I have no doubt.

I give to this Sound the name of my vessel. The first conspicuous Cape which appears on its south side I name Cape Seward, and the most remote point of visible land lying beyond it, Cape Viele. The three last conspicuous Capes on the north side I name as follows: the most westerly, Cape Baker; that next to it, Cape Sawyer; and the third, Cape Stetson. The apparently deep indentations of the coast which lie between these bold headlands are designated as Joy Bay and Peabody Bay. The two large islands lying in the mouth of the Sound I have distinguished as Bache Island and Henry Island. Eastward of Cape Stetson I have applied such names as seemed to me appropriate to distinguish the prominent landmarks; but it is unnecessary to mention them here, as the map tells its own story. In those parts of the coast which were plotted by Dr. Kane from my old survey, I have endeavored to adhere, as far as practicable, to his nomenclature; and such parts of the shores of Kennedy Channel as were seen by Morton alone, I have, for the most part, simply applied Dr. Kane's names, without inquiring very particularly as to their corresponding places on the two maps. I think this course, in the main, preferable to that somewhat confusing system which deprived Captain Inglefield of the benefits of his survey of Smith Sound; and I have, besides, the additional satisfaction of joining Dr. Kane in paying respect to many distinguished men of science, dead and living, and among them to none that contribute more gratification than that of M. de la Roquette, Vice-President of the Geographical Soci-