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Plover Bay at 5 PM--
When the fog lifted we found that the current had set us back 75 miles since we passed the Straits. Capt. H. says it runs an average of 1¼ knots per hour with a temperature of about 42°-- The bare repelling faces of the mountains shut off on top by caps of fog showed grim & dreary as we came steaming into the harbor and found anchored behind the spit the Schooner Bolden Fleece with Lieut. R Ray and his party of men on board on their way to establish a station at Point Barrow [[strikethrough]] in [[/strikethrough]] for the Signal Service-- Ray wishes [[strikethrough]] th [[/strikethrough]] to explore the Colville & Nunatog Rivers and if the ice is sufficiently favorable hopes to make a journey off to the NE over the ice to try and discover a new land in that direction-- This plan had already been in my mind and I think he will be very likely to succeed unless the roughness of the ice prevents.

Mr. Murdock an ornithologist is in the party and Lt. Ray assures me that he intends paying attention to the native customs and beliefs-- I presented the Lt. with my sledge and Capt. H. gave him a small sledge & a lot of deerskins which will be very useful to him.

Aug. 25 -- Plover Bay--
Lt. Ray came on board to breakfast this morning and after a chat on his plans and then the Corwin took the Schooner