312 RETURN TO PRINCESS ROYAL ISLAND. [June, 



did not lend his cheering countenance, suffering also 

 from troublesome plagues (carbuncles) on my head, which 

 weakened rne considerably, I was too glad to snatch any 

 repose ; and this time Nature helped me I really slept. 

 When I did turn out, it was not, attended by the bustle 

 and hurry of tent arrangements: the boat was my 

 cradle, my special cabin ; and there was no necessity for 

 disturbance. I kept my own room in order. As we 

 neared the land, we were anxiously looking out for some 

 signal from the ' Dauntless ;' but no sign of tent or sig- 

 nal could be traced ; I therefore imagined Mr. Grove to 

 be revelling in the slaughter of musk-oxen, deer, or ptar- 

 migan, and in any direction but where we were looking 

 for him. At six P.M. we pitched on the outer edge of 

 the inner pack line. About eight P.M. we were again in 

 motion, and before midnight well in upon the land-ice, 

 or that barely sheathing the frozen mud-banks beneath, 

 but now rapidly decaying, by the discolorization enabling 

 the sun's rays to act vigorously. The tracks of bear 

 were again becoming common. At midnight we halted 

 for luncheon : still no sign ; possibly he had again turned 

 night into night, and was asleep. Onward we pushed, 

 with the Union flying Grove's recall (he was at the 

 ship !), and at length pitched, at two A.M., on our old 

 position at Princess Royal Island. The features of the 

 land were much changed by the denudation of snow. 

 Dr. Lyall, who made a direct cut, not deviating as we 

 did, saw and fired at a large bear, probably, from the 

 size of the foot, a male. He must have passed very 

 near to our sledge, but was not noticed, nor did we even 

 hear the report of the gun. On Dr. Lyall rejoining us, 



