326 RACE OFF CAPE SKINS. [June, 



as well as additional supplies, which we now wished at the 

 ship. Star Bluff (now named, in compliment to my old 

 captain, Cape Ekins) takes its name from a curious ar- 

 rangement in the fracture of the cliff face, which observed 

 a radiated form ; the snow, lodging on the ledges, pre- 

 sented against the dark ground, elsewhere prevailing, a 

 very perfect stellar form,* used by us for a long time, and 

 at great distances, as a mark. 



Here we found that the greater part of the provision 

 remained, and we had therefore to overload our sledges 

 and carry it forward. It was unpleasant, and not cmite 

 fair to our crew ; but delay would make matters worse : 

 it was therefore to be executed, even with our harassed 

 crews ; every one was disconcerted, and very dark were 

 our faces. During this process I ascended the hill, where 

 I had ordered a cairn to be built ; possibly it was deemed 

 too steep for younger blood : we built three, one a 

 house, the two others were constructed by myself, the 

 last being on the inaccessible summit of True Star Bluff, 

 and unattended. I must say I would not have ordered 

 it to be done by any but a volunteer. 



It is needless to repeat another Step Bluff version : we 

 pushed on, making very slow work, and pitched at a low 

 rubbly point, about five miles in advance. We have now 

 been fifty days engaged at this work, with fair sportsmen 

 and three good private guns, besides two indifferent Go- 

 vernment fowling-pieces ; and two hares, five ptarmigan, 

 one brent-goose, and several plover, not one day's provi- 

 sion, is our list of game taken. The race past Cape Ekins 

 was rapid, with overfalls ; the water abounded with wild- 

 * The woodcut is more decidedly stellar than the reality. 



