258 QUIT PRINCESS ROYAL ISLAND. [May, 



far travelled out of my road to explain fully the nature 

 of the sealed hydrography of these regions, as well as to 

 explain that Nature will exert her undoubted rights at 

 the Equator as well as the Pole itself! On the power 

 philosophical I need not dilate : the laws are too simple. 

 I have stated its winter nuisance ; add to this, for sum- 

 mer, the difficulty of landing, by reason of interposed 

 bands of water near the beach, where the sun acts on 

 the dark-coloured mass of the hills and beach, causing 

 the water to flow freely between, long before the table- 

 cloth can be pierced. 



At our noon luncheon position we erected a snow py- 

 ramid, and, as it was not convenient to have it disturbed 

 by bears, left a composing dose for Bruin, in the event 

 of his revisiting this spot, his tracks being numerous 

 just here : it is to be hoped the wolf will not taste it ! 

 Thinking of Ursus maritimus and the original astrono- 

 mers, who placed Ursa Major and her cub at the Pole ? 

 It argues a knowledge that we cannot understand : it is 

 the only true representative of the Polar bear ! Is this 

 "the sweet little cherub"? As one of our family mottoes 

 is " Bear and For-Bear," I shall be silent. 



PRINCESS ROYAL ISLAND : N.N.W. FIVE MILES. 



May 10. Morning fine, but hazy; temperature 6. 

 Wolf hovering ; men complaining of sore eyes, resulting 



