320 DEER NOTICED. [June, 



let us inquire whether such an explanation will satisfy 

 our scruples as to the mixture of so many ingredients, 

 and of many never found in situ .- will frost bring them 

 together ? I would venture to submit a few interesting 

 questions for solution : in the first place, how did the 

 rubble on the mountains and sides become reduced to 

 Macadamized proportions, not affording, for hundreds of 

 yards, one stone weighing above one pound ? At what 

 period were the skeletons of whales deposited? When 

 did trees or vegetation nourish here ? If these seas were 

 ever open, where is the drift-wood, or why are the small 

 pieces found of the oldest possible date ? These are mat- 

 ters for the discussion of master minds ; they afford fair 

 grounds for reasoning, and may prove highly interesting 

 to science. 



Except at our extreme eastern position and Arthur's 

 Strait, no trace of Esquimaux has been noticed ; still I 

 am inclined to believe that their visits to this northern 

 region have been comparatively recent. 



In our progress towards Step Bluff, three deer were 

 noticed. Dr. Lyall, accompanied by two of our best sports- 

 men, attempted to creep towards them, but they proved 

 too wary, and made off up the valley. We were now 

 pushing for Step Bluff, the north-west angle of Prince 

 Albert land, and the extreme discovery of last season. 

 Several troublesome spits rendered travelling very labo- 

 rious, the sharp angular stones cutting deeply into the 

 soft iron of the runner bands, as well as tearing out the 

 rivets. As we neared our position, greater difficulties 

 however assailed us ; the heat had sufficient influence on 

 the inclined dark detritus from the mountain above us to 



