138 ABUNDANCE OF GAME. [Mfd'C/t, 



"The 'Erebus' and 'Terror' getting through Well- 

 ington Channel will (I have every expectation) have been 

 found by you to the eastward of your position ; had they 

 got westerly, some of our parties would certainly have 

 found them. I do not think more can be done west and 

 north of Melville than has been done, even if we knew 

 of the existence of land from any position attainable by 

 ships through Lancaster Sound, until we have some other 

 means of travelling. 



" I have been most successful in procuring game, and 

 that of some size, musk-oxen and reindeer, which ena- 

 bled me to serve 1^ Ib. per man per day for some consider- 

 able time.* This was not obtained without much labour 

 and method. My principal hunting grounds were distant 

 from the ship twelve to fifteen miles. I have had five 

 hunting parties away at one time ; besides, every encou- 

 ragement and facility was given to sportsmen to hunt the 

 country in the neighbourhood of the ship, small game, 

 geese, clucks, ptarmigan, being considered as their pro- 

 perty. You cannot conceive how this good living, exer- 

 cise, change of scene and prospects improved the ' Inves- 

 tigator's' crew and invigorated my own, who returned to 

 me healthy, but thin, and voracious as hawks. 



" This country, it may be said, teems with animal life 

 from the middle of May to the middle of October ; but 

 I do not think a large party of Europeans could support 

 themselves by hunting, even during these months. The 

 animals soon become shy and scarce, fuel for cooking 

 scarce, and hardly to be obtained at all when the ground 

 is covered with snow. 



* After breaking out, reduced to 1 11). per man. 



