114 PARRY'S FIRST VOYAGE. 



seen in the Arctic regions, the vegetation being more 

 abundant and forward than in any other place, and the 

 situation sheltered and favorable for game.' 3 They 

 found here a good deal of moss, grass, dwarf-willow, 

 and saxifrage, and Captain Sabine met with a ranunculus 

 in full flower. Thus we see that even in this, the most 

 desolate region of the earth, the superiority of the 

 western coast predominates. The hunters saw and 

 fired at a musk-ox, but did not kill him ; they saw also 

 several golden plovers. On the 15th of June they 

 reached the ships, and were complimented by their ship- 

 mates on their good looks, and as appearing in more 

 robust health than when they departed. 



"Having observed/' says Parry, "that the sorrel 

 was now so far advanced in foliage as to be easily 

 gathered in sufficient quantity for eating, I gave orders 

 that two afternoons in each week should be occupied 

 by all hands in collecting the leaves of this plant : each 

 man being required to bring in, for the present, one 

 ounce, to be served in lieu of lemon-juice, pickles, and 

 dried herbs, which had been hitherto issued. The 

 growth of the sorrel was from this time so quick, and 

 the quantity of it so great on every part of the ground 

 about the harbor, that we shortly after sent the men out 

 every afternoon for an hour or two ; in which time, 

 besides the advantage of a healthy walk, they could, 

 without difficulty, pick nearly a pound each of this valu- 

 able antiscorbutic, of which they were all extremely fond. 



" By the 20th of June, the land in the immediate 

 neighborhood of the ships, and especially in low and 

 sheltered situations, was much covered with the hand- 

 some purple flower of the saxifraga oppositifolia, which 

 was at this time in great perfection, and gave something 

 like cheerfulness and animation to a scene hitherto 

 indescribably dreary in its appearance. 



