474 RAE'S LETTER TO THE TIMES. 



subject could ask such a question. At the season when 

 Sir John Franklin's party was seen travelling over the 

 ice, the seal-holes are covered by snow, arid can only be 

 discovered by the acute sense of smell of the native 

 dogs ; and, after the seal-hole is discovered, much pa- 

 tience, experience, and care, are requisite to kill the seal. 

 As soon as the snow thaws (say in June) the seals 

 show themselves on the ice ; but they are then so dif- 

 ficult of approach that not one of my men (Ouligbuck, 

 the interpreter, excepted), although they often made 

 the attempt, could approach near enough to shoot any 

 of these animals. 



" I wintered at a part of the Arctic coast remarkable 

 by its geographical formation for the abundance of deer 

 during the autumn migrations, but only then ; and it 

 was at that time that we laid up oui winter stock of 

 food ; but it was hard work even for us (all practised 

 sportsmen, picked men, and in full strength and train- 

 ing) to collect a sufficiency. 



"That portion of country near to and on which a 

 portion of Sir John Franklin's party was seen is, in the 

 spring, notoriously the most barren of animal life of any 

 of the Arctic shores ; and the few deer that may be seen 

 are generally very shy, from having been hunted during 

 the winter by Indians, on the borders of the woodlands. 

 To prove this scarcity of game, I may add, that during 

 my spring journey of fifty-six days' duration, one deer 

 only and a few partridges were shot by us. 



"It is asked by your correspondent, ' Why the un- 

 fortunate men should have encumbered themselves with 

 silver forks and spoons and silver plates ? ' &c. The 

 total weight of the silver forks and spoons could not be 

 more than four or five pounds at the utmost, and would 

 not appear much when divided among forty persons ; 

 and any officer who has ever had the misfortune to 



