KENNEDY'S JOURNEY 385 



concluded the labors of the day, which were seldom 

 over before nine or ten at night. 



On the 6th of April they arrived at Brentford Bay, 

 and the fatigue-party began their retrograde journey to 

 the ship. 



At this point Kennedy discovered a strait running 

 westward, which was found to separate North Somerset 

 from Boothia Felix, and was named Bellot Strait, in 

 honor of the gallant young Frenchman, who had secured 

 the affectionate regard riot only of the leader of the 

 party, but also of all the men. Thence Kennedy crossed 

 over Victoria Strait to Prince of Wales Land, naming 

 the most prominent headlands, bays, and islands. Nu 

 merous tracks of deer, wolves, bears, and musk-oxen, 

 were seen ; but none of the animals themselves, except 

 one bear, which came incautiously close to the snow- 

 hut, and was chased away by the dogs. 



On the 17th April the thermometer indicated -[-22 ; 

 ' a temperature," says Kennedy, " which, to our sensa- 

 tions, was absolutely oppressive. One of our dogs, 

 through over-exertion, combined with the unusual heat, 

 fainted in his traces, and lay gasping for breath for a 

 quarter of an hour ; but, after recovering, went on as 

 merrily as e^er. These faithful creatures were perfect 

 treasures to us throughout the journey. They were all 

 suffering, like ourselves, from snow-blindness, but did 

 not in the least relax their exertions on this account. 

 The Esquimaux dog is, in fact, the camel of these north- 

 ern deserts ; the faithful attendant of man, and the 

 sharer of his labors and privations." 



During a great portion of the journey the men were 

 much annoyed by snow-blindness, caused by the fierce 

 glare of the sun upon the snow ; and this was rendered 

 all the more unbearable by the sharp winds which pre- 

 vailed so much, and dashed the drift into their eyes. 



25 



