﻿1848. BOATS DAMAGED BY ICE. 299 



In the course of our walk we passed an Eskimo 

 stage, on which, among deer-skins and other effects, 

 we observed the skin of a white bear. We had 

 previously found a skull of this animal on the 

 beach, so that there is no doubt of its frequenting 

 this coast. 



After breakfast we made very slow progress, 

 having to cut a way through new ice. It did not 

 exceed an inch in thickness, but, being formed on a 

 foundation of snow, did not crack readily, while, 

 at the same time, it w^as hard enough to cut the 

 planks of the boats through, rendering them 

 scarcely sea-worthy, though we had strengthened 

 them on the water line with sheets of tin beat out 

 from the pemican cases. In dragging them over 

 the floes they were much shattered. At noon, 

 finding that we could not advance further, in the 

 present condition of the ice, without pulling the 

 boats to pieces and running the risk of losing all 

 our stores and provisions, we encamped about eight 

 miles from Cape Kendall, which bore south-west. 



On viewing the sea from the high grounds behind 

 our encampment, and ascertaining that no lanes of 

 open water were visible in any direction, I deter- 

 mined, after consulting with Mr. Rae, to leave the 

 boats at this place, and commence the overland 

 march in the course of two days if no amelioration 

 of the weather or alteration in the state of the sea 



