OP TH E POLAR SEA. 



421 



We had this evening the pain of discovering that two of our men 

 had stolen part of the officers' provision, which had been allotted to 

 us with strict impartiality. This conduct was the more reprehen- 

 sible, as it was plain that we were suffering, even in a greater 

 degree than themselves, from the effects of famine, owing to our 

 being of a less robust habit, and less accustomed to privations. We 

 had no means of punishing this crime, but by the threat that they 

 should forfeit their wages, which had now ceased to operate. 



Mr. Back and his companions set out at six in the morning, and 

 we started at seven. As the snow had entirely disappeared, and 



there were no means of distinguishing the footsteps of stragglers, I 

 gave strict orders, previously to our setting out, for all the party to 

 keep together : and especially I desired the two Esquimaux not to 

 leave us, they having often strayed in search of the remains of 

 animals. Our people, however, through despondency, had become 

 careless and disobedient, and had ceased to dread punishment, or 

 hope for reward. Much time was lost in halting and firing guns 

 to collect them, but the labour of walking was so much lightened 

 by the disappearance of the snow, that we advanced seven or 

 eight miles along the lake before noon, exclusive of the loss of 

 distance in rounding its numerous bays. At length we came to 

 an arm, running away to the north-east, and apparently connected 



with the lake which we had coasted on the 22d, 23d, and 24th, of 

 the month. 



The idea of again rounding such an extensive piece of water and 

 of travelling over so barren a country was dreadful, and we feared 

 that other arms, equally large, might obstruct our path, and that 

 the strength of the party would entirely fail, long before we could 

 reach the only part where we were certain of finding wood, distant 

 in a direct line twenty-five miles. While we halted to consider of 

 this subject, and to collect the party, the carcase of a deer was 

 discovered in the cleft of a rock into which it had fallen in the 



