Aug. 1857. SEAL-SHOOTING. 33 



27///. — We daily make attempts to push on, and some- 

 times get a ship's length, but yesterday evening we made a 

 mile and a half ! the ice then closed against the ship's sides 

 and lifted her about a foot. We have had a fresh east wind 

 for two days, but no corresponding ice-drift to the west ; this 

 is most discouraging, and can only be accounted for by sup- 

 posing the existence of much ice or grounded icebergs in 

 that direction. 



The dreaded reality of wintering in the pack is gradually 

 forcing itself upon my mind, — but I must not write on this 

 subject, it is bad enough to brood over it unceasingly. We 

 can see the land all round Melville Bay, from Cape Walker 

 nearly to Cape York. Petersen is indefatigable at seal- 

 shooting, he is so anxious to secure them for our dogs ; he 

 says they must be hit in the head ; " if you hit him in the 

 beef that is not good," meaning that a flesh-wound does not 

 prevent their escaping under the ice„ Petersen and Christian 

 practise an Esquimaux mode of attracting the seals ; they 

 scrape the ice, thus making a noise like that produced by a 

 seal in making a hole with its flippers, and then place one 

 end of a pole in the water and put their mouths close to the 

 other end, making noises in imitation of the snorts and 

 grunts of their intended victims; whether the device is suc- 

 cessful or not I do not know, but it looks laughable enough. 



Christian came back a few days ago, like a true seal- 

 hunter, carrying his kayak on his head, and dragging a seal 

 behind him. Only two years ago Petersen returned across 

 this bay with Dr. Kane's retreating party; he shot a seal 

 which they devoured raw, and which, under providence, 

 saved their lives. Petersen is a good ice-pilot, knows all 

 these coasts as well as, or better than any man living, and, 

 from long experience and habits of observation, is almost 

 unerring in his prognostications of the weather. Besides 

 his great value to us as interpreter, few men are better 



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