Oct. 1857. "HARNESS JACK" 45 



our whole supply of fresh water from one of those pools of 

 thawed snow so common upon old ice in the summer ; it had 

 become frozen over and was cpvered with a foot of snow. 



A week ago this well was $$ inches deep, and contained 

 16 inches of water. Of course this fresh water did not in 

 the most remote degree owe its origin to the sea. 



I hardly expect any considerable disruption of the ice 

 before the general break-up in the spring, yet we do not 

 trust any of our provisions upon it, nor is it sufficiently still 

 to set up a magnetic observatory, for which purpose the 

 instruments have been supplied to us. 



Petersen still hopes we may escape and get into Upernivik, 

 as the sea is not permanently frozen over there before De- 

 cember. I am surprised to hear that eagles have been seen 

 so far north as Upernivik, although it is but twice in twenty- 

 four years that specimens have been noticed there. In 

 Richardson's ' Fauna Boreali - Americana ' the extreme 

 northern limit of these birds is given as 66° ; but Upernivik 

 is in 72f . 



A few bear and fox tracks have been seen, but no living 

 creatures for several days, except a flock of ducks hastening 

 southward, and a solitary raven. 



It is said that Esquimaux dogs will eat everything except 

 fox and raven. There are exceptions, however ; one of ours, 

 old " Harness Jack," devoured a raven with much gusto 

 some days ago. All the other dogs allowed their harness to 

 be taken off when they were brought on board ; but old Jack 

 will not permit himself to be unrobed ; when attempted he 

 very plainly threatens to use his teeth. This canine oddity 

 suddenly became immensely popular, by constituting himself 

 protecting head of the establishment when one of his tribe 

 littered ; he took up a most uncomfortable position on top 

 of the family cask (our impromptu kennel), and prevented 

 the approach of all the other dogs : but for his timely inter- 



