no SHOOTING LITTLE AUKS. Chap. VIII. 



here two months earlier ; but the importance of this differ- 

 ence is incalculable. 



The opportunities afforded by the delays to which we 

 have been subjected were turned, however, to some account. 

 Nearly one thousand rotchies were shot \ they are excellent 

 eating, their average weight is four ounces and a half, but 

 when prepared for the table they probably do not yield more 

 than three ounces each. A young bear imprudently swam 

 up to the ship, and was shot, — his skin fell to the sportsman, 

 and carcase to the dogs. Several others have been seen : we 

 watched one fellow surprise a seal upon the ice, and carry it 

 about in his mouth as a cat does a mouse. 



27th. — Lying fast to the ice off the Crimson Cliffs, of Sir 

 John Ross. Yesterday we succeeded in passing through the 

 nip, and by evening reached Cape York. Seeing natives 

 running out upon the land-ice, the ship was made fast for an 

 hour in order to communicate with them. A party of eight 

 men came on board : they immediately recognised Petersen 

 for they lived at Etah in Smith's Sound when he was there 

 in the American expedition. They asked for Dr. Kane, and 

 told us Hans was married and living in Whale Sound. They 

 all said he was most anxious to return to Greenland, but had 

 neither sledge-dogs nor kayak ; hunger had compelled him 

 to eat the sealskin which covered the framework of the latter. 

 Petersen gave them messages for Hans from his Greenland 

 friends, and advice that he should fix his residence here, 

 where he might see the whalers and perhaps be taken back 

 to Greenland. The natives did not seem to be badly off for 

 anything except dogs, some distemper having carried off 

 most of these indispensable animals, I was therefore unable 

 to procure any from them. These people spent last winter 

 here ; they seemed to be healthy, well-clad, and happy little 

 fellows. One of them is brother-in-law to Erasmus York, 

 who voluntarily came to England in the ' Assistance ' in 



