Oct. 1858. HOBSON'S PARTY RETURNS. 177 



6//^ — A herd of a dozen reindeer crossed the harbour to- 

 day. Last night Hobson and his companions returned, all 

 well. They were stopped by the sea washing against the 

 cliffs in latitude 71*°, and to that point they have advanced 

 the depots. Although the weather has been stormy here, 

 they have been able to travel every day. They found the 

 coast still fringed with islets, and deeply indented; upon 

 every point, moss-grown circles of stones indicated the 

 abodes of Esquimaux in times long since gone by. 



One night they muzzled a dog, as she was in the habit of 

 gnawing her harness : in this defenceless state, unable even 

 to bark and arouse the men, her amiable sisterhood attacked 

 her so fiercely that she died next day. 



In honour of so important and successful a commence- 

 ment of our travelling as that accomplished by Hobson, we 

 had a feast of good venison, plum pudding, and grog. It is 

 quite evident that no more travelling can be accomplished 

 until the ice forms a pathway along shore ; in this, as in 

 some other respects, we anxiously await the advance of the 

 season. The weather is mild; Bellot Strait is almost covered 

 with ice, which drifts freely with every tide. Reindeer are 

 seen almost daily ; they too are awaiting the freezing over 

 of the sea to continue their southern travels. Our harbour- 

 ice is weak and covered a foot deep with a sludgy compound 

 of snow and water. 



8//z. — Yesterday an ermine was caught in a trap; hitherto 

 these most active little skirmishers have successfully robbed 

 our fox-traps of their baits as fast as they could be renewed. 

 To-day Peterson shot another reindeer ; it weighs 130 lbs. ; 

 many others were seen, also a wolf. Sometimes a few 

 ptarmigan are met with, but hares very rarely. 



12th. — Fine weather generally prevails. We have landed 

 about 100 casks, all our boats, and much lumber, so we 

 shall have abundance of room on board. I enjoyed a long 



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