Nov. 1858. THE RAVEX. 181 



times be seen together : failing this they sometimes betake 

 themselves to the hummocks of ice, to doze in shelter from 

 the wind ; I have also found long burrows made by them 

 in the snow. They are large, and bring forth five or six 

 at a birth. 



29///. — It generally blows a gale of wind here; the only 

 advantage in return for so much discomfort is that the snow is 

 the more quickly packed hard. As we have only three work- 

 ing men and an Esquimaux left on board for ship's duties, 

 I was assisted a few days ago by the Doctor, the Engineer, 

 and the Interpreter in building another observatory, intended 

 for special monthly magnetic observations. This edifice is 

 constructed of snow. Whenever we have a calm night, we 

 can hear the crushing sound of the drift-ice in Bellot Strait, 

 which continues open to within 500 yards of the Fox Islands, 

 and emits dark chilling clouds of hateful, abominable mist. 



The last two days have been very fine and calm : the 

 men visited their fox and ermine traps, which are secreted 

 amongst the rocks in a most mysterious manner — one 

 ermine only has been taken. Seven or eight reindeer and 

 some ptarmigan were seen ; two of the latter and a hare were 

 shot. We have commenced brewing sugar beer. 



2nd Nov. — Very dull times. No amount of ingenuity 

 could make a diary worth the paper it is written on. An 

 occasional raven flies past, a couple more ptarmigan have 

 been shot ; another N.W. gale is blowing, with temperature 

 down to —i2°. 



Of all our feathered visitors, the raven alone scorns to 

 change either his colour or his clime. Sometimes in mid- 

 winter, when the frost is intense and no sound heard save 

 the crunching of snow under foot, you are startled by a loud, 

 deep, sonorous croak, and find yourself closely reconnoitred 

 by a raven ! The gloomy bird sails slowly past, and even the 

 clear starlight is sufficient to render visible to you an ice- 



