April, 1859. DEPOT ROBBED. 221 



returning to Neitchlllee, hunting seals by the way ; those we 

 met at Cape Victoria had already gone there. The nearest 

 natives to us at present, they said, were residing at the 

 island of Amitoke, ten days' journey distant from here. Can 

 this Amitoke be Matty Island ? 



We purchased some seal's blubber and flesh, as well as 

 their only two dogs \ but next morning Oo-na-lee repented 

 his bargain, or feigned to do so, but as he came back without 

 the knife to exchange, we retained his dog • he tried to 

 steal a tin vessel off one of the sledges, and perhaps it was 

 for the purpose of regaining our favour that he made known 

 to us, just as we were starting, that his countrymen had 

 followed my homeward track in March, discovering my 

 depot of blubber, articles of barter, and two revolvers, and 

 carried them all off to Neitchlllee — by no means pleasant 

 intelligence ; their dogs must have enabled them to find the 

 blubber by scenting it, for it was buried under 4 feet of 

 snow, and strong winds had obliterated all traces upon the 

 surface. 



I was now glad we had purchased both the dogs of the 

 men, as it would probably prevent their seeking for our 

 depots to the northward ; the knowledge of the insecurity of 

 all depots amongst these people will keep us on our guard 

 for the future. I regretted the loss of the pistols, as it left 

 my party with no other arms than two guns. 



Oo-na-lee told us when we first met him that one of his 

 countrymen was very sick ; not seeing a sick man in their 

 huts, we forgot all about it until after starting, when Peter- 

 sen interpreted to me Oo-na-lee's parting information, and 

 told me how he described that the breech of the revolver 

 turned round ; it then occurred to me that one of the men 



received from the colony of Van Dieman's Land, or Tasmania, over 

 which her husband presided for several years, and, in particular, of the 

 large contributions raised there in aid of her expeditions of search. 



