July, 1859. CHRISTIAN SEAL-STALKING. 



275 



commenced ; and the aneroid and mercurial barometers 

 are again being compared in order to verify the former. 



i6t/i. Saturday flight. — We are now almost ready for sea. 

 There is a much larger space of water in Bellot Strait, reach- 

 ing within 300 or 400 yards of us. Long cracks or lanes of 

 water have been seen in Prince Regent's Inlet. The decay 

 of the ice continues, though not with equal rapidity, yet with 

 very satisfactory despatch. Westerly winds and clear weather 

 prevail. Christian has seen two reindeer this week, and has 

 shot a very few birds, and seven seals. As these creatures 

 lie basking upon the ice, he crawls up to them behind a 

 small calico screen, fitted upon a miniature sledge about a 

 foot long, on which there is a rest for the muzzle of his rifle, 

 and a slit in the calico through which he fires. 



Christian Seal-stalking. 



The seals afford an average weight of thirty pounds of 

 excellent fresh meat, which we relish greatly, and consider 



t 2 



