Aug. 1859. PASS FURY BEACH. 287 



the ears scarcely large enough to admit a crow-quill. We 

 dined off steaks of the flesh, and prefer it to seal, which it 

 very much resembles, but is not quite so tender ; the skin is 

 greatly prized by the Greenlanders as an antiscorbutic ; it is 

 a sort of gristly gelatinous substance, nearly half an inch 

 thick, and possessing very little taste ; fried and eaten with 

 fish-sauce, it reminded me of cod-sound, though not so good. 

 The blubber fills two twenty-gallon casks; it produces 

 oil of a quality superior to seal oil ; not an ounce of the 

 flesh or skin of this huge animal has been thrown away, the 

 men having a wholesome dread of scurvy, and unbounded 

 confidence in " blood-meat," such as this ! The Doctor has 

 picked up a few fossils very similar to those formerly brought 

 home from Port Leopold. 



To our great joy the east wind died away this morning, 

 and immediately a west wind sprang up, which very quickly 

 freshened to a smart gale. At four o'clock this afternoon 

 we were able to make sail, the ice having moved about three 

 miles off shore ; passed within a mile of Fury Beach two 

 hours afterwards, and saw the framing of the house, the 

 boats and casks very distinctly. 



17th. — After passing Fury Beach, it fell calm, so we 

 steamed up as far as Batty Bay. On Tuesday afternoon 

 we were off Port Leopold, and running fast, when thick fog 

 came on ; we became involved in loose ice, and seriously 

 damaged our rudder. The boats and stores at Port Leopold 

 appeared to remain as we left them last year. The flag-staff 

 on the summit of North-east Cape (over Whale Point) is 

 still standing, but not erect. 



Fog and ice obstructed our progress during the night ; 

 but this morning when I came on deck at eight o'clock, the 

 day was bright, clear, and charming ; no ice visible, except 

 about Leopold Island, which was now some miles behind 

 us. Towards evening the wind became contrary. 



