PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 445 



CHAP. 

 XII. 



ble only by boats. It is now so shallow off the ice 

 cliffs, that a bank dries at two miles' distance 

 from the shore ; and it is only at the shingly ^IV. 

 points which occur opposite the ravines that a 

 convenient landing can be effected with small 

 boats.* 



In consequence of this shallow water there was 

 much difficulty in embarking the fossils, the tusks 

 in particular, the largest of which weighed I60lbs., 

 and it took us the greater part of the night to accom- 

 plish it. In our way on board we met several native 

 caiacs, and had an exhibition of the skill of one of 

 the Esquimaux in throwing his dart, which he 

 placed in a slip, a small wooden instrument about a 

 foot in length, with a hole cut in the end to receive 

 the forefinger, and a notch for the thumb. The 

 stick being thus grasped, the dart was laid along a 

 groove in the slip, and embraced by the middle 

 ringer and thumb. The man next propelled his 

 caiac with speed in order to communicate greater 

 velocity to the dart, and then whirled it through 

 the air to a considerable distance. As there was no 

 mark, we could not judge of his skill in taking aim. 

 His party lived a long distance up Buckland river, 

 and were acquainted with the musk ox, which I am 

 the more particular in remarking, as we had never 

 seen that animal on the coast. 



About eight o'clock at night we had a brilliant 

 display of the aurora borealis, a phenomenon of the 



* This difficulty of approaching the shore, even in a boat, will, 

 I trust, convince the reader of the impracticability of trying the 

 effect of a cannon shot upon the mud cliff with a view of bringing 

 down some part of its surface, as has been suggested since the 

 publication of the quarto edition. 



