OF THE POLAR SEA. 143 



next morning, as we were desirous of availing 

 ourselves of every part of this favourable wea- 

 ther for their operations. The hunters arrived 

 in the course of the night. It appeared that the 

 dog which escaped from us two days ago came 

 into the vicinity of their encampment, howling 

 piteously ; seeing him without his harness, they 

 came to the hasty conclusion that our whole party 

 had perished in a rapid ; and throwing away part 

 of their baggage, and leaving the meat behind 

 them, they set off with the utmost haste to join 

 Long-legs. Our messenger met them in their 

 flight, but too far advanced to admit of their re- 

 turning for the meat. Akaitcho scolded them 

 heartily for their thoughtlessness in leaving the 

 meat, which we so much wanted. They expressed 

 their regret, and being ashamed of their panic, 

 proposed to remedy the evil as much as possible 

 by going forward, without stopping, until they 

 came to a favourable spot for hunting, which 

 they expected to do about thirty or forty miles 

 below our present encampment. Akaitcho ac- 

 companied them, but previous to setting off he 

 renewed his charge that we should be on our 

 guard against the bears, which was occasioned 

 by the hunters having fired at one this morning 

 as they were descending a rapid in their canoe. 

 As their small canoes would only carry five per- 



