TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 121 
the result of the experiment it appears, that it is 
specifically lighter than any ice we have ever sub- 
mitted to a similar trial before; there being about 
one-fifth of it above the surface of the water—where- 
as, in the former experiments of the same kind 
made at different times, we generally found that one- 
seventh was about the proportion of the ice above, 
to that below the surface. 
Saturday, 11th. — One of the parties on shore 
to-day shot a musk-ox, but he was so far from 
the ships that they could not bring him on board. I 
shall therefore forbear saying any thing respecting 
him in this place, as we shall most probably have him 
on board to-morrow, and then a particular descrip- 
tion will be given of him. I may observe, however, 
in the meantime, that a steak of him brought on 
board, was found to be much more palatable than we 
had reason to expect from the accounts given of the 
rankness, or musky taste of their flesh. The speci- 
men that we have had of it to-day, however, is per- 
haps not sufficient to enable us to say much for or 
against the matter; but I am in hopes that we shall 
soon be able to speak with certainty on the 
subject, as a herd of seven or eight were seen by 
another party that were on shore to-day, but the 
weather becoming rather thick, they were deterred 
from following them. [I may remark, indeed, in this 
place, that the weather has within these two or three 
days past assumed a very wintery aspect: the sky 
is almost constantly cloudy, the wind is much 
sharper than usual, and whenever we have a calm, 
as has been the case for most part of this day, there 
is always a little snow falling. In fact, every thing 
