TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS, 145 
of the land around the harbour, and the firing of 
guns, setting off of rockets, and burning of blue- 
lights, were continued on board as before. At length 
our endeavours were crowned with success, for at 
half past eleven o’clock the stray person returned; 
and, very much to our pleasure and surprise, had 
not suffered the least from the cold, notwithstand- 
ing he had been away upwards of four hours 
longer than any of the rest ! 
Thursday, 14th. — A wolf was seen to-day at the 
distance of about half a mile from the ships ; he was 
of a white colour, and about the size of the Esqui- 
maux dogs which we took home last year; some sup- 
posed that he was a little higher than these, but as 
far as I could judge, he was much about the same 
size, and not unlike them in shape, only that his 
legs appeared to be somewhat longer than their’s. 
Four reindeer were also seen to-day, but the wea- 
ther being pretty clear at the time, we could nei- 
ther get near to them nor to the wolf unperceived ; 
as the latter however appeared to be prowling about, 
as if inclined to keep nigh the ships, a small gun 
was taken on shore and set as a trap for him, by 
tying a piece of meat to a line affixed to the trigger, 
in such a way that an animal laying hold of the 
meat must inevitably receive the contents of the 
gun, that is to say, if it goes off; but that is a point, 
however, on which I am very doubtful, for we find 
of late that our fowling-pieces very frequently miss 
fire, from the moisture which freezes on the lock. 
They furnished to-day the house that has been 
built for the astronomical clocks, &c. and a shed 
has been constructed with spars and sails, which 
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