214 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
to return with. Our course, therefore, after we . 
started this morning, was to the southward and 
westward, for a considerable part of the way along 
the south-eastern coast of Hecla and Griper’s Bay. 
The weather was so cold that it froze the water in 
our canteens, and one of them was burst in con- 
sequence. We pitched our tents again at seven 
o’clock, on the side of a dry sandy hill, the top 
of which we found to be full of holes, like a rab- 
bit warren ; most probably fox burrows. At this 
place also we found a ptarmigan: so that we may 
already say, that we have met with more to interest 
us than we did during the last three days of our 
journey to the northward. ‘The latitude of this 
place we found, by meridian altitude, to be '75° 
33’ 55” N.; and longitude by chronometer 1’ 23” 5, 
W. of the ships. 
We resumed our journey again at half-past five 
o’clock in vhe afternoon, and continued on the 
march until half past eleven. Our route during 
this day’s journey was for the most part over plains, 
the greatest extent of which was covered with snow: 
as we came along, however, we found that the 
parts that were clear of it, improved very much in 
their appearance; for vegetation was, in some 
places, well advanced, especially in those where 
the ground was moist from the dissolution of 
the snow. In course of our journey, this even- 
ing, we shot a ptarmigan, and saw two geese of 
the same kind as those that were seen on the 6th 
instant. 
Friday, 9th. — We started again a quarter after 
three o’clock this morning, directing our course 
