258 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
with the exception of one, appeared to be cows. 
In the course of the evening, another musk-bull 
was shot, which was found by itself, and therefore 
supposed not to be one of the herd just mentioned. 
It would be quite unnecessary to enter into a de- 
scription of these two animals, as they differed in 
no respect from the one which we killed on the 9th 
instant, except in being a little smaller, or rather 
lighter, for the first one that was shot to-day weighed 
only three hundred and fifty-nine pounds, and the 
other three hundred and sixty-eight pounds. This 
difference appeared to be chiefly owing to the one 
that we killed some time ago, being in better con- 
dition than these, since they did not seem to differ 
much in size. At the foot of the hill where we saw 
these musk-oxen to-day, and along a plain that lay 
between it and the sea, we passed so many skulls 
and skeletons of musk-oxen, that I am inclined to 
alter my opinion respecting their migrating to the 
coast of America during the winter, for if they only 
visit this country in the summer-time, it is some- 
what strange that so many should die here during 
such a favourable part of the year. Besides, they 
are so well provided by nature for enduring the 
rigour of the climate, that the necessity for their 
leaving this island does not appear to be altogether 
so indispensable, as a person would at first sight be 
inclined to believe. ‘This, however, is a subject on 
which much might be said for or against the ques- 
tion, butas I am not particularly interested, on my 
own part, to establish the point, whether they 
migrate or remain here, I shall forbear saying any 
more about the matter, any farther than that we 
