NINE MONTHS IN THE ARCTIC. 155 



During this time of uncertainty concerning the 

 fate of Mr. Fisher and those with him, Captain 

 Norton called the company together, and pro- 

 posed that another party should go out and look 

 for their companions, and ascertain, if possible, 

 whether they were living or not. Eight or ten 

 days had thus passed away, and nothing was heard 

 from the first party, nor could we learn any thing 

 definitely about them from the natives, though 

 we had reason to believe they knew more about 

 them than we did. 



On the supposition, however, that Mr. Fisher 

 and his party had perished by the way, as re- 

 ported by the natives, and lest those who might 

 follow should meet with the same calamity, and 

 thus party after party be lost in those trackless 

 wastes of the arctic, it was thought advisable, if 

 possible, before any more of us followed, to send 

 word by the traveling natives to all the settle- 

 ments, both near and more remote, whether five 

 seamen had arrived at any one of them, or wheth- 

 er they had been discovered frozen to death. 



Word was sent to Mr. Fisher from Captain 

 Norton by means of pieces of copper written 

 upon with lead, and forwarded by the natives. 

 Mr. Fisher also sent word to Captain Norton in 

 the same manner after his arrival at the settle- 

 ment; but neither heard from the other, and 



