CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAX. 



11 



of every description in the settlement, aud boat load after boat load arrived, until we were almost 

 compelled to use force to stop them from bringing the animals on board. With Joe's assistance, 

 who passed judgment on them by saying, " That dog uo good " or " This good," the required num- 

 ber of the best were selected, and the natives were informed that no more were wanted and that 

 the rejected ones must be taken out of the ship. This last order Joe proceedeil to carry out by 



1NNIII SETTLEMENT ON WEST DIOMEDE ISLAND. 



picking them up by the back and dropping them into the boats without regard to the howls aud 

 snarls of the dogs or the expostulations of their owners. We had succeeded in getting uineteen 

 good dogs, with two sleds, paying, for all, twenty-one sacks of flour. We also bought some fur 

 clothing, boots, aud a few walrus tusks, paying for Ihem in tobacco and ammunition. 



We got under way in the evening, and after making a short stop at the settlement ou the East 

 Dioinede we proceeded towards Cape Serdze Kainen. About midnight the weather cleared up a 

 little aud gave us a fine view of East Cape aud hills to the northward. Although the sun iu this 

 latitude, at this season, sinks below the horizon at midnight, it is for a short time only, aud when 

 not cloudy it is as light as day throughout the night. 



About 4 a. m., May 31, we fell in with aud boarded the whaling bark Helen Mar, Captain Baul- 

 dry, who reported the ice well broken to the north ; that he had taken four whales, and had beeu 

 north to latitude 08°. Cape Serdze was seen about noon, after feeling our way in through thick 

 fog and heavy drift ice for several hours. Following the coast to the westward until 4 p. m., we 

 came to a settlement of Tchuktchis behind an island called by the natives Tapkan. The island is 

 about one-half mile long, one fourth ot a mile wide, and is a mile from shore. Along the coast we 

 found a rim of ice from 5 to 30 feet high, and extending from 2 to 10 miles off shore. At our land- 

 ing place it was quite narrow, but so rough aud hummocky that it seemed to us impassable, and 

 we were about to give up the attempt and return to the ship, when we discovered some natives on 

 the ice a mile farther north, apparently going towards the vessel. Rowing to a point opposite 

 them, we got upon the ice aud waited for them to approach, which they did with some caution, as 

 if not quite sure what our intentions might be. A few words from Joe and a preseut of some to- 

 bacco soon quieted their fears and established friendly relations between us. 



