156 OLD WHALING DAYS. 



Another day, as we were manning the boats, the snow 

 began to fall. The captain was not a man to send us away 

 unnecessarily, so he gave orders for us to remain on board. 

 The ship was in perfect safety, and ready for sea. 



We requested him to let us have a run upon the island in 

 search of the two deer I previously alluded to. He granted 

 us permission, and most of us were soon off like schoolboys 

 on a holiday. 



The island lay east and west, and about four and half 

 miles long and one broad. We spread ourselves in a line, 

 and travelled from one end to the other. Although the 

 snow was falling fast, we thoroughly enjoyed the change. 

 We saw the two deer, but they sighted us first, and off they 

 went up a very rugged part of the island and left no trace 

 behind them. At the east end we shot three hares and 

 thirty-four ptarmigan, and chased several ermine, but they 

 too escaped among the rocks. We returned on board after 

 four hour's recreation, and set the watch. 



The next day the s.s. Narwhal came into the har- 

 bour, and caught the deer as they were swimming across. 

 When they were dressed, they weighed eighty-four pounds 

 each, without their heads. The captain kindly sent us half 

 of one. We shot several blue and white foxes on the north 

 side. We also killed a large walrus, which we hauled upon 

 the beach and flensed. 



The next day it was partly devoured by wolves, as there 

 were many footprints seen in the snow. I had formerly 

 heard from a family of natives, who used to make this place 

 their winter quarters, that the wolves became too numerous, 

 and they were obliged to leave. They said their dogs 

 would sooner encounter bears than wolves. I have not 

 been within gunshot of any ; those I have seen so much 

 resemble a large Esquimaux dog, that at a distance it is 

 impossible to distinguish one from the other. 



At the head of this harbour there is some beautiful 



