ARCTIC MAEINE AXI3LVLS. 



67 



The entire construction M'as, so far as our means permitted, most effective and 

 resistincc. Yet these tio-ers of the ice seemed hardlv to have encountered an 

 obstacle. Not a morsel of jjemmican remained, except in the iron cases, which 

 being round, with conical ends, defied both claws and teeth. They had rolled 

 and pawed them in every direction, tossing them about like footballs, although 

 over eighty pounds in weight. An alcohol can, strongly iron-bound, w^as 

 dashed into small fragments, and a tin can of liquor smashed and twisted 

 almost into a ball. The claws of the beast had perforated the metal and torn 

 it up as with a chisel. They were too dainty for salt meats ; ground coffee 

 they had an evident relish for ; old canvas was a favorite, for some reason or 

 other ; even our flag, which had been reared ' to take possession ' of the 

 waste, was gnawed down to the very staff. They had made a regular frolic of 

 it ; rolling our bread-barrels over the ice ; and, unable to masticate our heavy 

 India-rubber cloth, they had tied it up in unimaginable hard knots." 



Numbers of sea-birds are found breeding along the Arctic shores as far . s 

 man has hitherto penetrated ; some even keep the sea in the high latitudes all 

 the winter, wherever open water exists. On the most northern rocks the razor- 

 bill rears its vouncf, and the fulmar and Ross's gull have been seen in lanes of 

 water beyond 82° lat. As the sun gains in power, enormous troops of pufiins, 

 looms, dovekies, rotges, skuas, burgermasters, Sabine's gulls, kittiwakes, ivory 



THE GULL. 



gulls, and Arctic terns, return to the north. There they enjoy the long sum- 

 mer day, and revel in the abundance of the fish-teeming waters, brincfincr life 

 and animation into solitudes seldom or perhaps never disturbed by the presence 

 of man, and mingling their wild screams with the hoarse-resounding surge or 

 the howling of the storm. In many localities they breed in such abundance, 

 that it may be said, almost without exaggeration, that they darken the sun 

 when they fly, and hide the waters when they swim. 



