466 Thirty Years 



have been caused by the pressure of the ice ; and from 

 the top of this berg we had the satisfaction of discov- 

 ering that a large herd of reindeer were marching in 

 line towards the opposite side of the channel. Our 

 party was instantly on the alert, and the best hunters 

 were sent in the Eeliance in chase of them. The boat 

 grounded about midway across, and the eager sports- 

 men jumped overboard and hastened to the shore ; 

 but such was their want of skill, that only three fawns 

 were killed, out of a herd of three or four hundred. 

 The supply, however, was sufficient for our present 

 use, and the circumstances of the chase afforded amu- 

 sing conversation for the evening. 



Th "rd day ' Cm tne morning of the 3rd a strong breeze 

 set in from the east, which we were rejoiced to find 

 caused a higher flood in the channel than we had yet 

 seen, and the hope of effecting a passage by its course 

 was revived ; as the ice was still fast to the reef, and 

 likely to continue so, it was considered better to oc- 

 cupy ourselves in dragging the boats through the 

 mud, than to continue longer in this irksome spot, 

 where the wood was already scarce, and the water in- 

 different. The boats, therefore, proceeded with four 

 m< n in each, while the rest of the crew walked along 

 the shore, and gendered assistance wherever it was 

 i ary, to drag them over the shallow parts, 

 four hours' labor, we reached the eastern part of the 



