92 THE LAST CRUISE OF THE MIRANDA. 



the former one, because the morning after that memorable 

 night we had selected a better camping-groiind upon a dead 

 level, so that although our floor was undoubtedly moist, it did 

 not this time resemble a swamp. 



When morning broke it was clear and beautiful, and we 

 started at last for our happy hunting-grounds in most excel- 

 lent spirits. The unveiling, as it were, of the magnificent 

 scenery about us by the sun^s dispersal of the heavy mists and 

 fog was one of the grandest and most impressive sights I have 

 ever witnessed. Most of the mountain ranges in the distance 

 stood out distinctly in the clear sun, but the loftiest peaks 

 were still veiled by white clouds of mist. The keen, clear 

 air after the damp and fog was exhilarating in the extreme, 

 and we broke out into the wildest shouts and bacchanalian 

 songs, to the great amusement of our Eskimo friends. Just 

 as we were starting and had our boats ready to push off, we 

 suddenly heard a volley of shots, and a large oomiak hove in 

 sight, containing a band of joyful Eskimos who were return- 

 ing from a deer-hunt. They had captured twenty-four deer, 

 so they indicated, and held up a number of deer-horns to prove 

 their assertion. The body of one of their comrades who had 

 died on the expedition was lying in the bottom of their boat, 

 but this did not seem to interfere with their cheerfulness. 

 Most of them landed and gazed at us with the greatest curi- 

 osity and wonder, for they had been away in camp since 

 before our arrival. We parted with many salutations and 

 expressions of good will conveyed through gestures. 



We had a magnificent pull that day of about thirty miles 

 up the Isortok fiord, blazing away now and then at a guille- 

 mot or a puffin. We had a kayak in tow — a most useful boat 

 in an excursion of this kind ; for whenever a bird fell one of 

 the Eskimos would get in the kayak, go back and pick up 

 the bird, and rejoin us without delaying our progress. After 

 we had passed the glacier that I mentioned before, we rowed 



