256 CAPTAIN CART WRIGHT'S 



resort thither in the greatest numbers from the 

 time the rut first begins to affect them (which is 

 early in October) until the ice is firm to the east- 

 ward of it, which is generally by the middle of 

 January. At this time they go off to the outer- 

 most islands, in order to b<3 more out of the way 

 of the wolves; and those islands lie so far from 

 hence, that we cannot go to them and back again 

 in a da}^, nor do they afford shelter to pass the 

 night in, being destitute of wood. In about an- 

 other month, I expect they will begin to draw in 

 a little more to the continent, but I do not think 

 they are so plentiful on this part of the coast as 

 they were in former winters; because, I never 

 knew wolves to be so scarce as of late. 



Not a single track of a white-bear has been seen 

 for a long time past, which makes me think that 

 those creatures keep out upon the outer edge of 

 the ice during the winter; for, there they may 

 meet with seals. When they come on shore, I 

 presume it is chiefly on the outer islands; yet I 

 have sometimes known them go far into the coun- 

 try in the winter: but how they can procure food 

 there, is to me unknown; for I cannot believe 

 they can catch any other land animal than the 

 porcupine, and of them but few; they must also 

 pay severely for a scanty meal, from the pain 

 occasioned by the quills which nature has pro- 

 vided for its defence. As to fish, they certainly 

 can catch but few, and those only small ones, in 

 such parts of rivers and brooks, as the strength 

 or particular sets of their currents, or warm 



