OFF FOR THE INLAND ICE 1 53 



little auks. There was, however, a goodly sprhikHng of black 

 guillemots and gulls. I also saw a pair of eider-ducks. I 

 watched this scene for some time. Two stately, massive 

 bergs in the center of the pool of dancing water imparted 

 grandeur to the picture — now glistening with the dazzling 

 white of marble, and a moment later black with the myriads 

 of feathered creatures that had settled on them. The sight of 

 the water made me feel more homesick than ever, so I contin- 

 ued my walk around the Cape. At every step I broke into 

 the snow nearly to my hips, and sometimes there was water 

 under it. I saw four pairs of snow-buntings chirping and flit- 

 ting about among the rocks and patches of grass where the 

 snow had disappeared. They were evidently getting ac- 

 quainted with each other, and looking for a place in which to 

 make their home. Almost half way between the trap-dyke 

 and Three- Mile Valley I came upon the place where Kulu- 

 tunah had formerly had his tupic, and where he had left 

 nearly one half of a last summer's seal lying exposed on the 

 ice. About this had gathered hundreds upon hundreds of 

 flies, some large and some small, the first I have seen since 

 leaving Upernavik, I think. I brought some back as speci- 

 mens. The air was filled with the chirping of birds, the buzz 

 of flies, the drip, drip, drip of the snow and ice everywhere 

 about, and the odor of decaying seal. On my return I climbed 

 over the Cape in preference to rounding it, as I had seen large 

 pieces of ice break ofT and float out into the dark water. From 

 my elevated position the surface of the ice around and beyond 



