Visit to the Inspector. 81 



At about eight o'clock the captain, doctor, and 

 myself went on shore, and were received on land- 

 ing (an honour I little expected) by his Excellency 

 the Inspector, attired in a uniform coat with 

 shoulder-straps, all very gorgeous; but his extre- 

 mities were encased in a pair of sealslrin trowsers, 

 affording a curious contrast. 



After the ceremony of introduction had been 

 gone through, he informed me that he had received 

 notice of my intended visit from the captain of the 

 "Esquimaux/ 5 who had called in some few days 

 previously. We were then conducted to his house, 

 and introduced to his wife, Mrs. Smith, and her 

 sister. After spending a pleasant and quiet even- 

 ing, we bade our hospitable entertainers good night, 

 and having visited a couple of Esquimaux habita- 

 tions, which did not favourably impress me with a 

 great idea of either comfort or cleanliness, returned 

 on board at half-past twelve, the sun at this time 

 shining brightly, and making it appear almost un- 

 natural to think of going to bed; but exhausted 

 nature must be attended to. From Mr. Smith we 

 received the first intelligence of the safety of a 

 portion of the crew of the U.S. exploring ship 

 " Polaris," who under Tyson had made that extra- 

 ordinary and perilous drift on the ice of upwards of 

 a thousand miles. The news had been brought 

 from England by the "Esquimaux," which ship had 

 left Dundee ten days after our departure. 



G 



