178 State of the Provisions. 



was quite sound. This speaks volumes for the pre- 

 servative qualities of an Arctic climate. There 

 were two large heaps of coke near the depot. 



Port Leopold, is, without exception, the most 

 barren and dreary-looking spot it was ever my lot 

 to behold ; no signs of verdure anywhere, nothing 

 but sandstone, snow, and ice. Occasionally, in some 

 little sheltered crevice, I came across a bit of green 

 moss or pretty little pink flowers growing in small 

 patches, but not in sufficient quantity to relieve the 

 desolate sterility which everywhere prevailed. I 

 brought away with me, as a memento of my visit, 

 a rusty sailor's knife, with a buckhorn handle, having 

 a hole through the haft for a shackle, such as is 

 always carried by a man-of-war's man, which I 

 picked up close to the shed. I wonder if its former 

 owner is still alive ! 



In the afternoon I went on shore with the arti- 

 ficial horizon, and obtained a good set of sights, 

 and a round of angles ; but smoke issuing from the 

 ship's funnel warned me of our approaching' depar- 

 ture, and I had to hurry on board. We steamed 

 out of Port Leopold at 3.30 p.m., and once more 

 began the look-out for whales. 



Saturday, July hth. — The " Arctic " is decidedly 

 a lucky ship, and manages to tumble on the fish in 

 a most remarkable manner. Last night at twelve 

 o'clock, as I was enjoying my last stroll, up and. 

 down my greasy promenade, preparatory to turning 



