A Hasty Departure. 215 



hydrometer, it having been accidentally dropped 

 overboard while Hayes was drawing water. Last 

 night when we were away in the dingy we pulled 

 between the two westernmost islands of the Wol- 

 laston group, in a crevice between the rocks, on 

 one of which we found the nest of a little snow- 

 flake, containing the young birds and one egg, of 

 which we possessed ourselves in a cruel and heart- 

 less manner. 



Monday, July 21st. — Elwyn Inlet. — As I anti- 

 cipated, it came on to blow very hard from the 

 northward at midnight, causing a heavy sea, which 

 broke up our ice and enforced our speedy depar- 

 ture, the captain putting in here for shelter : a 

 snug little haven, where we are lying comfortably 

 made fast to a land floe. When last we saw our 

 friends, the Esquimaux, they were busy packing 

 their sledges, and harnessing their dogs ready for 

 a start, as the ice was cracking in all directions. 

 When we came into this place it seemed literally 

 swarming with narwhals. Very shortly after send- 

 ing our boats away, we had secured seven, off which 

 we shall get about a ton of blubber. Unfortunately 

 they are all young and females, so, consequently 

 have no horn, with the exception of one that had an 

 appendage about two feet in length, scarcely worth 

 mentioning. I had a lono- shot at one living- 

 through the water, but though I struck him, the 

 harpoon failed to get fast. All the afternoon I 



