190 BEAUTIFUL PANORAMA. 



I believe the walruses have since discon- 

 tinued their visits to the island — probably on 

 account of the overpowering smell of the re- 

 mains of their slaughtered kindred. 



The morning of the 16th was beautifully- 

 bright and clear, but the game have so com- 

 pletely deserted this part of the coast, that we 

 only got two seals and one wakus all day. 



Kennedy brought in a load of fire- wood, and 

 some limestone boulders, containing fossils 

 from Ryk-Yse Island. 



Nothing can exceed the sublime grandeur of 

 a really fine day in these regions : the sea as 

 calm and bright as a mirror, and covered with 

 countless floating icebergs of a dazzling white- 

 ness, and of all imaginable sizes and shapes ; 

 no sound to be heard but the terrific peals of 

 thunder caused by the cracking of the glaciers, 

 the hoarse bellowing of the walruses, and the 

 screams and croaks of the gulls and divers. 

 All this makes up such a scene, that no man 

 who has once beheld it can ever forget 

 it. Alas ! that there should be a reverse to 

 this beautiful medal, but often ten minutes 

 suffice to change the face of everything en- 

 tirely : a chilling blast of wind comes from the 

 eternal ice-fields to the north-east ; thick fog, 



