Aug. 1858. RAMBLE INLAND. 185 



craggy hill-sides and to make the sheltered 

 hollows absolutely green ; deer-tracks and the 

 footprints of wild-fowl were everywhere nume- 

 rous along the water-side. I saw two decayed 

 skulls of musk oxen, and circles of stones by 

 the little lake, doubtless at some remote period 

 the summer residence of wandering Esquimaux : 

 hence I infer that fish abound in the lake, and 

 that this valley is a favourite deer-pass. 



But the contemplation of these objects, al- 

 though agreeable, was not the object of my 

 solitary ramble : I came on shore to cogitate 

 undisturbed in a leisurely and philosophic man- 

 ner. We hoped very soon to enter an unknown 

 sea : discoveries were to be made, contingencies 

 provided for, and plans prepared to meet them. 



Yesterday Petersen shot an immense bearded 

 seal ; it sank, but floated up an hour afterwards. 

 This animal measured 8 feet long, and weighed 

 about 500 lbs. We prefer its flesh to that of 

 the small seals, and its blubber will afford a 

 valuable addition to our stock of lamp oil for 

 the coming winter. 



25^/j. — In Depot Bay. We remained but 

 twenty-four hours in Levesque Harbour ; a 

 change of wind led us to hope for a removal of 

 the ice in Bellot Strait, therefore I determined 

 to make another attempt. 



