268 SEARCH FOR RELICS. Chap. XIV. 



tion of Montreal Island, leaving the other three 

 men with the tent : we also hoped to find natives, 

 but had not seen any recent traces of them since 

 passing Point Booth. Petersen drove the dog- 

 sledge close along shore round the island to the 

 south, and as far up the east side as to meet our 

 previously explored portion of it, whilst Thomp- 

 son and I walked along on the land, the one 

 close down to the beach, and the other higher 

 up, examining the more conspicuous parts : in 

 this order we traversed the remaining portion of 

 the island. 



Although the snow served to conceal from us 

 any traces which might exist in hollows or shel- 

 tered situations, yet it rendered all objects in- 

 tended to serve as marks proportionably con- 

 spicuous ; and we may remember that it was in 

 its winter garb that the retreating crews saw 

 Montreal Island, precisely as we ourselves saw 

 it. The island was almost covered with native 

 marks, usually of one stone standing upright 

 upon another, sometimes consisting of three 

 stones, but very rarely of a greater number. 



No trace of a cairn could be found. 



In examining, with pickaxe and shovel, a 

 collection of stones which appeared to be ar- 

 ranged artificially, we found a quantity of seal's 

 blubber buried beneath ; this old Esquimaux 



