MR BEDFORD PIM'S WINTER JOURNEY. 433 



not agree with our stomachs. We now learned with certainty that two days' 

 journey would bring us to a small Russian outpost, where, Bosky assured 

 me, every comfort would be cheerfully afforded." Starting next morning, 

 Pim and the interpreter, after two days' march, arrived at a solitary hut, 

 where they received food and shelter. Invigorated by a good night's rest, 

 the Englishman and the Eskimo set out early for the Russian post, which 

 was distant twenty-five miles. But the interpreter appeared unequal to this 

 long march. After struggling on, and resting from time to time, they came 

 upon the dead body of a deer that had been driven over the cliffs by the 

 wolves that haunted the neighbourhood. It was arranged that Bosky should 

 remain here while Pim went on to the outpost, from which he was to send 

 back assistance to his exhausted comrade. On then pressed the Englishman 

 — quickening his pace, as at intervals he heard the long-drawn howl of wolves. 

 At length he reached the house, roused up the sleeping inmates, and was 

 laboriously endeavouring to inform them by signs of the hapless condition in 

 which he had left Bosky, when, to his astonishment, that worthy individual 

 appeared in his own proper person at the door. He had become so dread- 

 fully afraid of being attacked by the wolves, that he had resolved to come 

 on at all hazards. Here Pim recruited ; and after waiting and resting a 

 number of days, he set out for Michaelovski, where he arrived on the 6th 

 April. At the Russian post he learned that a number of white men were 

 living in the interior, on a river called the Ekko, and were trading with the 

 natives ; and from a number of circumstances Pim " concluded that these per- 

 sons must be a portion of Sir John Franklin's expedition." He now resolved 

 to return to the ship, which he reached on the 29th April. In the meantime, 

 further rumours respecting white men being in the interior had reached the 

 winter quarters of the " Plover," and Mr Pim confidently expected to be 

 sent off at the head of a relief expedition in search of them. To his sur- 

 prise, however. Commander Moore refused to organise such an expedition, 

 on the ground that he considered the rumours untrustworthy. 



Summer now came rapidly on— geese, ducks, the golden plover, and 

 snipe, came in flocks around the ship, and the hum of the mosquito was in 

 the air. On the 14th July the ship was moved from her anchorage off 

 Chamisso Island, and two days after the " Herald " was seen entering Kot- 

 zebue Sound. Captain Kellett received from Commander Moore informa- 

 tion respecting the successive reports that had been brought to the " Plover " 

 relative to " the encampment of white people in the vicinity of Point Barrow," 

 and resolved to send the relief ship to inquire further into the matter. 

 Accordingly, he furnished the " Plover " with fresh provisions and stores, 

 and sent off her commander on this service. Having despatched the 

 " Plover," Kellett set sail for the north to examine the condition of the ice, 

 and to cruise about and afford assistance to any of the exploring vessels now 

 8 3i 



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