NOTES ON THE SEAL AND WHALE FISHERY. 71 



Star,' bound for Hudson Strait, the former repeating her voyage 

 of the previous season. The entrance to Hudson Strait, always 

 very unapproachable in the spring owing to the accumulation of 

 ice and the boisterous weather experienced at that season, was 

 more than usually blocked by the drift of ice from Davis Strait, 

 and the two vessels were twenty-eight days later in entering the 

 Strait than they anticipated, even then they forced a passage 

 with difficulty. The terrible squeezing and buffeting they expe- 

 rienced told severely on the ' Polar Star,' a vessel thirty years 

 old, which, after being frequently beset, had finally to be aban- 

 doned in a sinking condition early in October, the ' Active,' 

 which had been standing by her companion for some time taking 

 on board her crew and saving one hundred and thirty-two Walrus 

 hides and four Bears. The 'Active' saw very few Whales, and 

 did not succeed in catching any, the result of her voyage being 

 one hundred and seventy -three Walruses, thirty-four Bears, and 

 fifty-eight Musk Ox skins, the latter obtained from the natives 

 on the mainland to the west of Rowe's Welcome. Late in the 

 season the weather was very wild, and on two occasions seventy- 

 three in the one case and one hundred and nine Walruses in the 

 other, which had been killed and left on the shore, were washed 

 away and lost during terrific gales. An American vessel which 

 wintered in the Strait secured eight Whales in June and July, 

 before the ' Active ' got upon the fishing ground, and when 

 spoken had the produce of sixteen Whales on board. As it is 

 evident the vessels despatched from Scotland must arrive too 

 late to take full advantage of the fishery in this locality, 

 Mr. Kinnes resolved to establish a station in Fisher Strait, on 

 the shore of Southampton Island. For this purpose the first 

 mate of the ' Active,' Mr. J. W. Murray, with two others, were 

 landed, a large wooden dwelling-house and boat-shed having 

 been taken out in sections for their use ; here they contemplate 

 remaining for three years, Whale hunting, assisted by five boats' 

 crews of natives. 



The only other vessel bringing produce from the Arctic was 

 the carrying ship ' Alert,' of Peterhead, which brought home the 

 produce of two Whales, 150 Walruses, and 2900 Seals, from the 

 Cumberland Gulf stations. 



Seven vessels left Dundee in the past season ; one of these, 



