OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



215 



On the 23d, being St. George's day, which is commanded to be cele- ™%2. 

 brated as the anniversary of His Majesty's birth-day, we commemorated ^y^j 

 that event in the best manner our situation would permit, by dressing the rues ' 23 ' 

 ships in flags at the mast-heads and making a certain addition to the allow- 

 ance of meat and spirits to the ships' companies. In the course of the af- 

 ernoon Mr. Skeoch returned from the huts, having left Okotook somewhat 

 relieved by a copious bleeding, but still labouring under a violent inflam- 

 matory complaint, requiring more comfort and attention than the huts were 

 capable of affording. Mr. Skeoch said the Esquimaux had received him 

 very kindly, and expressed many thanks for his assistance. 



In digging up the piece of ground for our garden, we found an incre- 

 dible quantity of bones scattered about and concealed under the little soil 

 there was. They were principally those of walruses and seals, and had. 

 evidently been left a long time before by Esquimaux, in the course of their 

 wandering visits to the island ; being gradually covered by the vegetable 

 mould formed upon the spot which they helped to fertilize. Afterwards, 

 when the land became more clear of snow, this was found to be the case to 

 a much greater extent, every spot of ground upon the south-east point, 

 which was not absolutely a rock, being covered with these relics. Some 

 graves were also discovered, in one of which were a human skull appa- 

 rently a hundred years buried, and some pieces of wood that had pro- 

 bably been parts of spears or arrows almost mouldered to dust. Knowing 

 as we do the antiseptic properties of this climate, animal or vegetable sub- 

 stances in this state of decay convey to the mind an idea of much greater 

 age than they would in any other part of the world. 



With a light southerly breeze to-day the south thermometer stood at 

 + 12°, and the north at +23°. Besides the former instances of this dif- 

 ference which I have already mentioned, several other though less striking 

 ones, occurred in the course of the spring, for which a light breeze blow- 

 ing on the thermometer did not seem satisfactorily to account. Three pair 

 of grouse were seen by our gentlemen to-day in the course of their walks, 

 so that their return and that of the deer seem to have been well marked at 

 this period. 



A number of Esquimaux came to the ships on the 25th, notwithstanding Thur. 25. 

 a strong breeze from the S.W.b,W., with a considerable snow-drift. From 

 these people we learned that Okotook's complaint had increased since Mr. 

 Skeoch's visit, and that he was now extremely ill. Mr. Bushnan immediately 



