North-West Continent of America* 



47 



This afternoon I re-ascended the hill, but could not dis- 

 cover that the ice had been put in motion by the force of 

 the wind. At the same time I could just distinguish two 

 small islands in the ice, to the North- West by compass. 

 I now thought it necessary to give a new net to my men 

 to mount, in order to obtain as much provision as possible 

 from the water, our stores being reduced to about five 

 hundred weight, which, without any other supply, would 

 not have sufficed for fifteen people about twelve days. 

 One of the young Indians, however, was so fortunate as 

 to find the net that had been missing, and which contained 

 three of the poisons inconnus. 



Tuesday 14. It blew very hard from the North-West 

 since the preceding evening. Having sat up till three in ; 

 the morning, I slept longer than usual ; but about eight 

 one of my men saw a great many animals in the water, 

 which he at first supposed to be pieces of ice. About 

 nine, however, I was awakened to resolve the doubts 

 which had taken place respecting this extraordinary ap- 

 pearance. I immediately perceived that they were whales : 

 and having ordered the canoe to be prepared, we embarked 

 in pursuit of them. It was, indeed, a very wild and un- 

 reflecting enterprise, and it was a very fortunate circum- 

 stance that we failed in our attempt to overtake them, as 

 a stroke from the tail of one of these enormous fish would 

 have dashed the canoe to pieces. We may, perhaps, have 

 been indebted to the foggy weather for our safety, as it 

 prevented us from continuing our pursuit. Our guide 

 informed us that they are the same kind of fish which are 

 the principle food of the Esquimaux, and they were fre- 

 quently seen as large as our canoe. The part of them 

 which appeared above the water was altogether white, and 

 they were much larger than the largest porpoise. 

 . About twelve the fog dispersed, and being curious to 

 take a view of the ice, I gave orders for the canoe to be 

 got in readiness. We accordingly embarked, and the In- 

 dians followed us. We had not, however, been an hour 

 on the water, when the wind rose on a sudden from the 

 North-East, and obliged us to tack about, and the return 

 qf the fog prevented us from ascertaining our distance 

 from the ice ; indeed, from this circumstance, the island 

 which we had so lately left was but dimly seen. Though 

 the wind was close, we ventured to hoist the sail, and 

 from the violence pf the swell it was by great exertions 



