OF THE POLAR SEA. 



5 



enabled us to proceed at a quicker pace than 

 before. The depth of the snow caused us to 

 march in Indian file, that is, in each other's 

 steps ; the voyagers taking it in turn to lead 

 the party. A distant object was pointed 

 out to this man in the direction we wished 

 to take, and Mr. Hood followed immedi- 

 ately behind him, to renew the bearings, 

 and keep him from deviating more than 

 could be helped from the mark. It may 

 be here observed, that we proceeded in this 

 manner throughout our route across the 

 barren grounds. 



In the afternoon we got into a more hilly 

 country, where the ground was strewed 

 with large stones. The surface of these 

 was covered with lichens of the genus gyro- 

 phora, which the Canadians term tripe de 

 roche. A considerable quantity was ga- 

 thered, and with half a partridge each, 

 (which we shot in the course of the day,) 

 furnished a slender supper, which we cooked 

 with a few willows, dug up from beneath 

 the snow. We passed a comfortless night 

 in our damp clothes, but took the precau- 



