OF THE POLAR SEA. 



37 



deer were equally distributed among the 

 party by Mr. Hood, who had volunteered, 

 on the departure of Mr. Wentzel, to per- 

 form the duty of issuing the provision. 

 This invidious task he had all along per- 

 formed with great impartiality, but seldom 

 without producing some grumbling amongst 

 the Canadians ; and, on the present occasion, 

 the hunters were displeased that the heads 

 and some other parts had not been added 

 to their portions. It is proper to remark, 

 that Mr. Hood always took the smallest 

 portion for his own mess ; but this weighed 

 little with these men as long as their own 

 appetites remained unsatisfied. We all suf- 

 fered much inconvenience from eating ani- 

 mal food after our long abstinence, but 

 particularly those men who indulged them- 

 selves beyond moderation. The Canadians, 

 with their usual thoughtlessness, had con- 

 sumed above a third of their portions of 

 meat that evening. 



We set out early on the 26th, and after 

 walking about three miles along the lake, 

 came to the river which we at once recog- 



