OF THE POLAR SEA. 79 



the men suddenly disappeared; and has- 

 tening forward to discover the cause, I per- 

 ceived them both still rolling at the foot of 

 a steep cliff, over which they had been 

 dragged while endeavouring to stop the 

 descent of their sledges. The dogs were 

 gazing silently, with the wreck of their har- 

 ness about them, and the sledges deeply 

 buried in the snow. The effects of this 

 accident did not detain us long, and we 

 proceeded afterwards with greater caution. 



The air was warm at noon, and the soli- 

 tary, but sweet notes of the jay, the earliest 

 spring bird, were in every wood. Late in 

 the evening we descried the ravens wheeling 

 in circles round a small grove of poplars, 

 and, according to our expectations, found 

 the Indians encamped there. 



The men were absent hunting, and re- 

 turned unsuccessful. They had been several 

 days without provisions, and thinking that 

 I could depend upon the continuance of 

 their exertions, I gave them a little rum; 

 the next day they set out, and at midnight 



