OF THE POLAR SEA. 231 



fed us to conclude, that the dog had strayed 

 from his masters a considerable time before. 



Towards the end of the month the men 

 completed their house, and took up their 

 abode in it. It was thirty-four feet long 

 and eighteen feet wide ; was divided into 

 two apartments, and was placed at right 

 angles to the officers' dwelling, and facing 

 the store-house; the three buildings form- 

 ing three sides of a quadrangle. 



On the 26th Akaitcho and his party ar- 

 rived, the hunting in this neighbourhood 

 being terminated for the season, by the deer 

 having retired southward to the shelter of 

 the woods. 



The arrival of this large party was a 

 serious inconvenience to us, from our being 

 compelled to issue them daily rates of pro- 

 vision from the store. The want of ammu- 

 nition prevented us from equipping and 

 sending them to the woods to hunt; and 

 although they are accustomed to subsist 

 themselves for a considerable part of the 

 year by fishing, or snaring the deer, with- 

 out having recourse to fire-arms, yet, on 



