254 ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



11 Eleven o'clock, night. A few minutes ago I came from deck. 

 The aurora then spanned the heavens near to the zenith ; a few 

 minutes later — I have just been on deck again — all is gone ; not a 

 beam any where visible. The stars have it now all to themselves, 

 Jupiter bearing the palm, as he outshines them all. 



" April 15th. Have had a long tramp to-day round the head of 

 Field Bay, triangulating and making observations. Koojesse ac- 

 companied me for a while, but the charms of sealing soon took 

 him away, and some time afterward, when I was on a mountain 

 peak, I saw him at a distance, by the aid of my glass, most unmer- 

 cifully punishing his dog, probably because the poor animal could 

 not find a seal igloo. The Innuits, when they do punish dogs, 

 beat them cruelly. 



" April Vlth. Yesterday I took my first lunar observation. I 

 did it alone, expecting only to obtain an approximation to the 

 true longitude of this place. To-day I have taken another, with 

 assistants to measure altitudes at the same time. 



" I have had equally unexpected success in making some of my 

 own instruments. Being without a protractor, I made one, the 

 other day, from a piece of copper which had formed a portion of 

 the Rescue's sheathing ; and this served a double purpose, being 

 useful in my chart- work, and also remaining as a relic of the once 

 memorable expedition schooner. Another instrument I had also 

 to make, and succeeded in making, though it occupied much time, 

 namely, an artificial horizon. I constructed it with various con- 

 trivances of my own, and now I have both these instruments by 

 me as pleasing mementoes of my sojourn in these dreary regions, 

 where no stores exist to supply me with articles so indispensable. 



" April 19th. To-day I was not a little amused to see the rig in 

 which the laughing Innuit Sharkey appeared. A present was 

 made him of a new wool shirt, edged all around, except the flaps, 

 with scarlet — bright flaming red. He proudly strutted around 

 among us white folk with this on the outside of all his other 

 clothes, wearing it like a frock ! 



" April 20th. To-day the snow embankment around the ship 

 has been taken away, and the crew are busy putting the vessel in 

 complete order for service. Paint and varnish are now freely 

 used in the process of renovation. 



" April 21st. I am preparing to go over to-morrow to the Innu- 

 it settlement on Frobisher Bay, intending to explore around the 

 waters mapped out by the geographers as Frobisher Strait. My 



