26 
Sketched by R. jiVUormick, ILlsl. 
Encampment in Griffin Bay. 
lee shore, on which a heavy surf was breaking. We got soundings in twelve 
fathoms, and saw a second bear. Selecting the most favourable spot that offered 
for beaching the boat, in a curve of the coast somewhat protected from the 
rollers by a low point, we backed her in stern foremost, letting go the anchor 
over the bows, and running a line out astern to the shore so as to keep her head 
to the sea till everything was got out of her, and fortunately landed without 
sustaining any damage from the surf, which was breaking heavily against the 
boat's quarter, save and except a drenching to ourselves. 
Before we had hauled her up between the masses of ice into a place of 
security for the night, on the shingle beach the thermometer fell as low as 25°. 
The air was bitingly cold, and snowing all the time. 
After pitching the tent on a fine hard shingle ridge, clear of snow, the fire 
lighted, and supper, with a cup of warm tea, under cover of the canvas, we turned 
into our felt-bags for the night, and soon forgot our toils in a sound sleep. 
Friday, 3d. — Passed the most comfortable night that we have yet had, the 
ground being hard dry^shingle on which our buffalo robes were spread. We 
were confined within the tent all day by stress of weather, which has been 
most winterly. Blowing, as usual, a hard north-westerly gale, with heavy snow 
drift, half burying the tent, the sky overcast with a dense mist, and continuous 
fall of fine snow. Thermometer throughout the day standing as low as 26°, 
and the air piercingly cold. The fire outside of the tent took double the usual 
time in boiling the kettle ; and the pemmican which we had for dinner to-day, 
for the first time since we left the ship, was hard frozen when taken out of the 
case. 
I had a shot at an eider duck which alighted in the bay. A few glaucus 
gulls fLarws- glaucus) flew past the little inlet, which I named Sophia Cove. I 
occupied myself this evening with my plans of search. Had the last of our 
Burton ale to-day, and turned into our sleeping-bags at about 10 p.m. 
Saturday, 4th. — Weather much the same as yesterday, prevented us from 
putting to sea ; but, as the wind and snowdrift had somewhat abated, I formed 
a party for a bear-hunting excursion to the top of the bay, when just as we 
were getting our guns ready for starting bruin himself anticipated our purpose 
by suddenly making his appearance, and thus saved us a day's buffetting with 
this inclement weather. One of the boat's crew having reported him in sight, 
on going outside of the tent I saw a fine full-grown bear (Ursus maritimus) 
sauntering leisurely along the beach, about midway between us and a point 
towards the entrance to the bay, to which I gave the name of Bear Point. As 
his course was direct for the encampment, I ordered my party within the tent, 
to avoid alarming him, whilst I watched his movements from the door. Bruin, 
however, evidently suspecting that all was not right, suddenly altered his course 
to pass inland of the tent, at the back of the shingle ridge above it. The instant 
he disappeared behind the ridge, I made direct for it, to intercept him, desiring 
my party to be ready with their rifles to cut off his retreat should he happen 
to escape the fire from my old double-barrel, which had, a quarter of a century 
