324 
EXCITEMENT OVER ‘‘l-RESU REAR-TRACKS,” 
rugged promontories, whose frequent ravines were filled 
witli molting snow and dark, shapeless rocks, and whose 
ridges and sides were covered by a dense and luxuriant 
vegetation. It was singular to see the snows of tlie 
North and the rank vegetation of the South existing 
alongside of each other, where wo had expected to find 
nothing but the former and a stunted growth of the 
arctic pine. 
Every now and tlien we would pass a turbid stream 
that owed its periodical existence to the melting snows 
of the last winter; and we would generally see a wander- 
ing bear, or flock of geese or ducks, near its mouth, when 
we would amuse ourselves by sending a Sharpe’s-riile 
messenger to notify them of our proximity, though the 
distance was always too great to enable us to fire with 
any precision. 
As we thus ran along over that unknown ground, with 
a good look-out, bad charts, and an activ^e lead, as our 
only pilots, we would often stop off the mouths of those 
rivers, or under the sheltering heights of those rugged 
promontories, to get astronomical observations ; and, 
upon these occasions, our assistant botanist would accom- 
pany the shore-party, and generally return with some rare 
or previously-unknown arctic plant, while the gunners of 
the party would often get highly excited over “ fresh bear- 
tracks,” and probably bring back with them something 
more substantial, in the shape of a brace of finely-fla- 
voured ducks, or some unfortunate goose. 
The observations which were thus obtained invariably 
proved our best charts to be dangerously incorrect. Upon 
one occasion I remember that we found the ship’s posi- 
