PROCEEDINGS OP SOCIETIES. 
41 
buntings of the season were seen here ; fox and ptarmigan tracks were very nume¬ 
rous, as also fresh wolf tracks, coming from the south-west. 
3rd May ; temperature, 4°—Saw twelve deer tracks ; fox tracks very abundant. 
5th May ; temperature, 8°—Saw five deer coming towards us from the nearest 
point of Eglinton Island, one of which I was fortunate enough to kill at 190 yards. 
6th May ; temperature, 3°—Numerous deer tracks; Terrace Cape—found more 
vegetation here than I had expected, as these slopes are exposed to the north-west; 
saw several tracks of hares, which hitherto we have rarely met with; also a wolf track. 
8th May—Encamped upon the south-west side of Ibbett Bay; shot a ptarmigan, 
and saw a raven ; during the day the temperature rose to 20°. 
9th May—Delightful weather; tufts of moss and the tops of stones are gradually 
peeping up through the snow, and animals begin to appear. I picked up two cater¬ 
pillars to-day. Eox tracks are very numerous ; the majority of these tracks are 
crossing to the north-westward, probably following the ptarmigan; lemmings are 
abundant, and these wonderful little creatures, which constitute the chief support 
of foxes, ravens, wolves, owls, and even every species of gull, are as active 
tourists as the larger animals, crossing these wide straits in all directions. Hare 
tracks are pretty common along the shore and upon the sides of steep hills ; they 
make burrows under the snow; but we have never found them in the earth like 
those of the fox and lemming. No traces whatever of the polar bear have been 
met with, and only a few tracks of wolves coming from the southward. No traces 
of the musk ox upon the ice, or along shore ; if they migrate at all, it must be only 
from the interior to some favourite slopes upon the coast. 
14th May—Encamped half a mile from the beach ; whilst the men were fetching 
on the second load I went on shore; found here plenty of moss, but scarcely a 
blade of grass ; saw a herd of 11 reindeer, and had the good fortune to shoot three 
of them ; on my sudden approach they ran off with great speed; but after recon- 
noitering me from a hill trotted briskly back, halting for a few seconds every now 
and then. In this way they approached within about seventy yards, when I shot 
two of them; subsequently they allowed me to approach near enough to shoot a 
third buck. Whether their natural curiosity prompted them to come towards me, 
or that they wished to drive me from their feeding ground, I cannot tell. 
20th May ; temperature, 28°—The first seal was seen upon the ice, near Double 
Streak Head. On examining the “ seal hole” I saw that the water was fully three 
feet below the surface of the ice. On going down into the hole found a cavern 
large enough to contain two or three seals, and just above the water: this habita¬ 
tion was amongst hummocks, and seemed to be formed in the deep drift of snow 
collected about them ; the roof, although strong enough to walk over, admitted suf¬ 
ficient light; the interior was coated with ice ; and the numerous icicles afforded 
proof that the place was sufficiently warm before the hole to the surface (which 
seals always require to breathe through) was increased to its present dimensions. 
Snow falling thinly ; we suffer great inconvenience from the heat; atmosphere ex¬ 
cessively close. 
21st May—Shot a hare and five ptarmigan ; saw a few fragments of coal. 
22nd May—At eleven o’clock we saw and shot two very large musk bulls ; we 
found them in better condition than any we have ever seen. I shall never forget 
the death struggle of one of these noble bulls. A Spanish bull-fight gives no idea 
of it. This animal was shot through the lungs. As it stood fiercely watching us, 
prepared, yet unable to charge, its small, but fixed, glaring eyes were almost con¬ 
cealed by masses of shaggy hair, and its whole frame was fearfully convulsed with 
agony. The tremulous motion was communicated to its enormous covering of 
tangled wool and hair; even the coarse thick mane seemed to rise indignant, and 
slowly waved from side to side. It seemed as if the very fury of its passion was 
pent up within for one final—-a revengeful charge. There was no roaring ; the ma¬ 
jestic beast was dumb ; but the wild gleam of savage fire which shot from his eyes, 
and his menacing attitude, was far more terrible than the most hideous bellow. We 
watched in silence, for time was doing our work, nor did we venture to lower our 
guns until, his strength becoming exhausted, he reeled and fell. I have never wit¬ 
nessed such an intensity of rage, nor imagined for one moment that such an appa¬ 
rently stupid brute, under any circumstances of pain and passion, could have pre- 
