The Great Frozen Sea

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tive of the voyage in the form of a diary, giving the extracts as they were

e to reach a narrow lane of water, only a hundred yards distant, but without success. At four o'clock the ship experienced a slight nip, the ice piling up as high as our main chains, but fortunately for us it was of too soft a nature to do much damage. Half an hour afterwards the nip eased an

the distance, and we had little prospect of reaching it for some time. Now we are actual

passed, fewer difficulties are anticipated. We may very fairly reason that to the northward of this promontory will be found a "North Water" s

Polar Sea, Hayes the same, whilst the "Polaris" actually navigated f

and then, as if it had opened expressly for us, closed again, and with such rapidity that our consort, who was following in our wa

the ice, we were again compelled to make fast. In consequence of the heavy fall of snow yesterday, the surface

inaccurate; for at the head of Franklin Pierce Bay two tolerably large glaciers are situated, whilst another was seen a few miles to the

on of the needle being as much as 85° 34′. Both the dredge and trawl were also put into requisition and with good results. Amongst the many zoological curiosities brought to the surface, from a

o at least two hundred feet above the level of the sea, showing the different tidal marks, and illustrating clearly the gradual upheaval of the land. Numerous traces of Eskimo were discovered on this small and remote island, consisting of the sites of several encampments, and a bone harpoon point, all apparently of very ancient date

. Volunteers were not wanting for the purpose of attempting their capture; but as an indiscriminate attack would only lead to failure, it was determined to despatch one of the whale boats, s

red the unavoidable noise would disturb and frighten them away. At length, after much trouble and no little exertion, we succeeded in getting within about eight yards, so sound was their repose, without exciting any suspicion in their m

RUS

were quickly seized; for these animals, when wounded and maddened by pain, are ugly and dangerous customers, and have frequently been known to rip the planks out of a boat with their formidable tusks, and thus seriously endanger the lives of the crew. We had not long to wait; a disturbance in the water close alongside denoted that our victim was coming to the surface. An instant after, his bearded face with every expression of infuriated rage and demoniacal hate, his fiery eyes glaring with vengeance, appeared, and was immediately saluted with t

tion during their stay in the Arctic regions. Walrus steaks, from this date, were for some time in gr

cessively tenacious of life. A rifle bullet, although a walrus may eventually die of the wound, is more than useless, as it will effectually scare him away, and thus all ch

t in an Arctic expedition to keep the men constantly employed and interested, otherwise they would, more especially when their onward pr

as satisfied! Officers and men would alike mingle in the game, every one determined to carry out the one grand object, namely, that of enjoying themselves. Skating and sliding on the ice were also accomplishments that afforded much pleasure and amusement, and were freely indulged in by all, irrespective of age or rank. Sometimes our Eskimo dogs would be taken

all named, their appellations being more characteristic than euphonious. They rejoiced in such names as Ginger, so called on account of his colour; Bruin, because he was minus a tail, having been deprived of this appendage in his youthful days; Boss-eye, on account of the obliquity

tion of such, in her estimation, a rough and rowdy pack; nor was she ever afterwards induced to cultivate their acquaintance. As she lived in the after part of the ship, she

of this disease would generally be the dog falling down in a fit, from which it would partially recover only to rush about in a frantic manner as if totally deprived of all sense and feeling. On some occasions they would rush into the

by one of these dogs during a mad fit has ever suffered permanent injury from its effects. Frequently whilst employed sledging, they have been attacked by violent fits, resembling cramp, completely prostrating them, causin

ubt his researches will throw a flood of light over this matter that will prove of the greatest value to succeedin

ays harnessed in line abreast, and never, as genera

and should not be exacted for any length of time. So strong and enduring are they that they will frequently perform a journey, over smooth ice, of twenty-five

ag. But let all these various conditions be reversed, let the weather be thick and foggy, or a gale of wind blowing with a blinding snow-drift, a temperature of 50° below zero, rough h

from capsizing and toppling over on the top of the dogs, is both novel and delightful. But when obstacles such as hummocks and deep snow-drifts have to be encountered, especially with a low temperature, the reverse is the case. Directly the sledge receives the slightest check from either of

the cunning and intelligence displayed by the outside dogs, who invariably get more than their fair share of the lash, in dodging under the lines of the others and emerging somewhere in the midst of the team in order to escape from its terrible infliction. Another very annoying and distressing piece of work connected with dog sledging is clearing the lines, which in a short time become in a grievously entangled state from the constant dodging about of the d

aling term for cuttin