island.

We rested till six P.M., and then set off across the ice for a
point to the E.S.E. The snow had now become so soft after the heat
of the day, that, loaded as we were, we often sunk nearly up to
the knees, which made travelling very laborious, and we were,
therefore, not sorry to get on shore by half past eight, having
walked, by our account, three miles and a half.

The spot on which we encamped appeared so favourable for obtaining
specimens of the different animals which frequent this island,
that I determined to remain here one day for the purpose of
sporting and examining its natural productions.

The sportsmen went out early in the morning, and soon after met
with a musk-ox feeding on a spot of luxuriant pasture-ground,
covered with the dung of these animals as well as of deer. They
fired at him from a considerable distance without wounding him,
and he set off at a very quick pace over the hills. The musk-ox
has the appearance of a very ill-proportioned little animal, its
hair being so long as to make its feet appear only two or three
inches in length; they seem, indeed, to be treading upon it at
every step, and the individual in question actually did so in some
instances, as the hair was found in several of the foot-tracks.
When disturbed and hunted, they frequently tore up the ground with
their horns, and turned round occasionally to look at their
pursuers, but they never attempted to attack any of them. Our
gentlemen also met with a herd of twelve deer, three only of which
had horns, and they were much the largest of the herd, and
constantly drove the others away when they attempted to stop. The