birds seen by our people were many brent-geese and ptarmigans,
several golden plovers, one or two "boatswains," and abundance of
snow-buntings. One or two mice were caught; like several others we
had seen, these were turning brown about the belly and head, and
the back was of a dark gray colour. In every part of the island
over which we travelled, the holes and tracks of these little
animals were occasionally seen; one of them, which Sergeant Martin
ran after, finding no hole near and that he could not escape, set
himself against a stone, as if endeavouring to defend himself, and
bit the sergeant's finger when he took hold of him.

On a point of land at the distance of three quarters of a mile to
the W.b.S. of the tents, and within a hundred yards of the sea,
the remains of six Esquimaux huts were discovered; they consisted
of rude circles, about six feet in diameter, constructed
irregularly of stones of all sizes and shapes, and raised to the
height of two feet from the ground: they were paved with large
slabs of white schistose sandstone, which is here abundant; the
moss had spread over this floor, and appeared to be the growth of
three or four years. In each of the huts, on one side, was a small
separate compartment forming a recess, projecting outward, which
had probably been their store-room; and at a few feet from one of
the huts was a smaller circle of stones, which had composed the
fireplace, the mark of fire being still perceptible upon them.

The day was fine and clear, with a moderate wind from the westward
till four P.M., when it died away, and was shortly after succeeded
by a breeze from the southward, with a fall of snow. We now
travelled due south, with the intention of getting sight of the
Table Hills, and returning by that route to the ships, as there