d been added to their stock by Captain Lyon, they
proceeded to the northward, the women assisting to drag the
sledge, for they had only one large dog and one puppy. On taking
their departure, these good-humoured and ever-cheerful people
greeted us with three cheers in the true Kabloona style, a mode of
salutation they had observed once or twice among us, and
frequently practised for their amusement and ours. On the 24th, we
found they had only proceeded a few miles, as "John Bull" once
more made his appearance on board, and returned to his companions
in the evening. From this specimen of their travelling, of which
we had, as yet, little experience, we had great reason to hope
that their days' journeys would be found but short ones, and that,
therefore, our distance round the northeastern point of the
American continent was not very considerable. The show fell
softer, and more melting was going on to-day than on any before
observed, though only a few black tips of the rocks were yet
visible on shore. The animals now began to appear in greater
numbers; for on the 25th, a flock of nearly two hundred
long-tailed ducks were swimming about in the open water to the
southeast of the point. Some of the Esquimaux who came from the
nearest western village also reported having seen a great many
reindeer; but they had not yet succeeded in killing any.

At the close of the month of May it was a matter of general
observation, and, of course, of general regret, how few symptoms
of thawing had yet appeared, either on shore or on the ice.
Naturally pursuing our usual comparison with the circumstances of
the former winter passed in these regions, it was impossible not
to recollect that Melville Island had, on the same day two years
before, advanced full as far as the country now before us in
throwing off its winter covering. The parts of the land which were
now the most bare were the smooth round tops of the hills, on
which here and there occurred a little pool of water, from which,
taking all together within half a mile round the ships, we should
at this time have had great difficulty in filling half a tun.
There were also on the lower lands, a few dark uncovered patches,
looking, when viewed from the hills, like islets in an extensive
sea. Vegetation seemed labouring to commence, and a few tufts of
the _saxifraga oppositifolia_, when closely examined, discovered
some signs of life. A botanist, in short, might have considered
vegetati