oyage, is not an event which will
excite surprise in the minds of those who are either personally
acquainted with the true nature of this precarious navigation, or have
had patience to follow me through the tedious and monotonous detail of
our operations during seven successive summers. To any persons thus
qualified to judge, it will be plain that an occurrence of this nature
was at all times rather to be expected than otherwise, and that the only
real cause for wonder has been our long exemption from such a
catastrophe.

The summer of 1825 was, beyond all doubt, the warmest and most
favourable we had experienced since that of 1818. Not more than two or
three days occurred, during the months of July and August, in which that
heavy fall of snow took place which so commonly converts the aspect of
nature in these regions, in a single hour, from the cheerfulness of
summer into the dreariness of winter. Indeed, we experienced very little
either of snow, rain, or fog: vegetation, wherever the soil allowed any
to spring up, was extremely luxuriant and forward; a great deal of the
old snow, which had laid on the ground during the last season, was
rapidly dissolving even early in August; and every appearance of nature
exhibited a striking contrast with the last summer, while it seemed
evidently to furnish an extraordinary compensation for its rigour and
inclemency.

We have scarcely ever visited a coast on which so little of animal life
occurs. For days together, only one or two seals, a single seahorse, and
now and then a flock of ducks, were seen. I have already mentioned,
however, as an exception to this scarcity of animals, the numberless
kittiwakes which were flying about the remarkable spout of water; and
we were one day visited, at the place where the Fury was left, by
hundreds of white whales, sporting about in the shoal water close to the
beach. No black whales were ever seen on this coast. Two reindeer were
observed by the gentlemen who extended their walks inland; but this was
the only summer in which we did not procure a single pound of venison.
Indeed, the whole of our supplies obtained in this way during the
voyage, including fish, flesh, and fowl, did not exceed twenty pounds
per man.

The weather continuing nearly calm during the 26th, and the ice keeping
at the distance of several miles from the land, gave us an opportunity
of clearing decks, and stowing the things belonging to the Fury's crew
more comfortab