the season of their
incubation. We found it difficult, in general, to get near the
hens, which were very wild; but the male birds were at all times
stupidly tame.

At half past two A.M. on the 10th we struck the tents, and
proceeded to the S.W., the wind having got round to the S.E., with
continued snow. At the distance of two miles we entered upon a
level plain three miles wide, which, with the exception of a patch
here and there, was entirely covered with snow. The uncovered
parts of this plain were so wet as to be almost impassable for the
cart; and we were now as desirous of keeping on the snow as, at
the beginning of our journey from Winter Harbour, we had been
anxious to avoid it.

The weather continued hazy, with snow occasionally, but our
clothes dried in the sun towards noon; soon after which, however,
the snow became more thick and constant, so that we could scarcely
see a hundred yards around the tents. We waited for some time in
hope of the weather clearing, and then, at a quarter past five,
continued our journey; as we were under the necessity, however, of
directing our course entirely by compass, which is here a very
uncertain and deceitful guide, we made but a slow and tedious
progress. The wind freshened up to a gale from the S.E. soon after
we had set out, which made it impossible for us any longer to
pursue our journey, and we began to look out for a spot on which
the tents could be pitched, so as to afford us a dry flooring, if
not shelter, during the gale. Having crossed three ravines within
a mile and a quarter, we at length came to a very deep one, which
was nearly perpendicular on each side, with the snow overhanging
in some parts, so as to make it dangerous to go near the edge of
the bank. We were at length fortunate in finding a narrow, sloping
ridge of snow, leading down to the bottom of the ravine; and
having descended this with some difficulty, we found such good
shelter as to determine me to halt here for the night, which now
became more and more inclement.

The wind gradually veered to the N.N.W. in the morning, and the
weather having cleared up about half past four, we struck the
tents and set off to the southward. The south bank of the ravine
being nearly as steep, and much higher than the other, it was with
considerable labour and difficulty that we were able to get the
cart up it, in which, however, we succeeded by six o'clock, when
we found that we were travelling on much higher