The Wind During The Night
Returned To The North-West Quarter, Blew More Violently Than Ever, And
Raised A Very Turbulent Sea.
The next day did not improve our condition,
the snow remained on the ground, and the small pools were frozen.
Our
hunters were sent out but they returned after a fatiguing day's march
without having seen any animals. We made a scanty meal off a handful of
pemmican, after which only half a bag remained.
The wind abated after midnight and the surf diminished rapidly, which
caused us to be on the alert at a very early hour on the 22nd, but we had
to wait until six A.M. for the return of Augustus who had continued out
all night on an unsuccessful pursuit of deer. It appears that he had
walked a few miles further along the coast than the party had done on the
18th and, from a sketch he drew on the sand, we were confirmed in our
former opinion that the shore inclined more to the eastward beyond Point
Turnagain. He also drew a river of considerable size that discharges its
waters into Walker's Bay, on the banks of which stream he saw a piece of
wood such as the Esquimaux use in producing fire, and other marks so
fresh that he supposed they had recently visited the spot. We therefore
left several iron materials for them and, embarking without delay,
prepared to retrace our steps.* Our men, cheered by the prospect of
returning, showed the utmost alacrity and, paddling with unusual vigour,
carried us across Riley's and Walker's Bays, a distance of twenty miles
before noon, when we landed on Slate-clay Point as the wind had freshened
too much to permit us to continue the voyage.
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