Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/112

54 vulture, which had been shot on the way, and at the shortest allowance could not furnish half a meal; and, to complete our misfortunes, we were caught in a snowstorm in a climate we were utterly unacquainted with, but which we had reason to believe was as inhospitable as any in the world, not only from all the accounts we had heard or read, but from the quantity of snow which we saw falling, though it was very little after midsummer, a circumstance unheard of in Europe, for even in Norway or Lapland snow is never known to fall in the summer.

17th. The morning now dawned and showed us the earth as well as the tops of the trees covered with snow; nor were the snow squalls at all less frequent; we had no hopes now but of staying here as long as the snow lasted, and how long that would be God alone knew.

About six o'clock the sun came out a little, and we immediately thought of sending to see whether the poor wretches we had been so anxious about last night were yet alive; three of our people went, but soon returned with the melancholy news of their being both dead. The snow continued to fall, though not quite so thickly as before. About eight o'clock a small breeze of wind sprang up, and with the additional power of the sun began (to our great joy) to clear the air, and soon after the snow commenced to fall from the tops of the trees, a sure sign of an approaching thaw. Peter continued very ill, but said he thought himself able to walk; Mr. Buchan, thank God, was much better than I could have expected; so we agreed to dress our vulture, and prepare to set out for the ship as soon as the snow should be a little more melted. The vulture was skinned and cut into ten equal shares, every man cooking his own share, which furnished about three mouthfuls of hot meat, the only refreshment we had had since our cold dinner yesterday, and all we were to expect till we should reach the ship.

About ten we set out, and after a march of three hours, arrived at the beach fortunate in having met with much better roads on our return than in going out, as well as