Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/400

370 A gennine north-easter raged during the two following days, when our new hands first beheld the northern ocean in its majesty, rolling in a heavy surf upon the beach.

On the 15th the storm chased away the fog, and two deer were killed; but, as might have been expected from the surrounding sterility, they were very lean. A young Arctic fox was caught by one of the Indians, and, after being fondled and fed, the pretty little creature was restored to liberty.

The weather becoming moderate on the 15th, we directed our course, with flags flying, to the Montreal Island, which had been distinguished from the main shore. Shortly before noon we landed in a little bay, where Sir George Back encamped, on his return from Point Ogle to the Great Fish River. Directed by M'Kay, our people soon found a deposit among the rocks, containing two bags of pemican, several pounds of chocolate, two canisters of gunpowder, a box of percussion caps, and an old japanned tin vasculum inclosing three large fish-hooks. The pemican, or "taureau," as the voyageurs call it, was literally alive; and it was wittily remarked, "L'isle de Montreal sera bientôt peuplée de jeunes taureaux." The chocolate, though wrapped in oil-skin, was so rotten, that our men could