The full-grown deer which we killed in the autumn, gave us from
one hundred and twenty to one hundred and seventy pounds of meat
each, and a fawn weighed eighty-four pounds.
On the 1st of October, Captain Sabine's servant, having been at
some distance from the ships to examine a fox-trap, was pursued by
a large white bear, which followed his footsteps the whole way to
the ships, where he was wounded by several balls, but made his
escape after all. This bear, which was the only one we saw during
our stay in Winter Harbour, was observed to be more purely white
than any we had before seen, the colour of these animals being
generally that of a dirtyish yellow when contrasted with the
whiteness of the ice and snow.
Some deer being seen near the ships on the 10th, a party was
despatched after them, some of whom having wounded a stag, and
being led on by the ardour of pursuit, forgot my order that every
person should be on board before sunset, and did not return till
late, after we had suffered much apprehension their account. John
Pearson, a marine belonging to the Griper, who was the last that
returned on board, had his hands severely frostbitten, having
imprudently gone away without mittens, and with a musket in his
hand.
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