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Saturday Oct 6th 1860
The day fine too! but a stormy breeze blowing from the N.W. - so stormy indeed that no boat ventured out this P.M.
A Boat's crew report landing this morning on the opposite (S) side of Rescue Bay & seeing tracks of the Polar bear. The King of Northern beasts will undoubtedly be seen by me this Winter. Early in the Season of the coming year, say by Apr, I hope to make a sledge journey by means of dogs up to the North of Northumberland Inlet were several American & English vessels are to Winter. When the ice makes it will present me a capital change to make journies out to different points around Rescue Bay - to Bear Sound - to Frobisher Bay - to survey & Hall Islands.
No Whales seen to-day, This is quite disappointing work to the Company of the G.H. yet the days to come may change the scene to ^[[a]] golden one! It does seem to me that a greater proportion of the 27 seen in this Bay should have been secured. Improved facilities for throwing the harpoon at greater distances will add to the success of Whalers.
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[[symbol for moon]] rising this eve 7 1/2 O clock. E.72[[degree symbol]] -5[[degree symbol]] N. Easterly & Southerly the Aurora Borealis playing faintly. The Esquimaux Village N. of us presents every night the appearance of a ^[[ [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] thickly]] civilized settlement. The glowing lamps within the huts are burning the night long. When the wind blows from the N.W., the G.H. is placed in position that ^[[from it]] the village appears to be directly under the North-Star. Indeed, the enlightened huts, at such times, are our "Pointers"- our "Capt" that direct our eyes to that point of the Heaven, where:
"- - - - beams forth
Conspicuous in high splendor, [[strikethrough]] named [[/strikethrough]] named by Greece,
The Cynosure: by us, the Polar Star."
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1/4 of 8 O'Clock night - Now there is a band of light (Aurora Borealis) extending ^[[partly around the horizon]] from  the W. to the S. thence to the East. "merry dancers" are they. Wind N.W. & blowing fresh. Bar. 29.900 Then 26[[degree symbol]]. - 1/4 After 8. A pathway of glory across the Zenith heavens ^[[running]] N.W. to SE. - Nine O'Clock. Never did I witness a more interesting phenomenon than now seen in the heavens! [[strikethrough]] Like [[/strikethrough]] ^[[Far exceeding the beauty of]] the Galaxy's refulgent Sea -like a serpentine river covered [[strikethrough]] around[[?]] [[/strikethrough]] with golden fleece is the arch ^[[now]] above me! There is fiery Mars, low down to the S.W. - the moon lifting its half circle of light, but 18[[degree symbol]] from the N. - Polaris entwined in a huge knot* of gold -
"There blaze the splendors of the Northern Crown
While the slow [[underlined]] Oar [[/underlined]], the cold [[underlined]] Triones [[/underlined]] roll
O'er the pale countries of the frozen pole:" &
"Stars unnumbered gild the [[underlined]] glowing [[/underlined]] pole"- but, my eye rests not here -
Tis on the last of God's Creation - [[underlined]] this flood of glory bursting along the skies! [[/underlined]] Nine O'clock 30 minutes - My noble ^[[Esquimaux]] dog Me-lak was taking his
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*The fleecy band of the Aurora Borealis [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] ^[[has taken a beautiful]] knotty turn around the North Polar Star.
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