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1861 Thurs Nov 28

Compare Chros.
R's  hVI-m44-15 30b
G.H.  VI-25-00
R Fast GH  19-15 [[checkmark]]
Vide Nov 27
([[underlined]] Vide [[/underlined]] Dec 9th/61 & Jan 28/62)
Nov D16th-h4-m43 GH's Fast m7-s25.4
[[add]] 9.4
Nov 28 GH Fast 7-35
R's Fast on GH 19-15
R's fast on G. Time = 26-50

0.78345 G.H. Daily increase
     12
156690
78345
940140

This has been "Thanksgiving Day" with us!  The last Thursday of November.
It is true we have had no Turkies, Roast Beef onions &c. over wh. we could pour our thanks;  but we have had something [[underlined]] extra [[/underlined]] - something beside Whale, "Salt-Junk", salt pork & hard bread.  Yes we have had something [[underlined]] extra - & it was good!  Sea-pie of fresh Foxes! [[/underlined]]
In the Morning Capt B. sent Mate Lamb ashore among the natives to see if he could get any fresh killed game.  He came back & reported they had 2 foxes that he could have & that was all.  Capt. B. determined to make a trial of these, therefore requested Lamb to get Foxes - have them skined by Innuit women & bring them aboard.  Lamb found they were frozen stiff

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1861 Nov. 28

& that the Innuits would thaw them out & then skin them.  Dinner hour was near at hand - & the foxes not ready.  Finally Capt. B. told the steward that Foxes must be had for dinner if we all had to wait till 8 o'clock to-night.
Two or 3 messages were sent ashore for the foxes but not being thawed & skinned were still left.  Finally waiting longer was out of the question.  The foxes were brought aboard hung up around the stove of main Cabin & thawed - then Ook-sing sat down on the floor & skinned them following wh. Steward quartered & then reduced them to small pieces & proceeded to the cooking.  At V PM pot pie of Foxes ready.  The eating was capital.  This is the testimony of both Messes of Main Cabin.  I can now say I have eaten a hearty meal of the Dog tribe - [[underlined]] Canina. [[/underlined]]  The Artic Fox, [[underlined]] Vulpes Lagopus, [[/underlined]] is a very pretty species & killed in considerable numbers by the Innuits for its flesh & fine, white fur.  To-night Aurora here thro' a strong wind blowing.  Its windings of intrest.  [[image: drawing of Aurora]]

Friday Nov 29 1861

29.5  A.M.  0 (zero)  N.W.  1 c.v.
29.5  M  +4  N.W.  3  [[underlined]] Fine [[/underlined]]
29.45  PM  -2°  NW  2  [[underlined]] Fine [[/underlined]]  ([[underlined]] Aurora [[/underlined]]) (1/1)

I was on deck at V this Morning the Aurora still enlightening the heavens.  This Bay is truly a point of value for witnessing this phenomenon.  Neither at the Bay North of it or the one South are such splendid displays to be seen as [[underlined]] here. [[/underlined]]  I should like to encamp one fine night on the high land West of this overlooking this & Frobisher Bay to witness the contrast if such there really is.  I will if possible do so getting one or two Innuits to accompany me, building an Igloo on the point I & [[?Sherinkoo]] visited on the 17th Oct (Day of discovery of "Pack" outside this Bay) & there remain one night.
After dinner to-day (2 PM) I invited Dick Comstock to take a walk down to "Look Out" Island, being desirous to see what changes had taken place in the ice as one of the Innuits reported that open water now appeared below "Look Out".  Mate Gardiner reported also a few minutes later that it