During the day, the men had been out a-hunting, when Uttakiyok killed three reindeer, which occasioned great rejoicing, and helped to make our people forget the frightful scenes of yesterday.  The country is full of black looking rocks, between which reindeer-moss and berries grow in plenty.  The shore exhibited still many marks of the violence of the storm.

20th.  We proceeded with a favourable wind at N.E.  Our course lay S.W. across a broad bay, then, after doubling a point, across another bay of about the same breadth, to an island Allukpaluk, which we passed on the right, and on the left, another island, Nipkotok.  At a considerable distance a-head lay the islands Pitsiolak, opposite a headland of the continent called Tuktutok.

The sky had been from the morning cloudy, the wind became unfavourable and violent, and about noon heavy rain came on.  Not being well able to proceed, on account of the violence of the wind, we cast anchor on the west side of Pitsiolak, about 2 P.M. but perceiving a thunderstorm rising from the western horizon, with very black clouds, threatening to drive us on shore if we remained at this anchorage, we weighed as quickly as possible, and endeavoured to get to the other side of the island.

Meanwhile a most tremendous storm of thunder, lightning, and rain overtook us.  The claps of thunder followed the flashes without interval, and the lightning seemed to strike into the water close to our boat, while the wind carried the spray into the air like smoke.  Providentially we had doubled the northern point before the worst came on, and got to an anchor under shelter of the land.  The storm passed by swiftly, it grew calm, the sun broke out, and the weather became uncommonly fine with us, though at a distance we saw the black clouds, and heard the hollow murmuring of the thunder for a long time.

We now expected to have a comfortable night’s rest, but it grew intensely cold, and again began to blow violently from the west.  The strong current and heavy swell brought us into some danger, and the poor people, who were obliged to remain on deck all night, suffered much from cold and wet.  When the tide was full, about midnight, the island we had seen to the west nearly vanished, the greater part being covered with water.

21st.  In the morning we again saw the skin-boat lying upon a pretty high rock, and a tent pitched close to it.  The weather was calm, but the wind contrary.  Our Esquimaux made good use of this respite to refresh themselves after the fatigues of the night with a hearty meal and a sound nap.