ly evidence of life in all the scene was the little
hole in front of each slumberer's nose, out of which issued intermittent
pufflets of white vapour.

So the night passed by and the morning dawned, and the wintry sun arose
like a red-hot cannon ball. Then Macnab awoke with a start and sat up
with an effort.

"Hallo!" was his first exclamation, as he tried to clear his eyes, then
he muttered something in Gaelic which, being incomprehensible, I cannot
translate, although the worthy man has many a time, since the day of
which I write, tried to explain it to me!

It may have been his action, or it may have been indignant northern
fairies, I know not, but certain it is that the Gaelic was instantly
followed by an avalanche of snow from the branch over the Highlander's
head, which knocked him down and reburied him. It also knocked Big
Otter up and drew forth the inevitable "Waugh!"

"Humph!" said Macnab, on clearing himself a second time, "I was half
afraid of this. We've got our work cut out for us."

The Indian replied not, but proceeded to light the fire and prepare
breakfast, while his companion cleared the camp of some of its snow.
The wolfish dogs took a lively interest in these proceedings, but lent
no assistance beyond wagging their tails, either in approval or in
anticipation of breakfast.

Of course breakfast was a repetition of the previous supper, and was
soon disposed of both by men and dogs. Then the latter were harnessed
to their sledge, the snow-shoes were put on, and the journey was
resumed--Macnab manfully leading the way.

And let not the reader imagine that this leadership involved little or
no manhood. Northern snow-shoes are about five feet long, and twelve or
fifteen inches broad. The netting with which the frames are filled up--
somewhat like the bottom of a cane chair--allows fine well-frozen snow
to fall through it like dust and the traveller, sinking it may be only a
few inches in old well-settled-down snow, progresses with ease. But
when a heavy fall such as I have described takes place, especially in
spring, and the weather grows comparatively warm, the traveller's
circumstances change greatly for the worse. The new snow being light
permits him to sink deep into it--perhaps eight or ten inches--at every
step; being also soft, that which falls upon the shoes cannot pass
through the netting, but sticks there, giving him many extra pounds
weight to lift as he goes heavily along. Add