ke up the provisions
on their return. But Hatteras could not venture to do this on moveable
ice-fields, and the uncertainty of the route made the return the same
way exceedingly problematic. At noon Hatteras caused his little troop
to halt under shelter of an ice-wall. Their breakfast consisted of
pemmican and boiling tea; the latter beverage comforted the cold
wayfarers. They set out again after an hour's rest. The first day
they walked about twenty miles, and in the evening both men and dogs
were exhausted. However, notwithstanding their fatigue, they were
obliged to construct a snow-house in which to pass the night. It took
about an hour and a half to build. Bell showed himself very skilful.
The ice-blocks were cut out and placed above one another in the form
of a dome; a large block at the top made the vault. Snow served for
mortar and filled up the chinks. It soon hardened and made a single
block of the entire structure. It was reached by a narrow opening,
through which the doctor squeezed himself painfully, and the others
followed him. The supper was rapidly prepared with spirits of wine.
The interior temperature of the snow-house was bearable, as the wind
which raged outside could not penetrate. When their repast, which
was always the same, was over, they began to think of sleep. A
mackintosh was spread over the floor and kept them from the damp.
Their stockings and shoes were dried by the portable grate, and then
three of the travellers wrapped themselves up in their blankets,
leaving the fourth to keep watch; he watched over the common safety,
and prevented the opening getting blocked up, for if it did they would
be buried alive.

Dick shared the snow-house; the other dogs remained outside, and after
their supper they squatted down in the snow, which made them a blanket.
The men were tired out with their day's walk, and soon slept. The
doctor took his turn on guard at three o'clock in the morning. There
was a tempest during the night, the gusts of which thickened the walls
of the snow-house. The next day, at six o'clock, they set out again
on their monotonous march. The temperature lowered several degrees,
and hardened the ground so that walking was easier. They often met
with mounds or cairns something like the Esquimaux hiding-places.
The doctor had one demolished, and found nothing but a block of ice.

"What did you expect, Clawbonny?" said Hatteras. "Are we not the first
men who have set foot here?"

"I