est level, and 65 deg. below zero means 97 deg.
below freezing.

My moose-hide breeches froze solid the moment I scrambled out, but not a
drop of water got to my feet. If the water had reached my feet they
would have frozen almost as quickly as the moose hide in that fearful
cold. Thoroughly alarmed now, and realising our perilous situation, we
did the only thing there was to do--we turned the dogs loose and
abandoned the sled and went back along the trail we had followed as fast
as we could. We knew that we could safely retrace our steps and that the
trail would lead us to the bank after a while. We knew not where the
trail would lead us in the other direction. As a matter of fact, it led
to the mail cabin, two miles farther on, and the mail-carrier was at
that time occupying it at the end of his day's run.

The dogs stayed with the sled; dogs will usually stay with their sled;
they seem to recognise their first allegiance to the load they haul,
probably because they know their food forms part of it.

Our cache reached, we made a fire, thawed out the iron-like armour of my
leather breeches, and cutting a spare woollen scarf in two, wrapped the
dry, warm pieces about my numbed thighs. Then we pushed on the eighteen
miles or so to Circle, keeping a steady pace despite the drowsiness that
oppressed us, and that oppressed me particularly owing to the chill of
my ducking. About five in the morning we reached the town, and the
clergyman, the Reverend C. E. Rice, turned out of his warm bed and I
turned in, none the worse in body for the experience, but much humbled
in spirit. My companion, Mr. E. J. Knapp, whose thoughtful care for me I
always look back upon with gratitude, as well as upon Mr. Rice's
kindness, froze his nose and a toe slightly, being somewhat neglectful
of himself in his solicitude for me.

We had been out about twenty hours in a temperature ranging from 52 deg. to
60 deg. below zero, had walked about forty-four miles, labouring incessantly
as well as walking, what time we were with the sled, with nothing to
eat--it was too cold to stop for eating--and, in addition to this, one
of us had been in water to the waist, yet none of us took any harm. It
was a providential overruling of blundering foolhardiness for which we
were deeply thankful.

The next day a native with a fast team and an empty toboggan was sent
down to take our load on to the cabin and bring the dogs back.
Meanwhile, the mail-carrier had pa